Laura Tuominen

There is a need to strengthen the mobilisation efforts for the European Social Forum in Malmö 17 - 21st of September. The Contact group for Europe and the World in the Nordic Organizing Committee (NOC) has decided to
initiate two tours aiming to introduce interested organisations and
movements, and exchange experience on issues of importance to those who want to participate in ESF-5. From Finland, Laura Tuominen, board member of NOC, will coordinate a tour to Estonia and Latvia 8-11.3. From Swedenm Tord Björk, coordinator of the Contact Group for Europe and the World will visit Czech republic, Hungary and hopefully continue to Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, and Poland on a fast visit 16-21.2 before the European network meetings and the European preparatory assembly for ESF in Berlin 22-24.2.

The tours aim to:

- Make contact with a broad range of groups and movements interested in ESF-5
- Discuss what type of issues are important for interested participants, and facilitate an east-west exchange of experience.
- Inform about ESF participation both concerning how to influence the program, webb-pages and the Solidarity fund.
- Discuss how to strengthen the role of CEE in ESF and, if possible, the
WSF and similar cooperation.
- Inform the media.

The well-known US academic and world-system theoríst, Immanuel Wallerstein,
will participate on the tour to Tallin, Estonia on the 8th of March. He will be speaking on the issues of global capitalism and the future of social forums. The venue is still to be confirmed.

NOC is calling upon everyone in Western Europe with possibilties to contribute to the Solidarity fund. It was stated at the EPA meeting in
Stockholm that this was an important task. In Denmark and Finland fund
raising efforts are on their way, but we also need the rest of
Europe to contribute. There have been two major contributions to the Solidarity fund for travels and other costs primarily for Central- and Eastern Europe. Forum Syd/SIDA contributed 200 000 SEK (Swedish crowns), and the Malmö municipality contributed 250 000 SEK. This makes it possible to pay in advance and plan for supporting collective transports and other costs for participation from CEE-countries. Further efforts to get more funding is also on its way. The budget goal for the solidarity fund is
1 million SEK.

For more information on the Estonia-Latvia tour contact Laura Tuominen:
laura.m.tuominen@helsinki.fi

For more information on the Central European tour contact Tord Björk: tord.bjork@mjv.se

For more information and/or requests concerning the Solidarity Fund contact Tord Björk: tord.bjork@mjv.se, and add a copy to esf2008@gmail.com

For information concerning visa matters contact Sophie Sermage:
esf2008@gmail.com