International Tent | Tolpuddle Martyrs

The union movement is proud to have links with friends and comrades around the world – our solidarity is without borders.

Saturday

12:00 Indigenous Native Americans: an eyewitness into their ongoing struggle for sovereignty

From the 1969 occupation of Alcatraz to the frontlines of Standing Rock, Indigenous peoples across the Americas have long resisted colonialism, fought for land and water rights, and demanded the return of sacred territories – and their struggle is far from over. Today, the Land Back movement is gaining momentum as tribes fight to reclaim ancestral lands, defend food and water sources, and protect sacred sites threatened by corporate and government interests. The fight goes beyond land: it is a fight for sovereignty, for cultural survival, and for the right to determine their own futures. This session offers an eyewitness account of that ongoing resistance, showing that Indigenous peoples’ struggles are not history—they are a living, urgent reality. Join us to hear from a Native American activist and member of the Pomo Nation of Sonoma County, California, who has travelled all the way to Tolpuddle to build the international solidarity that Indigenous peoples have long called for.

14:00 Sudan: War, Revolution and Workers’ Struggle

Since April 2023, Sudan has been devastated by a war between two rival militias — the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Hundreds of thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and vital services destroyed. Women have been at the forefront of resistance while also facing horrific violence and attacks. Workers are facing attacks on their jobs, wages and rights, including mass dismissals and political purges.

Yet, despite the devastation, Sudanese workers and communities continue to resist. Teachers and university educators have been striking for months, while demand-based campaigns and grassroots struggles are spreading across the country.

What is really happening in Sudan? Who is driving this war? What role have regional powers, Britain, Israel and Western powers played? And how can we support Sudanese workers and the struggle for freedom, democracy and justice?

Join us to discuss Sudan’s revolution, the resistance of workers and women, and how we can build international solidarity to defend Sudanese workers fighting for freedom, democracy and justice.

Support the campaign: “Stop the Attack on Sudanese Workers – Oppose Mass Dismissals and Political Purges”
https://menasolidaritynetwork.com/2026/05/31/statement-stop-the-attack-on-sudanese-workers-oppose-mass-dismissals-and-political-purges/

16:00 Iran: A trade unionist’s eye on the war and what it means for Iranian workers

The war on Iran, led by the US and Israel, has brought devastation to the lives of ordinary working people: destroying factories, steel plants, and civilian infrastructure, and leaving hundreds of thousands of workers in severe danger and without work as the economy is hollowed out. Caught between an authoritarian theocracy at home and sustained military aggression from abroad, Iranian workers are bearing the heaviest costs of a conflict they did not choose. This session cuts through the propaganda to ask: what is really happening on the ground for Iranian workers, how are they resisting both an overbearing government and external assaults, and what can the international labour movement do to build genuine solidarity without borders? Join us to hear from CODIR and those on the frontline, and to stand against war and for the freedom and dignity of Iranian workers.