The annual World Social Forum in 2005 was held from Jan 24-31 in Porto Allegre, Brazil. Estimates of 150,000 people from 135 countries were in attendence.
The World Social Forum is an annual gathering where groups and various movements from the global civil society at large meet in opposition to the annual World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland every year.
Opposed to the global, corporate, capitalist/imperialist world order, the World Social Forum provides an alternative to the global business agenda by loudly and effectively proclaiming, "Another World is Possible".
The World Social Forum seeks to build an alternative planetary society based on the principles of democracy, sustainable development, human-based needs and values, universal human rights, environmental protection, social justice, equality and the sovereignty and dignity of all peoples worldwide.
The World Social Forum International Committee plans to hold the World Social Forum in 4 continents simultaneously in 2006, in a more decentralized format than in previous years. In 2007, the continent of Africa is slated to hold the annual World Social Forum.
The annual World Social Forum, representing the poor, struggling, destitute and exploited masses of the world, has the potential to create a new international economic order out of the chaos and disorder that now currently reigns. If based on the principles of anti-militarism, population control and international sustainable development, it will succeed in undermining the current and highly antiquated, destructive and dysfunctional system that is currently destroying our planet.
Steve Jones
Geneva, Switzerland
European Union
SOURCES:
1. World Social Forum 2005/Porto Allegre, Brazil
Rua General Jardin, 660- 8th Floor
Sao Paulo, SP- BRAZIL
01223-010
Website: http://www.worldsocialforum.org
2. Yes Magazine
P.O. Box 10818
Bainbridge Island, Washington 98110 USA
Website: http://www.yesmagazine.com
3. New Internationalist Magazine
P.O. Box 1062
Niagara Falls, New York 14304 USA
Website: http://www.newint.org
6. World Social Forum 2004/Mumbai, India
Bhupesh Gupta Bhawan
3rd Floor, Lenningrad Chowk
85 Sayani Rd, Prabhadevi
Mumbai, INDIA 400 025
Website: http://wsfindia.org
7. European Social Forum
c/o T&G, 218 Green Lanes
London, United Kingdom N4 2HB
European Union
Website: http://www.fse-esf.org
8. World Economic Forum
91-93 Route de la Capite
CH-1223, Cologny/Geneva
Switzerland
Website: http://www.weforum.org
9. World Business Council on Sustainable Development
4, Chemin de Conches
1231 Conches/Geneva
Switzerland
Website: http://www.wbcsd.ch
12. UN Millennium Project
One United Nations Plaza
21st Floor, Rm 2160
New York, New York 10017 USA
Website: http://www.unmillenniumproject.org
13. Earth Institute at Columbia University/Jeffrey Sachs
405 Low Library, MC4335
535 W 116th St, New York, New York 10027 USA
Website: http://www.earth.columbia.edu
