Mobilisation for the European Social Forum

Mobilisation for the European Social Forum
Another World is Possible
Naima Bouteldja

The first European Social Forum (ESF) takes place in Florence, Italy from the 7th to 10th November next. The event, which was born out of the second World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre Brazil last January, expects to welcome several thousand representatives of civil society.

Florence will take its place in the process of globalising the creation of alternatives and resistance to neo-liberal policies. The ESF will be both a continuation of the process begun at the World Social Forum (WSF) and a forum for new ideas where the objective will be to create a stronger, even more representative movement against neo-liberalism. In this regard, a strong emphasis will be placed on the integration of women and ethnic minorities, groups which have often had to take a disproportionate sip of the neo-liberal poisoned chalice and who have generally been under-represented at previous meetings.

The first ESF Planning Meeting in Brussels last March prepared the ground for national organisations to mobilise. The participants agreed on three general points: The so-called "Call of the Social Movement" adopted at the WSF should be an important political reference point with which all participants must be in accordance. There will not be a separate Parliamentary Forum as was the case at Porto Alegre. The issue of party political participation should be resolved at the national level. On this latter point, the UK preparatory groups agreed that in principal there was no problem with UK party political participation once those parties participating signed up to the WSF Charter of Principles.

UK ESF Preparation

Running parallel to the European level meetings, five national meetings have taken place in London with representatives from NGOs, Trade Unions, Political Parties and independent activists all present.

Three working groups were established: the Practicalities Working Group (charged with logistics and financial management), the Mobilizing Working Group (charged with publicising the event and maximising the size of the UK delegation) and the Programme Working Group (whose role is to work on developing content for the ESF).

Practicalities

The city of Florence will provide professional translators for the plenary sessions in 8 languages; English, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Greek, Russian and Arabic. The City is also freeing up 5,000 places for accommodation and organising another 5,000 cheap rooms.

While many UK participants will make their own way to Florence, some possibilities for organising group transport are being considered. At the moment, the most likely option is to rent a train from Calais to Florence.

In order to meet the ESF’s financing needs a participation fee is payable, its amount varying depending on how many delegates are attending from a given organisation.

Mobilising

As regards mobilising on the national level, the participants have first of all agreed to give priority to mobilising women and ethnic minorities; in particular Muslims and all those directly and indirectly affected by the so-called "War against Terrorism". Also agreed was the importance of having a wide UK representation and in this regard the necessity of involving local trade union branches and other local associations throughout the country.

The results have been positive. So far at least 30 NGOs, local trade union branches and political parties are affiliated to the UK ESF delegation. The list includes mainstream UK Trade Unions and major UK NGOs. A number of regional UK ESF groups have been established in cities across the UK, notably in Manchester, Newcastle and Bristol.

Programme

During the last European level meeting in Thessalonica (Greece) in July the framework for the ESF was largely agreed. Four types of meeting will be held: plenary sessions, seminars, workshops and workshops outside the official programme. The Agenda for the plenary sessions has to a large extent already been agreed. These meetings will reflect on Neo-liberal globalisation, International Financial Institutions, the continuing War Against Terrorism, Regional Conflicts and more positive themes such as Citizenship and Democracy.

The ESF will open with a demonstration against the treatment of political refugees and, depending on the conjuncture, against military intervention in Iraq. Simultaneously there will be numerous cultural events.

It will undoubtedly be a major European event of 2002, if only because of its size.

It is not "merely" the precise reasons for a general discontentment nor their consequences that have led to this popular "uprising" in Europe and throughout the four corners of the world.

The list of grievances is endless: constant attacks on public services, a general threat of privatising vital services such as education, health and water under the auspices of the WTO and its GATS agreement; the pursuit of a war the rules of which have been written by the aggressor outside of the confines of international law and which serves to legitimise oppression, notably of the Palestinians, Chechnyans, immigrants and indeed those in the social movement ; the rise of the extreme right in Europe; the Latin American economic crises inflamed if not caused by the International Financial Organisations; the dramatic destruction of our natural resources and beauty of our planet; a string of corporate financial scandals; ... all direct symptoms of the rule of capital, of the domination of neo-liberal imperialist ideology whose primary aim is to enable the US government and the governments of its allies to arrogantly assert their absolute economic domination at the price of suffering for the greater majority of the planet’s citizens and of the planet itself.

The ESF must represent the antithesis to the logic of neo liberalism. It will provide an open and democratic space for reflection in a context of respect and diversity. An event where the interests of humanity will prevail over the blind pursuit of profit.

Translated by Adam Hayes

Copyright 2005