'Another World' Newsletter
Issue # 4 October 21st, 2003
World Social Forum
January 16th-21st, 2004 Mumbai, India
This fourth issue of the Newsletter covers the following topics.
1.October 30th is the Event Registration deadline!
2.New Registration deadlines
3.Book hotel accommodation through our website before November 15th
4.Call to submit material for Anti War-on-Iraq Memorabilia Exhibition
5.Participate in the 4th National Youth Assembly!
6.Meeting of Mumbai Social Forum
7.Pune Social Forum
8.Mumbai-Maharashtra Trade Union Sector meeting
9.Thematic and Content Commission of the International Council meeting
10.WSF process in Sri Lanka
11.Update of the Pakistan Social Forum
12.Upcoming events
13.Upcoming meetings
1. October 30th is the Event Registration Deadline!
To register event proposals, fillout the Event Registration form
available at www.wsfindia.org in the ¨Event Registration¨section and send it
to us online or by post before October 30th 2003. Please keep in mind
that due to the heavy volume of registration forms to process, it is
very helpful for us if you submit your form online. Other upcoming
registration deadlines are the following.
*Participant registration: November 30th
*Confirmation of the activity:November
*Payments: December 15th
2. Attention: New registration fees for WSF 2004
During the Asian Solidarity meeting held in Chennai September 24th and
25th the cost of registration was revised. Many participants at the
meeting expressed their concern that registration fees were too expensive
for individual participants. Therefore, new registration fees were
decided upon. A separate fee for individuals and for organisations has been
established, as well as a fee for each delegate that an organisation
intends to send. For registration of individuals, fees are the same for
all delegates as categorized in the three tiers specified in the table
below.
All organisations either proposing a self-managed event, or registering
solely as participants at the WSF must send at least one delegate. This
means that the minimum fee to be paid by organisations is the price of
registration for the organisation plus one delegate (following the
three tiers for each different region – see below). In the previous format,
each delegate from a organisation from Italy, for instance, should pay
US$ 100. Now, the organisation pays US$ 200 in order to send one
delegate and US$ 50 for each additional delegate. In the case of individuals,
the registration fee also changed. The following are current
registration fees.
Tier I - Registration fee is US$ 150 for organisations plus US$ 50 per
each delegate, from the following countries:
Australia; Austria; Belgium; Canada; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany;
Greece; Iceland; Italy; Ireland; Japan; Korea, Republic of; Luxembourg;
United States of America; Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway; Portugal;
Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; United Kingdom
For example: if one organisation from the above countries wants to send
02 delegates, it will pay US$ 250. ( Organsatian fee $ 150 plus 2
delegates $ 50 each)
Tier II - Registration fees is US$ 30 for organisations plus US$ 20 for
each delegate from:
The rest of Europe; Latin America; Africa; Asia (outside of SAARC)
For example: if one organisation from above countries wants to send 2
delegates, it will pay US$ 70. (Organsatian fee $ 30 plus 2 delegates $
20 each)
Tier III - Registration fees is about US$ 8 or INR 400 for
organisations plus US$ 2 or INR 100 for each delegate from:
Bangladesh; Bhutan; India; Pakistan; Maldives; Nepal; Sri Lanka
For example: if one organisation from above countries wants to send 02
delegates, it will pay US$ 12 or INR 600.
Organisations registering more than 50 delegates will, in each
category, pay 25% of the individual registration fee per each delegate from
51st person onwards [i.e., Tier I: US$ 12,50; Tier II US$ 5 and Tier III
US$ 0.50 or INR 25]. WSF 2004 will however be open to delegates from
mass organisations and grassroots groups who may find it difficult to pay
the entire delegate fee. Organisations can seek a reduction of the fees
by writing to the India Organising Committee at:
3. Book hotel accommodation through the WSF website before November
15th
In order to book hotel accommodation through www.wsfindia.org select
the ¨accommodation¨ link on left panel of the main page. This will
connect you to the website of our booking service agency. Only registered
participants to the WSF can submit booking information, as the
registration number is required in order to use this service. Please book your
accommodation through the WSF website before November 15th , and keep in
mind that the availability of your preferred hotel options might
decrease as the Forum's dates near. For queries, please write to
4. Call to submit material for Anti War-on-Iraq Memorabilia Exhibition,
WSF 2004
Calling all campaigners who came together all over the world to make
history in 2003 who spoke, wrote, painted, screamed, photographed, sang,
shot and walked against the US led invasion of Iraq. Lets celebrate
that show of strength!
That music video which just HAD to be made,
That installation which had to be put together,
That nasty Dear Bush Email which had to reach everybody in your
contacts
That graffiti you scrawled defiantly on McDonalds walls
That long real long banner that u laboured overnight over
That moving photograph of the massive demonstration in your city.
