The "Global Wave of Action for Edu­cation" kicked off with a massive"Day of Action to Defend Education"in the U.S.A. on October 7th. Tens ofthousands of people participated inabout 80 protest actions against theprivatisation of public education,budget cuts, the de­democratisationwithin universities and constantly in­creasing tuition fees in 25 statesacross the country.Various rallies, sit­ins and teach­outswere held. One of the biggest sit­instook place at the University of Califor­nia (Berkeley) with about 600 stu­dents storming a library and squatting

it until the night.Almost everywhere speeches wereheld. To give you an example aspeech held by Eva v. Dassow on be­half of the "Faculty for the Renewalof Public Education" during a rally atthe University of Minnesota has beenpublished inside the forum of the "In­ternational Student Movement": ht­tp://emancipating­education­for­all.org/eva_drassow_speechIn Bochum (Germany) studentsmarked the kick­off with a bannerdrop. The following statement wassent in:

"While attending a meeting at theRuhr­University of Bochum, activistsdiscussed the idea behind the "GlobalWave of Action for Education" anddecided to express their solidarity onOctober 7th. In order to raise aware­ness of the International StudentMovement, two banners were hungand flyers with the joint statement andan additional mobilisation text weredistributed at the university.We wishthe very best to all the activists whoorganise protests around the world.

One world, one struggle!"

Almost 300,000 pupils and studentsin about 80 cities across Italy took tothe streets in protest against new re­forms (pushed by Gelmini, the minis­ter for education, universities and

science), which will result in budgetcuts and the increasing privatisationof education.At least four activists were arrestedafter an attack on the demonstration

by police forcesin Milan.The protests werecalled for by Uni­one degli Stu­denti (UDS), whoalso confirmedthat this day of ac­tion is linked tothe "GlobalWave".

On the same day people gathered inLondon (UK) for a "DemocracyRally" which was organised by theDemocracy Village Peoples As­sembly (DV PA). The DVPA is alsoamong the groups endorsing the inter­national "joint statement" and see itsaction in context of the "GlobalWave".About 100 people came together formusic, food, discussions, assembliesand a rally.

website for further details:www.democracyrally.org

Monday, 1st November 2010 vol.01 issue.1

for details in Italian: www.unionedeglistudenti.net/sito

This newsletter is part of the communication infrastructure of the inde­pendent platform "International Student Movement" (ISM). The ISM isbeing used and shaped by education activists and groups around the worldwho are struggling against the increasing privatisation of public educationand for free emancipatory education for all.Currently the "Global Wave of Action for Education" is being coordin­ated, which explains the focus on protests related to that inside this edi­tion.The "Global Wave" kicked off with a huge "Day of Action to Defend Edu­cation" in the U.S.A. on October 7th and will continue with various ac­tions worldwide at least until the end of November. It mainly consists ofthree elements: an international "joint statement", a "united symbol" andcommunication/coordination on the global level (e.g. using the infrastruc­ture of the ISM).This newsletter is the result of voluntary work done by a few individualswho are passionate about this issue. The positions expressed are not inany way representative for any group or the "International Student Move­ment" as a whole.For further details:website: http://emancipating­education­for­all.orgcontact: united.for.education@gmail.com

Details on the day of action in the U.S.A.: www.defendeducation.org

international student movement

About this newsletter

October 7th: The "Global Wave" kicked off !!

October 8th: Pupils & Students flood streetsacross Italy + "Democracy Rally" in London

Reclaim EducationNotes on the global struggle

More than 20,000 students in 15 citiesacross the Ukraine protested againstthe decision by the government to al­low public universities to introducenew fees. They were organised by theleft­wing syndicalist union "DirectAction", striving for libertarian educa­tion and the "Foundation of RegionalInitiatives".Only last year students prevented sim­ilar reforms by staging mass­protests.Now, in late August, the new Azarovgovernment passed another set of re­forms that allow university admins toinstall fees for missed classes, for theuse of libraries and gymnasiums aswell as internet access among others.The authorities are about to increasethe fees for dormitories and reducethe number of students able to studyfor free, although the Ukrainian Con­stitution (like many others as well)formally guarantees free access tohigher education.Unlike the Ukrainian far right blam­ing some people in the government as‘Un­Ukrainian’, independent studentactivists emphasize that the problemis not in personalities but in the sys­tem itself. They see the introductionof new fees symptomatic to the cur­rently dominating economic system.

