Asia-Pacific Peoples’ Assembly 10-15 November 1998
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This year’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting will be held in November in Malaysia. Since the first Leaders’ Meeting in 1993, representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), people’s organisations, and social movements have met in parallel gatherings to highlight concerns about the "free trade, free market" model of trade and investment liberalisation that APEC promotes. Today, a strong global movement continuously monitors, educates and mobilises people to fight the neo-liberal economic programmes causing untold hardship to workers, women and peoples the world over.

More than 300 participants from the region are expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Peoples’ Assembly (APPA) in Kuala Lumpur. This year’s assembly is of utmost importance given the current financial crisis in Asia, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the upcoming negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Issue and sector forums, some of which may take place outside of Malaysia prior to the Peoples’ Assembly, will feed into a two-day plenary session on 13-14 November in Kuala Lumpur. Each forum will be required to commit to at least two specific actions that it can present at the plenary session. The plenary will build a common analysis and a plan of action with the overall objective to strengthen the peoples’ movement against globalisation.

Interested organisations and individuals from within and outside of Malaysia are encouraged to join in the Peoples’ Assembly. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way.

The registration fee of the 10-15 November meeting is US0. This will cover food, accommodation, transportation from the airport and back, conference kit and socials. Prior registration is strictly required. The conference does not provide any subsidy for participants. The APPA secretariat will assist issue and sector forums with registration and logistics. For further inquiries and to register for the various issue forums, contact APPA secretariat at:

57 Lorong Kurau,
59100 Luck Gardens,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 603-283-6245
Fax: 603-283-3536
E-mail: appasec@tm.net.my
Website: www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/8340