ASEM 2000 People's Forum III

ASEM 2000 People's Forum III
Seoul, Korea, 17-21 October 2000

• Introduction
• ASEM 2000 People's Forum Papers
• Keynote Speeches
• Plenary Speeches
• Economic Globalisation
• Peace and Security
• Poverty and Development
• Asia-Europe Parliamentary Dialogue
• Seoul Day of Action
• De-militarised Zone Peace Dialogue

INTRODUCTION

"People's Action and Solidarity Challenging Globalisation" was the theme of a four day event organised by the Asia Europe People's Forum (AEPF) in Seoul Korea from October 17-21, 2000.

The main activities included:

• The ASEM 2000 People's Forum
• The Asia-Europe Parliamentary Dialogue
• Parallel conferences, seminars and press conferences
• Seoul Day of Action and Cultural Events
• Europe-Asia Peace Dialogue at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

More than 800 participants from 33 countries attended the ASEM 2000 People's Forum. The participants included a wide range of Asian and European peoples' organisations, community and citizen's networks, social movements, trade unions and NGOs. An estimated 20,000 people participated in the Seoul Day of Action.

This Web publication in English of the Papers presented at the ASEM 2000 People's Forum has been edited and published by TNI. The papers have also been published in Korean and is available from People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy: contact Youngmi Yang: pspdint@pspd.org

Preparation for the ASEM 2000 People's Forum was undertaken from mid 1999 until October 2000, by the International Organizing Committee of the AEPF working together with the Korea People's Forum. Preceding the Forum, representatives of NGOs and people's organisations from Asia and Europe undertook an Information and Advocacy Initiative in Europe (May 15 to 27) and in Asia (August 15-25). Briefings and exchange meetings were held with the European Commission, with Foreign Ministry officials, Parliamentarians, People's organisations and NGOs in Korea, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, and The Netherlands.

Besides this, an AEPF strategy document "Proposal for a Social Forum" was widely consulted across the network and presented to the ASEM Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in July and to the ASEM Summit in Seoul in October. Likewise, A People's Vision was reviewed and adopted as a Declaration during the Forum in Seoul. Up in Arms - a research study on European arms trade to Korea was prepared by TNI and also presented at the Forum.