Join us for an engaging evening to connect drug policy reform, environmental justice & Indigenous rights
Every year, June 26 marks the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, established by the UNODC. This day has been hijacked by IDPC and its 210 member NGO’s as an opportunity to advocate for a much smarter approach: shifting budgets from repression to harm reduction and more effective, humane solutions for addressing substance use.
This year Amsterdam joins the Global Support Don’t Punish campaign with an evening event to connect the dots between drug policy reform, environmental justice and Indigenous rights. The impact of drug prohibition on climate governance, environmental justice and the rights of Indigenous peoples has come increasingly to the forefront of drug policy reform debates.
The evening will begin with short introductory talks followed by a screening of the film produced by TNI, Erythroxylum Coca. The Confused which features powerful community stories and testimonies from Indigenous and peasant communities in Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia. These territories are historically where the coca leaf has been cultivated and used for millenia, carrying deep cultural and ancestral significance. The coca leaf’s continued global prohibition is emblematic of how drug control has harmed and erased Indigenous peoples’ rights, knowledge and traditions. The second part of the evening will be led by the International Coalition for Drug Policy Reform & Environmental Justice who will coordinate a participatory workshop which will invite participants to collectively imagine legal and regulatory drug policy futures along the coca and cocaine supply chain that are grounded in ecological repair, social justice, and democratic governance. The workshop will allow participants to explore how current policies of prohibition drive interconnected harms across communities and ecosystems, prioritising empathy and challenging stereotypes. A light vegetarian dinner will be provided as well as refreshments on the basis of a small contribution. We very much hope you will join us for this engaging evening which is also an opportunity to make new connections and friends!
programme (draft):
17.00: Arrival
17.15 Welcome
17.30 Contextualising the connections between drug policy reform & environmental justice & Indigenous rights (brief key notes)
18.00: Screening: Erythroxylum Coca. The Confused, followed by discussion led by TNI
19.00: Dinner (vegetarian middle-eastern buffet)
19.45: Multi-species workshop led by the International Coalition on Environmental Justice and Drug Policy Reform
20.45: Drinks on the terrace & networking
Spaces are limited!
Secure your spot by sending a brief RSVP email to info@legalize.net. You will receive a confirmation upon registration. A small donation will be asked to pay for drinks and dine.
This event is one in hundreds worldwide commemorating Support. Don’t Punish Day (26th June), a global show of force for responses to drugs that reduce harm and reject criminalisation. Learn more at: www.supportdontpunish.org
