Days 1 – 3
★ Ireland ★
On the evening of October 12th, a group of Zapatista men and women landed in Dublin’s international airport. The delegation, made up of two Listen and Speech teams, was warmly welcomed by a group of cheerful comrades weaving colourful banners. The arrival of the Zapatistas on this day is notable, as the 12th October marks the 529 year anniversary of Indigenous resistance against the colonial order installed in 1492.
The Zapatistas have come to the WISE islands to meet with other struggles and movements who share their desire to build a fairer and better world. We are sure that their passage through these lands will leave an indelible mark, and that their language of resistance will leave us all more determined in our struggles for justice, peace and freedom.
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October 13th: Galway
The delegation had a busy day in Galway, where they met with Irish language activists and radical collectives for a dialogue on identity, language, and autonomy.
From Irish to English to Spanish to Mayan languages (Tojolabal, Tzeltal, Mam, Chol, Zoque) and back – our histories played out in multilingualism and translation.
In the evening, the delegation joined a big crowd at the Spanish Arch, where they echoed the Galway people in their call to remove the city’s monument to Christopher Columbus.
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October 14th: more encounters in Galway
The journey through Éire continues in Galway with meetings with feminist collectives, the Irish Traveller community, and migrant solidarity groups.
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Follow Fáilte go hÉirinn Zapatistas 2021 for more information about the Journey for Life in Ireland
and the Zapatatista Solidarity Network for updates on the WISE Islands.
On Facebook: FghZapatistas2021 & ZapaSolNet
What are we fighting for? Statement and calendar of activities from our friends in Ireland.
Don’t forget to support their fundraiser if you can.
#LaGiraZapatistaVa
London Mexico Solidarity 