From 13-15 November, according to the organisers’ own figures, 51,000 activists from around Europe and beyond participated in the second European Social Forum. They listened to speeches, debated alternative strategies for resistance to war and globalising capitalism, they made international and even intercontinental contact with one another. This huge international gathering is and remains an enormous step forward over the narrow national isolation of the last twenty years and more. Read more...

During 13-15 November Paris and the surrounding towns of Bobigny, Ivry-sur-seine and St Denis, were hosts to 50,000 activists from around Europe as they debated and networked at the second European Social Forum. Read more...

The European Social Forum meets in Paris this week (12-16 November) after a year of remarkable successes for in expanding the movement against global capitalism and imperialist war. Read more...

The European Social Forum, gathers in Florence this week. From 6-9 November a series of debates and forums will take place, followed by the assembly of the European Social Movements on Sunday 10 November. Read more...

In the run in to the European Social Forum rumours are rife that the organisers will use their enormous material clout to ensure that the forum does not lead to any radical actions. The leaders of ATTAC France, their close allies in the CGT union bureaucracy and the reformist Parti Communiste Français (PCF) dominate the organising committee. Sharp conflicts with the Ligue Communiste Revolutionnaire (LCR) are widely reported. Read more...

The governments and central institutions of the European Union have launched a concerted offensive against our social and public services, jobs, and pensions. This is dictated by globalising capital-- the giant industrial financial and trading corporations. They demand that public transport, health, social welfare, pension and education systems be privatized or subordinated to the “laws of the market". Read more...

The second European Social Forum in Paris next month meets at a crucial time for the anti-capitalist movement. Read more...

About 250 activists - from Russia to Portugal, and from Ireland to Greece - attended the preparatory assembly for the European Social Forum at the end of last month. It is clear from the reports at the meeting that the European Social Forum will be big and diverse, if nothing else. Thanks to the tireless work of the activist translators of Babel in the conference room, and the goodwill of bilingual go-betweens in the corridors we were able to meet activists from all over Europe. Read more...