Kick Off to May Day March 3rd, 2011
Victoria’s Elders Share Their Tales of May Days Past
For Immediate Release 24 February 2011
The public is invited to an event where the Elders of the Community will share their remembrances of International Workers’ Day – celebrated around the world as May Day, May 1st. This kickoff event will take place on March 3rd, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the BCGEU Building at 2994 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC.
Since 1886 May 1st has been the true workers’ day around the world, at time when workers and their organizations remember the sacrifices the working class has made to gain what it has and to renew the call for struggle to rebuild the movement. Less a celebration of the work we must do to survive May Day is more about refocusing our attention upon the true class adversary. We have gained much in the 125 years since the general strike for an 8-hour day and its roots in Chicago. But those gains will be taken away by the financiers and parliamentarians if the working class doesn’t step up to the challenge.
Worldwide the tradition is for the workers to march on May Day. This year a new committee has been formed to plan a march in Victoria which will commence at Bastion Square at 1PM on May 1st. The committee is building support by a number of planned outreach and public education events. The first is our kickoff event on March 3rd. On hand to share stories will be Bill Doherty, Gudrun Doherty, Kevin Neish, Freda Knott, Larry Tickner, Dave Rothkop, Alison Acker and D.J. Alperovitz. Our moderator for the evening will be Saloumeh Pourmalek. The audience will have an opportunity to ask questions of our elders and to share their stories as well. We’re inviting interested individuals to bring their mementos, too; banners, photos, buttons, books, recordings.
This event is open to the public and admission is free of charge.
For further information contact us at: maydayvictoria@gmail.com phone: 250-384-6893(Art Farquharson)
Art Farquharson for the Victoria May Day Committee
Supported by the Victoria Labour Council and the Vancouver Island Branch of IWW.