They call to resist this developmentand want to extend their struggle.In Kiev 2,000 students participated ina demonstration demanding free edu­cation for all. Slogans included“Liberty, Equality, Student Solidar­ity!”, “Knowledge not for sale!”,“Universities aren’t markets!” and“Rebel, love, don’t give up yourrights”. Some banners stated “Student

Solidarity”, “Down with social barri­ers!” and in Orwellian­style “War isPeace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignoranceis Strength… Knowledge is Commod­ity?”. A solidarity greeting from thewell­known author Serhiy Zhadanwas read, the international contextwith the "Global Wave of Action forEducation" and the endorsement ofthe "International Student Move­

ment" explained, as well as leafletscalling on students’ self­organizationand struggle were distributed.The demonstration in Lviv was prob­ably the largest with up to 7,000people joining. The building of the re­gional administration was attacked byunknown people who threw smokebombs, tomatoes and eggs. However,ultimately no arrests were made andeverything ended peacefully.In the Transcarpathian city of Uzh­horod, the protest organized by the"Foundation of Regional Initiatives"was attended by about 1,000 youngpeople, an enormous number for thesmallest of 24 regional centers of theUkraine. It was definitely the biggestdemonstration the city has seen in re­cent years.Facing the rage of the students, pres­ident Yanukovich initially announcedthat the government reforms wouldbe suspended. However, this was re­vealed to be a lie to calm down the re­volutionary students. The campaignagainst commercialization of educa­tion isn’t over. The struggle contin­ues!

for details:www.direct­action.org.ua

More than 20,000 students, profess­ors, parents and rectors took to thestreets in Austria as part of a day of ac­tion including general assemblies atall 21 public universities in the coun­try. About 15,000 protested in capitalVienna alone.The "Audimax" ­ largest lecture hallof Austria at the University of Vienna

­ was re­occupied by more than 800students. Why "RE"­occupied? Be­cause the exactly same lecture hallwas already squatted for almost 3months by thousands of students inthe fight against tuition fees, budgetcuts and for free emancipatory educa­tion one year ago.This time the "Audimax" was rel­

caimed for about 12 hours. The fol­lowing morning the remainingsquatters were escorted outside by thepolice. Once on the streets about 60protesters gathered for a spontaneousdemonstration to the ministry. Theywere immediately surrounded by po­lice forces and eight students hadtheir IDs recorded.

At the Johann­Kepler University inLinz a resolution was passed by the1,000 students who attended the gen­eral assembly rejecting any sort of tu­ition fees and restrictions to theaccess of higher education.3,000 people rocked the streets in thecity of Graz, 1,500 in Innsbruck and1,000 in Linz and Salzburg each.

Activists declared the day of action inAustria as part of the "Global Wave".details: www.unibrennt.at

learning unit no 42315

October 15thMore than 100,000 teachers, staff,parents, students and workers tookto the streets across Italyfollowing a day of strike withinthe education sector called for byCOBAS (Confederazione deiComitati di Base) in defence ofpublic education as a commongood.www.cobas.it

October 20thOver 120 students attended anurgent rally on the University ofEssex (UK) campus in oppositionto the further marketization of theUnited Kingdom's educationsystem in the form of proposeddevastating cuts and unlimitedtuition fees. The InternationalStudent Movement wasmentioned, and a list of the recentglobal events taken as inspirationfor future action.

October 20thPEMBEBASAN was among theleading actors calling for protestsfor free education and againstincreasing prices for basicnecessities in Indonesia! Theymobilised for these protests aspart of the "Global Wave" invarious cities such as Jakarta,Yogyakarta and Samarinda.

during the demonstration in Kiev

October 12th: Day of Action across the Ukraine

General Assemblies/Demonstrations across Austria

Short notes