Posted by The Brower Fund on March 9, 2000
International Day of Action Against Dams - Brief Overview
March 14, 2000 marks the 3rd Annual International Day of Action Against
Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life. The event began in Brazil in 1997
with an announcement by the participants of the First International
Meeting of People Affected by Dams.
Next Tuesday, people from around the world will join together to
demonstrate and celebrate the strength of the river restoration
movement. This day will serve to link local groups to the global
network of river protectors and it will show the entire world that this
is truly the dawning of the Century of River Restoration! Perhaps most
importantly, the day will serve to educate people across the globe about
the impacts that dams have on ecosystems, cultures and economies.
This year is especially exciting for North Americans because for the
first time there will be an event at Glen Canyon Dam, located on the
Colorado River near Page, Arizona.
Events at Glen Canyon Dam
Come to Flagstaff Arizona, Monday, March 13 for:
What: A Teach-in on The Restoration of Glen Canyon
When: 12:00 - 5:00 pm
Where: Kaibab Room, University Union Field House, Northern Arizona University Campus
Sponsored by: Free the Planet (NAU Chapter)
Later that Evening there will be a Colorado River Revival Concert and Rally from 7:00 - 9:00 pm in the Cline Library Auditorium
Caravan with us to Glen Canyon the following morning!
On March 14th, be sure to attend the Glen Canyon Restoration Celebration:
What: "On our way to Glen Canyon" Restoration Celebration and Rendezvous
Where: Carl Hayden Visitor Center, Glen Canyon Dam
When: High Noon, Tuesday, March 14, 2000
This is a landmark event sponsored, among many others, by Glen Canyon
Action Network, International Rivers Network, Colorado Plateau River
Guides, Center for Biological Diversity, Earth Island Institute, Friends
of the Earth and Friends of the River.
David Brower, Chairperson of Earth Island Institute and 27-year advocate
for the decommissioning of Glen Canyon Dam, will be present at this two
day event.
Invitation from David Brower
The following is a letter from Dave to YOU, inviting you to attend the Glen Canyon Events!
Dear Friends:
Please join me for an exciting event March 14 at Glen Canyon Dam for the
"Colorado River Restoration Celebration and Rendezvous."
We will celebrate the new century and a take new look at our rivers and
watersheds, joining the other rallies around the world on the Third
Annual International Day of Action Against Dams and For Rivers, Water,
and Life.
Former Poet Laureate Robert Hass will join us for what he calls this
"Century of River Restoration." We come together at Glen to correct the
most egregious errors of the last century and bring joy back to rivers
-- and heed Isaiah who, 2700 years ago, said "thou hast multiplied the
nation and not increased the joy." Please remember Edith Warner's genius
in the phrase "time and the river flowing," who knew how much the river
has suffered when given only time and no flow, when the Sistine Chapel
is flooded so that jet skiers can speed closer to the ceiling.
The Glen Canyon Action Network is cooperating with International Rivers
Network, the Center for Biological Diversity, Colorado
Plateau River Guides, Earth Island Institute, Friends of the Earth,
Friends of the River, and many other groups who in turn have
been reawakened by Rich Ingebretsen's Glen Canyon Institute.
So join many of my friends who have been so important to these efforts:
- Pioneering Glen Canyon explorer and folksinger/musician Katie
Lee will be making her first visit to the dam--which does not
delight her, but she will delight you;
- Veteran dam-fighter and Glen Canyon river guide Ken Sleight will
be on hand to tell us about the historic struggle to protect
Rainbow Bridge;
- Writers, musicians, scientists, recreationists, artists and
activists will converge on Page, Arizona, in support of The Big
Drain of "Lake" Powell Reservoir.
Since you'll be travelling from other places, I invite you to come
through Flagstaff the day before the rally--Monday, March 13--for a
"Glen Canyon Teach-In" on the campus of Northern Arizona University. All
afternoon we will enjoy hearing you and others reveal the joyful
proposal to decommission Glen Canyon Dam at sessions at the NAU Student
Union.
That evening will be show time--images of the Glen Canyon That Was;
Katie Lee's moving songs about the river and about the characters who
have given it a bad time; and my own few words explaining my biases
about the campaign, the river, and perhaps something relevant, such as
the way rivers feel when some people think they are only there to be
dammed.
Mikhail Davis, my Earth Island staff and manager, usually notes that
what I write is long. I am trying hard to be shorter when I talk. At
87.6 years, I am indeed two inches shorter in height for sure.
This celebration will give the restoration era the big break it needs,
and bring a lot of joy to the 1600 miles of canyons and side
canyons that are magnificent gestures of the Earth (Ansel Adams's
phrase), unmatched on Earth or anywhere else. They are waiting eagerly
to be born again. I know, I asked them all.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Sincerely,
David R. Brower
Berkeley, CA
For more information
To find out more information about the Glen Canyon events or events
around the world on the 3rd Annual International Day of Action Against
Dams and for Rivers, Water and Life, check out the following web sites:
Glen Canyon Action Network
http://www.drainit.org
International Rivers Network
http://irn.org/dayofaction/index.shtml
For more information, please contact Briana Meier at the Brower Fund:
Briana Meier
Outreach Coordinator
The Brower Fund
Earth Island Institute
300 Broadway, Suite 28
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: 415-788-3666 x155
E-mail: bmeier@earthisland.org
Web: http://www.earthisland.org/brower/browerweb.html
To view the list of books and videos that are available by or about David
Brower, please visit http://www.earthisland.org/brower/den.html
We are currently scheduling speaking engagements with David Brower. If you
would like to find out more information about upcoming engagements or how to
arrange to have Dave speak at your event, please contact Briana Meier.
