Will the Irish Social Forum (ISF) be back for 2006? Do people want to talk about the ESF?

national | public consultation / irish social forum | news report

Friday January 27, 2006 20:04

by Barry Finnegan - on behalf of a bunch of us that worked with the ISF Working Groups back in 2003 and 2004

finnegan.barry at gmail dot com

085-1423454

The first ISF Working Groups meeting of 2006 is on Thursday 9th February from 7.30 to 9.00pm in ...

Its been just over a year now since the last ISF so maybe we should have another one this year. There has been lots of activism since then and the movement for global justice [or whatever we are called] has a lot to link up about. On top of that the ESF is back this year, this time in Greece. Is anyone bothered? A crowd of us think that people should get together and talk about it. Here's the proposal:

The first ISF Working Groups meeting of 2006 is on Thursday 9th February from 7.30 to 9.00pm
NB Change of venue: THE TEACHERS CLUB, PARNELL SQ., DUBLIN 1 .

A few Dublin-based activists who worked with the ISF Working Groups for the 2003 and 2004, 1st and 2nd ISFs thought it would be good idea to hold a meeting, talk about the following points (below) and see where we go from there. If you would like to come, please read the WSF Charter Of Principles first and see if you are interested, available at: http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.php?id_menu=4&cd_language=2

1. Holding a meeting/gathering run with the usual ISF guidelines about two weeks prior the ESF, for all those going to it to meet up and for example say why they are going, what they hope to get out of it etc; to run though the main/important issues people feel will be discussed at it.

2. Holding a meeting/gathering run with the usual ISF guidelines about one week after the ESF with a broad range of input from Irish-based participants at the ESF.

3. Any other business related to these and other ISF issues for example ideas/hopes people have for ISFs and/or for more locally based Social Forums in Ireland for 2006, a Dublin Social Forum for example.

Below I have collated information on the European and World Social Forums if people would like to read more.

by - Barry Finnegan [- on behalf of a bunch of us that worked with the ISF Working Groups back in 2003 and 2004.]
=========

EUROPEAN SOCIAL FOURM NEWS AND VIEWS

The next (i.e. the 4th) European Social Forum (ESF) will now take place:
- from May 4th to May 7th 2006 in Athens, Greece. Here is a link to the site: http://www.fse-esf.org/ If you would like to, and can, feed in to the process for planning it, the European Preparatory Assembly (EPA) for the European Social Forum 2006 (ESF) will take place from March 3rd to March 7th in Frankfurt Am Mein (Germany).

The situation at the moment is that: “To propose ESF 2006 activities-seminars” go to http://workspace.fse-esf.org/ and sign up. It says that: “All participants are invited to propose activities/ seminars (discussions, debate, theme-based meetings, testimonies, workshops, etc.) covered by the themes. All the proposals must be formulated as soon as possible until late February. However, the main bulk of the proposals must be put forward before the next EPA (7 and 8 January 2006).” [I know, I know, but better late than never! ;-) - BF]

Thinking about the European Social Forum processes:

The following newsletter compiled by Eurotopia is well worth a read if you are interested in what has happened in the ESFs so far and what is likely to come in the processes. It states that: “After three European Social Forums (ESF) we need to step back and ask: what next? This newsletter is an attempt to provide a multitude of answers to this question, reflecting upon the Forum’s purpose, practical achievements and methods of organisation.” It is available at:
http://www.euromovements.info/newsletter/ and includes Individual Assessments of the 3rd ESF and Beyond, by people such as: Alex Callinicos, Paul Kingsnorth, Susan George and Wainwright Hilary. It has Collective Assessments of the 3rd ESF and Beyond from participants in and groups such as: COBAS, Attac Europe, Belgian Social Forum and London Social Forum; as well it has articles covering topics such as Learning from Practice, Social Forums as Pedagogical Space, Autonomous Spaces, Social Forums and the Environment.

WORLD SOCIAL FORUM NEWS

The Polycentric World Social Forum (WSF) is currently in progress and there’s more to come in March. In other words, this year instead of everyone in the world travelling to one venue for the WSF , people decided that it was better to have it happen in different places (i.e. polycentric) at the same time , or as near to the same time as they could. See below for info on the Americas, Asia and Africa based WSFs.

