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Home--Issues--World Social Forum World Social Forum A unique event is taking place in Mumbai, India- the World Social Forum- from January 16-21, 2004. The Forum, www.wsfindia.org, is a crucial event, especially given the turbulent times today, that aims to strengthen social movements globally to realize that Another World is Possible. The World Social Forum (WSF) is "…an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and inter-linking for effective action, by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to neo- liberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a society centred on the human person".(From the WSF Charter of Principles). The WSF has been held for the last three years in Porto Alegre, Brazil and the next one is being held in Mumbai, India in order to make the process more inclusive of peoples from Asia and Africa. The last WSF in Brazil drew nearly 100,000 people and we expect large numbers in Mumbai, including over 10,000 international delegates. There will be a variety of events- plenaries, workshops, testimonies, film festivals, exhibitions, music, dance, arts, etc. India Resource Center is engaged in reaching out to the South Asian diaspora to participate in the World Social Forum. The WSF in Mumbai offers social movements globally a unique opportunity to engage with social movements from South Asia - some of the most vibrant in the world. For those of us who belong to social movements in US, UK, Australia and other industrialized nations, it is especially important that we engage with social movements from the South in order to forge a unified platform that rejects the militaristic, neo-liberal agenda of the North and builds an alternative world centered on the human person. And finally, the WSF would not be complete without the representation of the significant political and social work done by South Asians in the ever increasing South Asian diaspora- ranging from the US, Canada, Guyana and Surinam to Trinidad, UK, South Africa and Fiji, to name a few. We, at the India Resource Center and Global Resistance, are working to ensure a strong delegation from the South Asia diaspora at the WSF in Mumbai. Some of us will be moving to Mumbai in December in order to assist with the organizing. I hope you will join us as we embark upon this extremely important initiative. There are a variety of ways in which you can assist us in making the WSF successful. Contact Us: If you are attending the WSF or would like to, please let us know by sending an email to indiaresource@igc.org We are planning workshops geared specifically towards South Asians residing outside South Asia and we would like you to be involved. We are also trying to raise some resources in order to offer scholarships. Also let us know if you have any questions. Volunteer: Let us know if you would like to volunteer your time in organizing the WSF. Volunteers are needed in India and we also need volunteers to help outreach to the South Asian community as well as raise resources. Outreach: We would like to get this invitation to as many South Asian activists as possible, please forward freely. Program and Logistics: Once we set up base in Mumbai, we will be able to give you a much better idea of the logistics and WSF programming. If there are certain issues that you want to explore in India, do let us know and we will try to link you with groups in India. We look forward to hearing from you. In solidarity, India Resource Center |
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India
Resource Center (IRC) is a project of Global Resistance -- "Building
Global Links for Justice"
URL: http://www.IndiaResource.org
Email:IndiaResource (AT) igc.org