... send them to us. We are planning an exhibition of anti-war art,
campaign materials and documentation produced during the world-wide
protests and demonstration against the attack on Iraq. All the materials
collected would be curated for a show by the committee on culture at the
World Social Forum 2004. We can even work with j-peg images and reproduce
them in India to avoid
physical transportation. If you are unable to bear the transportation
costs, they can be reimbursed.
Write to wsf04@hotmail.com or wsf_mamtamurthy@rediffmail.com
with a description of your material (item/ creative idea/ size or
duration/ weight etc.). Display, transport and other terms will be discussed in
each case.
5. Participate in the 4th National Youth Assembly!
We invite you to participate in the fourth Youth Assembly of the
Intercontinental Youth Camp, November 9th and 10th in Shillong, Meghalaya.
As of date, three National Youth Assemblies have taken place in
Nagpur, Mumbai and Chandigarh to plan for the Intercontinental Youth Camp
(IYC) 2004. Youth representing fourteen states participated in these
events. Moreover, representatives from India and other Asian countries come
together at the Asian Solidarity Meet in Chennai to strenghthen and
expand the IYC process throughout the continent.
The IYC 2004 will facilitate interactive spaces for youth to express
their concerns in creative and innovative ways. The activities of the
Youth Forum will focus on the following themes: a) Employment; b)
Education; c) Religious Sectarianism and Fundamentalism; d) Dalit/ Racial
Groups/ Indigenous People; e) Gender and Sexuality; f) Violence and Abuse;
g) Vision of Youth; h) Health; i) Relationship Issues.
To participate in the IYC, have your event and culture proposals ready
for registration! Registration for participants, events, and culture
at the IYC will be open the third week of October.
For more details contact- office.youth@wsfindia.org
6. Meeting of the Mumbai Social Forum
Various NGOs, mass organisations, movements and Trade Unions decided on
October 14th that during the next two months the organisations in the
Mumbai Social Forum will plan and hold corner meetings, processions,
street plays and cultural programmes to inform and engage the city in
discussion on people's issues and the WSF. At this meeting, organisations
committed to mobilise Mumbai's citizens for the Forum and to take the
process further. Pamphlets, posters, and other informational material
will also be prepared and distributed for this purpose. Moreover, a
convention on globalisation concerns and the city's issues is projected. The
Mumbai Social Forum will meet on every wednesday at WSF office, 4:00
pm, to update on proceedings and define objectives. Needless to say, this
meeting is open to those interested in participating.
7. Pune Social Forum
Trade Unions and NGOs met on October 14th 2003 to formalise the Pune
Social Forum, and decided to collaborate in order to expand and
strenghten the WSF process in the Pune district.
8. Mumbai-Maharashtra Trade Union Sector meeting
On October 17th 2003, representatives of twenty-five Trade Unions in
Maharashtra met at the WSF office in Mumbai to plan a state level
convention and expand the participation of the Trade Union sector in the WSF
process. It was proposed that the State Convention of the Trade Union
sector will be held in Mumbai on November 15th, to assemble the national
core of Trade Unions. The topics discussed at this forthcoming
convention will focus on the issues of Maharashtran workers, ways in which
workers can strengthen the WSF 2004 and further the process in Maharashtra.
Moreover, the possibilities of cross-sectoral organisation for the
mentioned objectives will be explored.
9. Thematic and Content Commission of the International Council
meeting, Peruggia, Italy
During October 13th and 14th 2003, the Thematic and Content Commission
of the International Council met in Peruggia, Italy to discuss the
Programme Methodology of the WSF 2004, and the future directions that might
be undertaken by WSF after the event in Mumbai. Kamal Mitra Chenoy and
Sheelu Francis, facilitators of the Programme group, also participated
in a prior meeting held on the 11th to review the Programme of the
Forum. The format of the Programme was agreed upon in order to balance the
allocated space for participant-organised activities and those
organised by the WSF. The conclusion of the International Council meeting was
that including panel and conference space for self-organised activities
will significantly aid towards the objective of creating an open
platform for the initiative of diverse world-wide public opinion at the
Forum. A meeting is projected for November 1st in Mumbai to formalise
WSF-organised panels and conferences.
10. WSF process in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka-based NGOs and Unions, including the Sri Lanka Plantation
Workers Union, met on October 14th 2003 to solidify collaborations and
advance the WSF process in Sri Lanka. It was decided that efforts will be
intensified to increase the involvement of Sri Lankans in the WSF 2004.
Ms. Ruth Manorama from WSF India attended the meet.
11. Update of the Pakistan Social Forum
Formation of District Committees:
In the last two months almost in all the provinces district activities
have been organized. So far such forums have been held in 38 districts
(Punjab 17, Sindh 6, NWFP 13 and Balochistan 2) district forums have
been held and in all these districts local committees have been formed.
