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In a rousing call to action, Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace, told Congress participants to challenge the threat to education services “peacefully, principally and courageously.”

Describing austerity measures being advocated by some governments as a “daily, silent tsunami” Naidoo’s argued that such policies were a “perfect storm and turning point” for education trade unionists and social justice activists to renew and refocus shared strategies to overcome climate, financial, food, fuel and poverty crises that continue to devastate millions of people.

Naidoo noted that for each Millennium Development Goal (MDG) that was not being met 50,000 people died each day from preventable causes.

“We cannot allow business as usual, nor can we rely on the same strategies as the past. We must use this crisis to make clear what happens when we let profit come before people.”

Arguing that this democratic crisis was an obstacle, Naidoo said: “We cannot allow those in power to use the financial crisis to launch a second wave to decimate our public services. Without educators delivering our public services, we cannot achieve the MDGs.”

Naidoo called on delegates to continue building the alliances which unite trade unions with civil society, equality and religious movements.

“Our demands, the demands of people, are for fairness and equity, so justice is on our side. History teaches us that when we engage in struggle, when we peacefully, principally and courageously, pursue civil disobedience, then those who occupy the instruments of power, will listen and understand.”