Rock Against Coca Cola in Turkey
In Turkey, we have bad news for Coca Cola. As it did last year Coca Cola Co. is arranging a music festival as a part of its advertisement campaign here in Istanbul.
Although the musical ingredients don’t have connection with rock, they are using “Rock N Coke” as the name of the festival, spending a big budget and carrying out a big advertisement campaign.
Last year the individual activists and musicians who got angry about Coca Cola -which sponsors wars– arranged an alternative festival with the help of NGO’s & trade unions, its name was Barisarock, which means Peace and Rock against Rock and Coke.
As a result Istanbul hosted two festivals separately on 6-7 September, last year: the Coca Cola festival with huge budget and excessive prices and Barisarock with only voluntary participation. More than 30 musician and groups joined Barisarock. None of them took money.
For a month Coca Cola had been displaced. Anti-war movement and rock listeners came together.
“Another world is possible” expression came true in Barisarock. We performed the right and the beautiful against the that to which we say NO!
Cheap ticket, food and drink. None of the products of Coca Cola were consumed in festival area. Voices against war and capitalism rose up in the activity which we can call Turkey’s (or maybe Middle East’s) Woodstock.
Young names of Turkish rock music, legend groups, and groups from other countries like Lebanon, Britain, and Georgia had played. Sings were song in Turkish, Kurdish, English, Georgian, Laz language, Armenian and Arabic.
Coca Cola took an unexpected defeat. 10.000 people participated to Barisarock. Failing to learn from history, Coca Cola is arranging its festival again. There are names participating like 50 Cent, Iggy Pop.
Anti-war, anti-capitalist rock music listeners and musicians are preparing to answer “coke” once more. Barisarock will be arranged in a forest with almost 30 local and foreign groups.
Your participation or your message is very important for us. Please contact us.
Help us to defend Rock & Roll’s against Coca Cola, the symbol of war and capitalism.
+90 212 243 89 57
+90 535 6582960 (mobile)
Use the links below to see pictures from last years action.
http://www.fotografvakfi.org/turkce/roportajdetay.asp?rop_id=21&ss=0
http://barisarock.komunite.org/gallery/index.php?path=gecen%20seneden%20enstantaneler
Barisarock & Coalition Global Peace and Justice