These committees are formed through a process of voluntary nominations
and each committee then elects a convener. Similarly other PSF
introductory forums have been organized with trade unions, labor federations,
lawyers, journalists and farmers groups.
Elections of Provincial Steering Committees
In Sindh and Balochistan provincial meetings have been held and
provincial steering committees have been elected. Moreover they have elected
10 members each for the national steering committee.
The first National Steering Committee meeting of the Pakistan Social
Forum took place October 20th in Lahore.
Membership
Both individual and organizational membership campaign is in full
swing. So far more than 500 individual and organizational membership have
been finalized in all four provinces. About 3000 membership forms have
been distributed so far and more membership forms are being received
almost every day.
Introductory forums
A series of PSF introductory forums, local meetings and individual
contacts are being made with social movements, NGOs, rights-based advocacy
groups, political parties and other prominent civil society groups.
Such contacts are helping to disseminate message of PSF/WSF to those
groups and individuals. This strategy has really worked effectively to bring
a large number of groups in the fold of PSF.
Provincial Forums in Punjab and NWFP
After the forums in major districts of Punjab and NWFP we will organize
provincial forums in both these provinces. The response form these
provinces so far has been very encouraging and a large number of groups and
individuals have shown their interest in joining the forum.
Pakistan Forum: In the meantime we are preparing for the Pakistan forum
somewhere in end of December 2003 or early January 2004. The detailed
planning for this event will be done in the national steering committee
meeting in October.
Brochure and other Thematic Material. An introductory brochure of the
World Social Forum and Pakistan Forum has been published. About 1000
copies of the brochure have been sent to all provincial chapters. The task
committee setup for the thematic material is working and very soon we
will be able to publish material on the following thematic axes of the
Pakistan Social Forum;
Peace, Well-being (or Human Security) and Regional Cooperation
Debt, Finance and Trade
Nation, State, Discrimination and Exclusion, and Human Rights
Work and Labor, Social Sectors (Food, Health and Education) and Social
Security
Land, Trade and Food Sovereignty
Dialogue/Debate: Socialism, Feminism
Debt, Privatization & Basic Services (water, education, housing,
health, energy)
Governance, Accountability & People’s Resources
Media and the Construction of Consumerism & Militarism
12. Upcoming events
October 27th, Kolkata, West Bengal: WSF Press Conference. For more
information contact Sumit Chowdhury at 033-24737915
December 8th – 12th, Bangkok, Thailand- Asia/Pacific Conference on
Debt and the Privatization of Water and Power Services. This conference is
being organised by The Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
(Jubilee South in Asia/Pacific). If you are interested in participating,
and for more information on the conference, please write to Liza
Clavecilla at secretariat@jubileesouth.org or lidy@jubileesouth.org
December 6th 2003 – January 16th, 2004- Dalit rallies will travel from
Jammu, Delhi, Kolkata and Kanyakumari to converge in Mumbai the opening
day of the WSF2004. For more information, please contact Mr Martin
Macwan at navsarjan@icenet.net
13. Upcoming meetings
October 22nd, Mumbai, India: Mumbai Social Forum weekly meeting. This
meeting will take place at the WSF office in Mumbai, and begins at 4:00
pm.
October 25, Guwahati, India: Assam preparatory meeting for the WSF
begins at 10 :00 am. at: Office of Jnan Bignan Samiti, Mandavi Apts,
opposite Rabindra Bhawan, Ambari, Guwahati (confirmed).
Contact person: Dr Devabrata Sharma dvratsharma03@yahoo.com
November 1st, Mumbai, India: Programme
November 1st, Mumbai, India: Mobilisation group meeting. This meeting
will begin at 11:00 am, WSF office.
November 2nd and 3rd, Mumbai, India: IOC, IWC and IGC (confirmed)
November 9th and 10th , Shillong: National Youth Assembly in Shillong,
Meghalaya (proposed). For more information contact
November 11th and 12th, Paris, France: Meeting of Organising Committees
of the World, Regional and Thematic Forums. The meeting will take place
at the offices of Le Monde Diplomatique, at: 1, avenue Stephen Pichon,
75013 Paris.
For more information contact: Carolina Gil at
fsmci@forumsocialmundial.org.br
November 12th – 15th Paris, France: European Social Forum
November 17th Paris, France: Meeting of Social Movements (proposed).
Contact person: Diago Azzi
November, 19, Mumbai : Programme group meeting (proposed)
November, 20 and 21, Mumbai : IC Content and Thematic Commission
(proposed)
November, 22 and 23, Mumbai : IOC, IWC and IGC (confirmed)
December 20th - 24th: Kerala Social Forum in Thrissur (proposed)
December 2003 or January 2004- Pakistan Social Forum (proposed)
**If you have any questions, comments, or information for this
newsletter (upcoming events, mobilisation process in states, ect), please
write to newsletter@wsfindia.org