An exhibition of paintings, graffiti and original clothes
replaced conventional campaigning materials to draw in the
crowds at three Swedish music festivals in recent months.
CCC Sweden "army"
action, during the Olympic torch relay race, Stockholm
July 2005.
Photo: Milan Bogicevic |
Co-organiser Johanna Ritscher wanted to create a presence
at the music festivals for the Swedish Clean Clothes Campaign,
Rena Kläder, that she could relate to, and that would
inspire other Swedish young people to get involved.
"Lots of organisations have tried to get me involved
in their campaigns and activities", she said, "but
their methods have always been dry; or if not dry then trying
too hard to be cool".
The festival exhibitions drew attention to general issues
in the garment industry and Rena Kläder campaigns.
Amongst other issues, the exhibition highlighted the lack
of shame the Philippine government has in publishing adverts
describing how workers are not able to strike and laws are
swept aside in export processing zones in order to attract
foreign investment.
The festival tour follows other examples of Rena Kläder's
creative campaigning. The campaign has organised alter-native
fashion shows across Sweden. The host of the fashion shows,
rather than describing the clothes paraded along the catwalk,
describes the abuses against garment workers.
A rap featured in Swedish activities in the Play Fair at
the Olympics Campaign in 2004. A troop or "army"
of activists ran through Stockholm clad in black, stopping
traffic and passers-by to perform the rap describing poor
working conditions in the garment industry and, in the final
verse, what was expected of the companies and Olympic Committees.
When the troop arrived at the official Olympic torch event,
the speaker on stage at the time was not sure if they were
part of the official programme or not, and so the troop
performed the song again in front of the "official"
audience.
"We live in an information society, and we need to
be creative to reach people," said Ritscher. "Even
though we're dealing with serious issues, we can still use
humour, music and colour to reclaim the rights of workers".
For more information see www.renaklader.org
