A group of NGOs, like ATTAC Finland, KDYK (Finnish Lutheran Church Diaconia unit), NIGD (Network Institute for Global Democratization), SASK (Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland), Siemenpuu (Seed Tree Foundation), TSL (Workers´ Educational Association Finland), and Vasudhaiva Kutubakam have agreed to establish an African Commission of the World Social Forum (ACWSF) in Finland.

The WSF process with its theme "Another World is Possible" has since 2001 facilitated the coming together of civil society activists, NGO's and peoples movements at global, regional national and thematical events and processes, in order to promote the forming of alternatives. In 2006 and 2007 the WSF will be held in Africa. Currently, the WSF Africa process has some 25 national social forums. The ACWSF is engaged in the WSF Africa process, and brings its issues and the debates to Finland. It reports on WSF issues, the WSF process in Africa, the preparations towards the WSF in Mali 2006 and Kenya 2007 and organises events in Finland with WSF guests from Latin America, Asia and Africa. In this way the ACWSF supports the participation of Finnish actors in the WSF Africa process, as well as brings forward the issues coming forth out of the WSF Africa process in Finland. The ACWSF supports the formation of further ACWSFs in other regions.

How does the WSF process embarking on the African continent influence and affect the work of Finnish actors in Africa?

Join the ACWSF!
We also welcome you to follow the ACWSF from outside Finland. English language notes and material are also produced. Contact us for more information.

Notes from ACWSF meetings
Notes from the first meeting
Notes from the second meeting

Other ACWSF material
Bamako Report (by Antonio Martins, ATTAC Brasil and WSF Secretariat)
A Picture of the African Social Forum process (by Ruby van der Wekken, NIGD)

See for more ACWSF material the ACWSF website (Finnish and English)