The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are two of the most powerful institutions in the world, yet few people know what they do. The World Bank and the IMF act like giant banks whose customers are countries. The World Bank loans countries money for big infrastructure projects like hydroelectric dams, coal-fired power plants, transportation systems, and industrial agriculture technology. The IMF waits until countries are getting behind on their loan payments, then loans them money in exchange for sweeping reforms to the country’s budget that disregards democracy. Both institutions have caused economic crisis, worsened environmental damage, and put human rights at risk.

As these two institutions get together for a summit April 19-21, IPS invites you to a talk with experts Emira Woods and John Cavanagh, who will provide an introduction to the World Bank and IMF. This talk for beginners will go over the basics of these institutions, and give examples of their impact from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and other regions. Please come, participate, and ask questions!

LIVESTREAM: This talk will be live broadcast via the IPS YouTube Live account. Please tune in!