WORLD SOCIAL FORUM 2005 LAUNCH

WSF Bulletin

The launch of the World Social Forum (WSF) fifth edition, which will be held
in Porto Alegre, between January 26 to 31, 2005, is taking place next June
14, 2004, at the auditorium of Sindicato dos Engenheiros, in São Paulo. The
event will be marked by the debate "Porto Alegre 2005: new challenges for
the WSF process facing up to neo-liberal domination and militarisation",
with the participation of José Bové, a member of Via Campesina and an
activist for the struggle against the liberalization of transgenic products,
Moema Miranda, a coordinator of Ibase, Mirian Nobre, a member of World March
of Women, Teivo Teivainen, a member of NIGD (Network Institute for Global
Democracy and Osvaldo León, a member of the Organizing Committee of the
Americas Social Forum. Other members of the WSF Secretariat, Brazilian
Organizing Committee, WSF Brazilian Council and International Council will
also be there.

The event also starts a new process of calling to action for 2005 - broader,
more participative and democratic - and a new methodological proposal,
discussed at the WSF International Council meeting that took place between
April 4 and 7, 2004, in Passignano sul Trasimeno, Italy.

This new methodology keeps the event’s diversity, seeking to transform it
into a space increasingly capable to facilitate the interlinkage among those
who participate in the WSF process. In order to achieve that, the first step
is a broad consultation. From June 14 on, entities, organisations, social
movements and various other actors who participate in the WSF process will
be able to express, through a questionnaire-consultation (that will be
available on the WSF site - www.forumsocialmundial.org.br), which struggles,
issues, proposals or challenges worldwide they consider important discussing
at the event in 2005, as well as indicate activities they intend to develop
in Porto Alegre. It is not the registration of activities, but a gathering
of areas of interest of various organisations and groups. The registration
of activities is to start in September. The letter’s full text that has the
new methodology proposals in detail is available on the following link
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/dinamic.asp?pagina=cartainicial_port.

The WSF 2005 launch will also be marked by the call to action towards
Americas Social Forum, which will be held in Quito, Ecuador, between July 25
to 30, 2004 (for further information: http://www.forosocialamericas.org).

The event starts at 7:30pm, at the auditorium of Sindicato dos Engenheiros
(Rua Genebra, no. 25, near metro Anhagabaú and Câmara Municipal, in São
Paulo).

World Social Forum Secretariat Office team:

Alessandra Ceregatti, Ana Roberta Alcântara, Isabel Pato, Patrícia Giuffrida
Translation: Graziela Schneider and Marcelo Daniliauskas
In collaboration with: Judith Vaschetto, Peter Lenny, Fernanda Guarita e
Regina Egger
Contacts: rua General Jardim, 660 - 8th floor - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
Postal code: 01223-010 Website: www.worldsocialforum.org