History « Jubilee Oregon

History

Jubilee 2000 – 1999-2000

A small group of Portlanders organized to cancel African and Latin American debt through various activities and events.

Promoted EMO’s Collins Lectures with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Adolfo Perez Esquivel, a leading Jubilee activist in Argentina;
Collaborated with Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon in a Jubilee worship resource and recruited faith communities to action;
Supported Rev. David Duncombe in his 45 day fast in Washington , DC to show elected officials the face of poverty and starvation.
Traveled to Seattle for the WTO to join 5000 Jubilee advocates in a major interfaith event and to walk in the protest rally
Sponsored a Cancel the Debt Now rally with 200 people and formed a human chain around the

Gus Solomon Building and presented thousands of petitions to Rep. David Wu

Action Results:

U.S. Congress appropriated $545 million for debt reduction in 1999-2000 which leveraged $34 billion in debt reduction by the USA and other creditor nations for some of the world’s most impoverished countries. The US canceled bilateral debt owed by many african nations.

Jubilee USA Network – 2001-2007

Jubilee Oregon joins new Jubilee USA network with more than 80 grassroots and national organizations working to break the chains of debt;
Bono and the U2 promote debt cancellation and invite Jubilee Oregon to table at the U2 spring 2001 concert in Portland .
Drop the Debt benefit concert at Lewis and Clark College; Jubilee South leaders tour Portlandin 2001 and 2002; Jubilee OR participates in Globalization workshops and organizes various postcard and letter writing campaigns to U.S. Congressional representatives.
Jubilee OR joins the Portland Area Global AIDS Coalition
Organizes Life and Debt showing at the Hollywood Theater with panel discussion by Caribbean community leaders
Outreach to Oregon Congressional delegation re: Jubilee ACT; postcard campaigns continue;
December, 2005 – Joins with the ONE campaign to sponsor a pre-U2 rally and sends emails to IMF directors urging implementation of July 2005 G-8 agreement for all 18 nations.

Action Results: In Scotland the G8 leaders agreed to 100% debt cancellation for 18 poor countries in Africa and Latin America. Thousands of people marched and celebrated this decision worldwide.