THANK YOU TO ALL ALUMNAE WHO HAVE SIGNED THE PETITION AND SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT SO FAR!

Jubilee 2000 International Meeting
Rome 15-17 November 1998

Open to all national Jubilee 2000 coalitions and movements. The meeting will discus how we work together to campaign to:

Cancel the unpayable debt of the poorest countries by the year 2000 under a fair and transparent process and ask how we define these terms more clearly.

Enclosed is news about the relaunch of the Jubilee 2000 website which is designed specifically for an international audience.  We also enclose an easy-to-do action following the German General Election which we are distributing to our supporters. Please distribute it to your networks.

1. Relaunch of Jubilee 2000 Website - http://www.jubilee2000uk.org

Jubilee 2000 Coalition in the UK has relaunched its website with a new format and exciting new features.  With new campaign, news and international sections as well as ongoing weekly updates - it is THE site for all the latest news on debt and the Jubilee 2000 campaign worldwide.

NEW HOME PAGE
In the format of a weekly news sheet, the Home page has been redesigned to highlight the latest news and action.  Highlights this week include:

• Headlines on the launch of Jubilee 2000 Coalition's report In our Own Backyard on Britain as a creditor and the President of Mozambique's criticism of the HIPC debt initiative.
• In the campaign action section, there is an action targeting the newly elected SDP/ Green Government.
• The page is set within an easy-to-use frame which remains fixed during your exploration of the site.
  

DEBT IN THE NEWS
All the lastest news on debt from analysis of World Bank reports to media stories and news about debt campaigns in Australia.  This is the place to come to keep up to date on the issues.

INTERNATIONAL LINKS PAGE
From here you can find out about Jubilee 2000 campaigns around the world. There is news about continental initiatives such as the Jubilee 2000 Afrika campaign as well as contact details and background about campaigns in 43 countries.  You can also link through to the websites of Jubilee 2000 campaigns all around the world.

WHAT YOU CAN DO PAGE
There will be no shortage of campaign ideas with weekly actions, reports on campaigns and standard letters to send off to your political representative or the IMF.

BEGINNER'S GUIDE
Want to have the basic background to the Debt Crisis?  This section looks at the causes of the crisis, its impact and political initiatives to respond to the crisis.

COMMON QUESTIONS
How much will debt relief cost?  How do we prevent future debt crises?  This section will answer your questions.

POLICY DEBATE
Jubilee 2000 campaigns from around the world are meeting in Rome to discuss policy and campaign strategies. This section will highlight some of the key debates both in the run-up and during the Rome conference.

BULLETIN BOARD
This is your space to discuss both the issues of debt and your latest campaign ideas.

SEARCH ENGINE
Want some information on Rwanda and debt?  Or want to print out all the new articles in the last month?  Use the search engine to find the information you need.

SITEMAP
The site will become a very large site.  The sitemap will help you see how it is set out so that you can navigate more easily.

International Coalitions

This site is designed to be international.  We want it to draw attention to the work that organisations are doing not just in the UK but Worldwide on the issue of debt.  We hope it will be a reference point for the worldwide.

Jubilee 2000 movement.

• Do refer to it and encourage your contacts to do so.  We are committed to updating regularly.
• If you have a website that is not currently under the listed International Links Page, let us know.
• If you put up any new material on your website on the issue of debt, we could highlight a link to it.
• Please forward us any relevant material that you think would be valuable to put up on the site.  For example if you are doing a campaign action on debt that you would like to be supported by coalitions around the world, we could highlight it on the Front Page as well as the latest actions page and resources page.
• Please send us your feedback and comments so that we can continue to improve the site for your benefit.

German General Election Action

Ask the new German government to take action on debt relief

Germany votes for a new future

Gerhard Schrvder's Social Democrat Party (SPD) has swept to victory in German elections and looks set to form a coalition with the Greens.

Germany has been one of the more intransigent creditors in debt relief negotiations, and has blocked the sale of IMF gold to fund debt relief. The SPD are likely to take a more positive stance on this issue:

• they have already recognised the need for an international insolvency law
• they have supported a change in German budgetary law to allow debt relief to be extended
• they are likely to raise the profile of development issues by giving more power to the Minister for Development.

The Greens have formally endorsed the aims of Erlassjahr 2000, the German Jubilee 2000 campaign, and will probably gain a key ministry such as Foreign Affairs. J|rgen Kaiser, Coordinator of Erlassjahr 2000, said: "We hope that the new government will take a more positive stance towards debt relief than its predecessor, and listen to the voices of German citizens calling for debt relief for the poorest countries by the year 2000."

"Germany voted yesterday for a new future. We call on Gerhard Schrvder to get together with his international colleagues and support measures for further debt relief, so that the poorest countries in the world can also benefit from a fresh start."

Join Erlassjahr 2000's call for action from the new German government. Write to:

Gerhard Schrvder
Bundeshaus
Gvrresstra_e 15
53113 Bonn
Germany

Congratulate Mr Schrvder on his victory in the election, and ask him to play a more proactive and positive role in debt relief negotiations than his predecessor. This should include ending opposition to the sale of IMF gold to fund debt relief measures, and supporting a full and frank review of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative next year, always remembering the debt relief which Germany itself benefited from in 1953. As host of next year's G8 Summit, Gerhard Schrvder's government can take the lead among industrialised nations in calling for a more international outlook and introducing measures to give a billion people a fresh start for the next millennium.

Best wishes,

Nick Buxton
Communications Manager

PO Box 100,
London  SE1 7RT
Tel: 0171 401 9999 ext.23
Fax: 0171 401 3999
Email: nbuxton@jubilee2000uk.org
Website: http://www.jubilee2000uk.org

Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Unions of Superiors General,
Father Frans Thoolen, SMA
Via Aurelia 476, CP 9099 (Aurelio)
00100 Roma
0039-06-662.29.29