World Social Forum

Articles

The Beijing Declaration: Another Economic World is Possible by Hilary Wainwright (October 2008)

‘Another World is Possible’, the familiar slogan of the World Social Forum, is now being put to the test, writes Hilary Wainwright from Beijing. Can the activists and intellectuals of the movements for global justice propose convincing alternatives, drawing on the struggles and experiments of recent years and on interesting historical experiences?

World Social Forum on Trial by Hilary Wainwright (March 2005)

With 155,000 participants from 33 different countries, the fifth World Social Forum held in a specially constructed site in Porto Alegre’s Marinho Park was bigger than ever, and with a wider geographic spread. Yet the future of the WSF was on trial. Was it becoming its caricature: a kind of political Woodstock, Hugo Chavez pulling the crowds instead of Mick Jagger?

Tackling EU and Latin American relations at the WSF by Claudia Torrelli (March 2005)

Something new is happening in the movement for global justice. Social movement organisations are turning a critical eye toward growing EU-Latin American ties. This is a departure from the almost exclusive focus on US policies in the region. This trend was evident at the World Social Forum (WSF) both in particular workshops and in general discussion among Forum participants.

The fertility of the borders: the Caracol Intergalactika at the WSF 2005 by Rodrigo Nunes, Emma Dowling, Jeff Juris (March 2005)

An Intergalactictika ’Laboratory of Global Resistance’ has been organised at every World Social Forum (WSF) Youth Camp since Porto Alegre 2002, existing as a convergence centre for horizontal activists from different places to meet, plan and network.

Coordination without centralisation by Hilary Wainwright (December 2004)

The 2003 World Social Forum in Porto Alegre left the Brazilian organisers, both in Porto Alegre itself and in Sao Paulo, completely exhausted. `We knew we couldn’t go on like that, just organising bigger and bigger events. Something had to change,’ said Ze Correio Leite, a member of the Brazilian secretariat. But a visit to their Sao Paulo offices as they prepare for the 2005 WSF finds Ze and his colleagues full of energy and enthusiasm. ’I so like working here; I’m learning so much. We do a bit of everything,’ commented Marcello, computer expert cum member of the outreach team cum all round administrator. What had changed?

Your struggle is our struggle by Anne Scargill, Betty Cook (March 2004)

Our first impressions of the World Social Forum (WSF) in Mumbai were the noise, bustle, huge crowds and vast diversity of cultures and nationalities.

From Mumbai with hope by Hilary Wainwright (March 2004)

"Can you ask them to go?" an anxious volunteer pleaded with Gautam Mody, trade union organiser turned honest spin doctor for January’s fourth World Social Forum (WSF) in Mumbai. A group of politically motivated Buddhists were performing a dance outside the forum’s media centre and taking up a lot of space.

World Social Forum Charter of Principles by Red Pepper (January 2004)

The committee of Brazilian organizations that conceived of, and organized, the first World Social Forum, held in Porto Alegre from January 25th to 30th, 2001, after evaluating the results of that Forum and the expectations it raised, consider it necessary and legitimate to draw up a Charter of Principles to guide the continued pursuit of that initiative.

Ten tumultuous years by Fiona Osler (May 2003)

‘Red Pepper, breaking a decade; New Labour, broken and decayed,’ suggested a wit in the office. But now is not the moment for narrow triumphalism (beyond celebrating the larger font size and the monthly miracle performed in getting the magazine out at all).