Venezuela cultural attaché to address Mayor's anti-racist event on Saturday

I am just thinking I will be suffering like those of you who follow Ingerland suffered last week, or those of you who are still 'progressive' in the Labour Party must suffer every minute of the day.....Billie Piper is leaving Dr Who tommorrow, sob sob.

Any way, full marks to Ken Livingstone and Socialist Action for their Venezuela work (this is not a blanket endorsement, I am not charmed by their apparent support for the Chinese Communist Party!), I suppose you have to be a bit secretive to get anything done in Labour, notice that SA now seem to have a web site....oh the death agony of the 4th international continues



Mayor of London
news release
Office hours: 020 7983 4070
Out of hours and weekends: 020 7983 4000
www.london.gov.uk

GLA/2006/360

Friday 7 July 2006

Venezuela cultural attaché to address Mayor's anti-racist event on Saturday

Zuleiva Vivas, the cultural attaché at the Embassy for the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in London, is due to speak at the Rise: London United anti-racist festival in Finsbury Park tomorrow (Saturday 8 July 2006).

Ms Vivas is a curator and researcher born in Caracas, Venezuela, where she was in charge of the education department of the National Gallery of Caracas. Before taking up her current post in February 2006, Zuleiva Vivas was coordinator for cultural affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Venezuelan government.

The presence of the Venezuelan cultural attaché at the Rise: London United festival follows the recent visit by the President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez to City Hall and the involvement of representatives of his government at last weekend's EuroPride celebrations.

Ken Livingstone Mayor of London said today: 'London has large South American and Caribbean communities and they will give a representative of Venezuela a warm welcome. The presence of Zuleiva Vivas at this year's Rise: London United reinforces the growing ties between London and Caracas. She will be joining us to show her government's opposition to racism at a free event that will bring Londoners out in their tens of thousands to express their support for the capital's diversity and absolute opposition to racism.'

Over 80,000 Londoners are expected to attend Rise: London United, which is organised by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, in partnership with the National Assembly Against Racism and TUC South East Region (SERTUC), to combat racism and celebrate London's diversity

Headline acts at the free event include US rap artist Common, The Wailers, Graham Coxon, Buzzcocks, Roy Ayers, Duke Spirit, plus Killa Kela, DJ Kayper, MC Inja & Mentor Kolektiv on the main stage.

The festival includes six different music stages - Big Cuba Fiesta, African Village, Urban stage, Mela stage, Crescent stage and the DJ stage - reflecting the wide range of music from around the world that can be heard right here in the capital, thanks to the many communities that live here.

Comedy on the day will be provided by a talented line-up including the BBC’s 3 Non Blonde’s Ninia Benjamin, Shazia Mirza, Nathan Caton and Kojo. There will also be a children's play area, fairground, food and drink, exhibitions and arts and crafts. ENDS

Event: Rise: London United
Location: Finsbury Park, London N4 (Finsbury Park Tube)
Date: Saturday 8 July 2006
Time: 12pm – 8:30pm
Entry: FREE EVENT
Public information: www.risefestival.org / 020 7983 6554

Notes to editors

1. Rise: London United is a free, one-day festival to oppose racism and celebrate London’s diversity, organised by the Mayor of London in partnership with the National Assembly Against Racism and TUC South East Region (SERTUC). It has the support of UNISON, Canary Wharf, ITV London, London Development Agency and Transport for London.

2. For general information, including how to get involved, go to www.risefestival.org; email info@risefestival.org; or call: 020 7983 6554.

3. This year the festival will include performances by Graham Coxon, Common, Buzzcocks, reggae icons The Wailers, celebrated jazzman Roy Ayers, acclaimed London five-piece The Duke Spirit, plus Killa Kela. DJs include DJ Scratchy, DJ Pogo, The Mighty Trojan Soundsystem, and Bobby Friction.

4. Reflecting the wide range of music from around the world that is to be heard in the capital, there are different music stages that feature Latin American, urban, African and Asian music, as well as music and dance with roots in cultures from Turkey to Morocco.

5. The festival will also include performances from this year's Poetry Slam winners. The Poetry Society and the Mayor of London called on all young performance poets, rappers and emcees across the boroughs of London aged between 12 and 18 years old to take part in the fifth Rise: London United London wide youth slam, where they used their verbal skills highlight life in the capital

6. Rise Week precedes the festival, with a range of events and activities across London that celebrate the capital's diversity and oppose racism. Included in the week are a wide variety of events in boroughs, galleries, theatres, museums, music venues, arts and community centres, parks and public spaces, all of which reflect the vibrant multi-cultural nature of the city.

7. Rise: London United also features the Mayor of London's Capture London's Diversity photo competition 2006, which is an opportunity for photographers of all ages, non professional and professional, to give their personal take on London's diversity. The competition closed on 2 June and there will be a public display of winning entries in an outdoor exhibition on Trafalgar Square, an exhibition at City Hall, and at the Rise: London United festival. Work will also be put on the festival website.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Press information is available from Rachelle Laurence or Ben McKnight on 020 7983 4068 \ 4071 (numbers not for publication)

GENERAL PUBLIC/NON-MEDIA ENQUIRIES: Call the Public Liaison Unit at the Greater London Authority on 020 7983 4100

DUTY PRESS OFFICER: For out-of-hours media enquiries, please call 020 7983 4000



------------------------------------------------
Benjamin McKnight
Chief Communications Officer

Mayor's Press Office
Greater London Authority
City Hall
The Queen's Walk
London SE1 2AA

t: 020 7983 4071
m: 07881 501 920

www.london.gov.uk