In Firenze Another Europe is born!

In Firenze Another Europe is born!
Brid Brennan
TNI Website, 10 November 2002

FIRENZE - Another Europe was born yesterday – November 9, 2002 in Firenze! You could feel it and hear it and see it! A new dimension was added to the diverse struggles, protests, movements and campaigns which have been brightening the streets of Europe over the past few years. We were one million marching – children, women and men – speaking in many voices and myriad languages but chanting one message "Yes to Peace - No to War" "Yes to another world and No to Neoliberalism". This eight kilometre march from the Fortezza da Basso to the Franchi Stadium culminated in a great explosion of music and dancing.

Firenze a city of Peace opposed to the War

The international media - CNN, the BBC and other major media channels across western and Eastern Europe, could not ignore the message of the March. The systematic campaign in the Italian media and from Burlusconi and other politicians aiming to obstruct and discredit the first European Social Forum (ESF) was completely defeated. This great shout of the people broke through the blacked out TV channels of Burlusconi. Even the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi scrambled to get a word in the headlines - congratulating the Minister of the Interior, Pisanou and the police for a peaceful march! Significantly, there was no word of congratulations for the organisers of the March or the people of Firenze who hung banners from their balconies and offered drinks along the route, demonstrating that the vast majority of the citizens of Firenze were one with the marchers in declaring "Firenze a city of Peace opposed to War".

"This is the biggest single manifestation against Neoliberalism and War" according to Jeld Jacobsen former General Secretary of the CUT, Federation of Brazilian Trade Unions, who is in Florence attending the European Social Forum together with delegations from Latin America, Asia and Africa. The ESF which took place from November 6-10 is a single moment along the political journey of the World Social Forum (WSF) process initiated in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2001. The WSF call and assertion that Another World is Possible has captured the imagination and political energy of a new generation of political activists and social actors all over the world. In Firenze that call was for a "Another Europe – against neoliberalism, war and racism".

A Power which has never existed before

Just before the March left the Fortezza, Pietro Ingrao, former President of the Italian Parliament and a respected leader of the Italian left, congratulated the new movement for "creating a power which has never existed before - the power of peace". Speaking slowly and in the most passionate and poetic Italian he challenged the new generation of activists "to bring this power of peace and new politics which you have created from the streets to the Parliaments to conquer the power of the current national and international institutions".

Early on Sunday morning, while the streets of Firenze still echoed to the chants of the March for Peace, delegates from the Social Movements gathered to reflect on the march and on the three days of Conferences, Seminars, Workshops and cultural activities of the ESF which took place inside and outside the Fortezza. The mother of Carlo Giuliano, who was killed during the Genoa protests was the first to speak. She spoke a low-key but powerful message which only those who have paid the biggest price for change can utter, "Yesterday was a good day! We have to continue like this - "tutti ensieme" (all together) against neoliberalism and imperialism". Most speakers reflected total distrust of governments – condemning not only the US, but also our European governments and especially the 15 who have given the unanimous UN vote on Iraq – with many asking what has been the deal?

The construction of another World is Urgent

This closing session of the Social Movements culminating the ESF became a rally of commitments criss-crossing the Continent. Reflecting the final statement of the Social Movements which underlined that "the construction of another world is urgent", the historic Stazione Leopolda reverberated with unstoppable energy as a vast calendar was constructed of upcoming initiatives, rallies and demonstrations when speaker after speaker called for mobilisations in Prague, Copenhagen, Thesolonika, Paris, London, Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Moscow and Istanbul. Starting with Raffaella Bolino, one of the women leaders in the ESF Organising Committee, many called for a General Strike across Europe - "on February 15, we need 10 million on the streets of Europe’s capital cities!

But the mood in the Stazione Leopolda was not all euphoria. Running through the speeches was a sense of the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead. A Europewide movement was born from the gigantic social and political laboratory of the ESF but this was acknowledged to be only a beginning.

Vitorrio Agnelleto of the ESF Organising Committee emphasised the need to strengthen the autonomous, independent and pluralist character of the movement. While acknowledging the deep rooted character of the Italian social movement which had spearheaded this first ESF, Christophe Aguiton of Attac France which will be among the French organisations to host the next ESF in Paris in November 2003 also declared that "we now take on the challenge of responding to this incredible energy released in Firenze".

Three major and immediate tasks lie ahead. Everyone felt the need to grow the movement where it is still weak and deepen and widen it where it is already strong - strengthening the links to the global movements and preparing for the third Porto Alegre either by direct participation or organising parallel, simultaneous activities. The second task in Europe is to stop the war or at least prevent and thwart Europe’s alignment and participation with the US in this war. The third task is to tackle the next WTO Ministerial in Cancún, turning it into another Seattle – a defeat for the forces of neoliberal and corporate globalisation and a victory for the movement. According to Walden Bello, who addressed the closing session "In Florence we have shown the true face of the movement – that we have capacity and that we can win!"