One Solution - Global Revolution Read more...
At the same time that businessmen and bankers were crying on each others' shoulders at the World Economic Forum (WEF), over 100,000 activists have gathered together in the Amazonian city of Belem, Brazil for the ninth World Social Forum (WSF). Under the often repeated slogan of "Another World is Possible", the WSF 2009 is expected to counter the world economic crisis with alternative development models. Read more...
The WSF International Committee and the World Social Movements Network met prior to the G8 protests in Germany. Luke Cooper attended the Social Movements Network, reports on the power struggle taking place between it and the International Council and the prospects for developing the class struggle, anti-imperialist left. Read more...
The Assembly of Social Movements at the WSF met on the final day – with a message from Chavez, urging it to take measures to advance the movement.
It adopted a declaration, which stated that Latin America is “witnessing an explosion of movements against free trade, militarisation and privatisation, and in defence of natural resources and food sovereignty." Read more...
The first of the polycentric WSFs took place in Bamako, capital of Mali, from 19th to 23rd January. Estimates vary at between ten and twenty thousand attending.
Reports, in the French weekly Rouge, suggest there was a sharp contrast between the stars of the “international social movements” - the academics, NGO fulltimers, and politicians, both Malian and French - and the representatives of the often semi-clandestine trade unions, peasant organisations, youth and women’s movements, and ethnic minority rights groups. Read more...
In 2006 the World Social Forum is “polycentric". Instead of taking place at its regular venue in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil (2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005) or moving to a new continent (Mumbai, 2004), this year three separate events have been organised. One located in Africa, in Bamako, capital of Mali; one in the Americas, in Caracas, Venezuela; and in March another is due to take place in Karachi, Pakistan. Read more...
The World Social Forum in the Americas attracted between 60,000 and 70,000 participants. Big contingents came from Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and, of course, Venezuela. Several hundreds came from Cuba. Representatives from Canada, Australia, Italy, France and Britain were also present. Read more...
The fourth World Social Forum will open in Mumbai, India on 16th January. One month ahead 52,000 people from all continents had already registered to take part. Organisers expect that anything from 70,000 to 100,000 may actually take part in the forum. The shift to Asia in venue of the WSF presents the possibility for a huge involvement and integration of workers, poor peasants and popular organisations in the worldwide movement against global capitalism and imperialist war. An assembly of Youth will also take part at the forum as will a whole series of other meetings of campaigning bodies Read more...
If there are forces prepared to demonstrate on the streets and confront the exploiters and their state forces then the reformist wing of the anti-globalisation movement is meeting in warmer and safer Read more...