Discussions on the WSF

In the below two reports and a commentary following the discussions on the WSF process and its heading to Nairobi during the visit of Oduor Ong'wen (SEATINI, Nairobi 2007 organising committee) in Helsinki on invitation of the NIGD/ATTAC debt group.

Cilck here for the Concept Paper for Nairobi 2007 drawn up by the Regional Council of the African Social Forum process and approved by the International Council of the WSF. The regional council encourages feedback to the concept paper.

See also the Territory Map of Nairobi 2007

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On the Road to Nairobi

The Insitute for Development Studies of Helsinki University and the NIGD/Attac debt group called a meeting to discuss the state of the WSF on the road to Nairobi 2007.The reason for calling the meeting was Odour Ong'wen (SEATINI Kenya) visit to Finland to speak on behalf of the organising committee of the WSF 2007 Nairobi. The event was attended by approximately 20 guests active in the WSF process.

A main issues emerging from the discussion was : What is the WSF expected to give Kenyan or African movements and organisations? Mirroring this: What is the WSF expected to give movements and organisations in the North? The WSF 2007 in Nairobi intends to focus on engaging in dialogue regarding global issues that carry an interest and importance for Africa, such as poverty, externalisation of resources, peace and conflict, and tensions within the movements and organisations on the IFIs, debt, the WTO, NEPAD, etc. One interpretation of this could be that the WSF was formed as a counterweight to the WEF. Now, in its 7th year, the secretariat of the process actively strives to identify the controversies within the movements. It will be interesting to see where this leads. Further main issues addressed in the meeting were the open space of the WSF process as well as ownership in the WSF process.

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The Future of the Forum

As part of the Finnish Social Forum held in Helsinki 1-2 April, 2006 a session was organised by NIGD to debate the future of the WSF. A panel included: Oduor Ong’wen from the Kenyan WSF 2007 organising committee, Dada Maheshvarananda from Prout Universal, Azril Bacal from the Paolo Freire Institute, Annuka Berg from Friends of the Earth Finland, Oded Grajew from CIVES, Brasil and Tove Selin, Asian Friendship Association.

A first focus of the event concerned experiences from Africa, Asia and Europe in the WSF process in which Oduor elaborated on how WSF 2007 wants to put emphasis on furthering its character as a tool for social transformation. A second focus of the discussion regarded concrete reponses and proposals for WSF 2008 and a third part of the discussion concerned reform of the World Social Forum International Council and for instance its membership applications.

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The World Social Forum : A Process Worth Engaging In?

The answer might seem evident to some yet absolutely not to others. It seems that everyone agrees that the WSF process is with room for improvement. But the interesting question is : Why should one engage in the WSF process? This process, which started in January 2001, has now seen six WSF editions as well as a large spread of thematical regional, national and local forums geographically, and it involves an increasing amount of organisations of the global social justice movement. Today the process faces serious questions as to result and the basic cost-benefit calculations made when wondering what to do now in preparing for WSF 2007 in Nairobi. Do we have political clarity on the significance of the WSF? Do we need such political clarity?

The reflections in this third report are based on the discussions during meetings held at Siemenpuu (31 March and 01 April 2006 ) and Kepa (3 April 2006) around the visit of Oduor Ong'wen, (SEATINI, WSF Nairobi 2007 organising committee), and Bhuvan Patak (SADED, India) to Helsinki, 31 March - 3 April 2006.