The Polycentric WSF 2006 Americas is currently taking place in Caracas, Venezuela, from January 24th to 29th 2006. See this link for more details:
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/dinamic.php?pagina=tudo_caracas_ing

The Polycentric WSF 2006 Asia venue will take place in Karachi (Pakistan) in March 2006, the date is yet to be defined. See this link for more details:
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/dinamic.php?pagina=tudo_karachi_ing

The Polycentric WSF 2006 Africa has just taken place in Bamoko (Mali) from January 19th to 23rd 2006. See this link for more details:
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/dinamic.php?pagina=tudo_bamako_ing

MORE INFO
If you would like to try to stay up to date with the growing global social forum movement then perhaps you would like to subscribe to the WSF Bulletin at:
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/cadastro.php?cd_language=2

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Comments (4 of 4)

WSF ESF ISF and alternatives. streaming social fora

by dunk

Sat Jan 28, 2006 16:50

fuspey at yahoo dot co dot uk

Alternative Social Forum - Caracas, January 2006
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72541

World Social Forum 2005: An Irish Eyewitness Report
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68553

Dublin Social Forum Plans For 2005 `
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=68194

ESF Reportback + Future of ISF Discussion Meeting
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=67243

ISF: Another World Is Nearly Here! (feature)
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=66871

So What are You Going to this Autumn? ESF or ISF? (feature)
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=66514

we might be able to broadcast some discussions as outlined here:
global civil society - how things can be in the future
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64936
and demonstrated by the live stream we set up in october here:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72507
heres 4 minute film explaining it
http://www.archive.org/details/livestream

Would encourage "All" to attend - To defeat capitalism this is what is needed

by Michael R.

Tue Jan 31, 2006 20:24

I am very happy to see the Irish Social Forum (ISF) is still alive. I think it would be terrible to see it die. The Irish, European and Word Social Forum's have huge potential.

Capitalism and neo-liberalism are so engrained in world society and in the human psyche that it will be very hard to remove. Rather like a malignant cancer that spreads throughout the body and sticks to internal organs of the body.

To have any chance of removing this "cancer" I believe that some sort of coming together both within nations and between nations worldwide will have have to be achieved. The Social Forums are the best vehicle (only??) for this at the moment. Hopefully they will completely succeed. But even if not they will leave a blueprint for a succeeding attempt. Indymedia & the internet in general act in very similar ways (though they are still different type of vehicles). The success of the internet and Indymedia for the worldwide "social justice" movement is nothing short of phenomenal and continues to grow and grow and grow. Indymedia & the internet offer the means by which a vibrant national & worldwide organization can take off and really take on capitalism & the vicious inequity which it produces.

I hope to be able to attend the meeting on Thursday week and would encourage ALL to attend. The meeting ideally should have thousands attending every week. Though it will probably be just a few. But every movement & revolution must start somewhere........

ISF Meeting Not in Seomra Spraoi anymore - Now In Teachers Club.

by Barry Finnegan - on behalf of a bunch of us that worked with the ISF '03& '04

Sun Feb 05, 2006 20:46

Due to "Unforeseen Circumstances" the first ISF Working Groups meeting of 2006 will now take place in: THE TEACHERS CLUB, PARNELL SQ., DUBLIN 1. [It will NOT BE in Seomra Spraoi at 47 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1.]

The date: Thursday 9th February remains unchanged.
The time: from 7.30 to 9.00pm remains unchanged.

For more on the meeting see Indymedia Newswire article at:
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/73976

- Barry.

WSF - Caracas

by GW

Wed Feb 08, 2006 22:53

I'm just back from Caracas where I spent attended the WSF. It was a really exciting and inspirational event, and it was so great to meet such a variety of people who are genuinely concerned with the development of our society. However, with such a huge event, and with so many diverse interests and individual participants (the beauty of the forum no doubt) there is a danger that the organisation and administration may not be as efficient as required. I felt, as a member of the press, that the communication with press members and indeed participants and delegates was lacking. Of course, this is only to be expected when organising such a huge event. Perhaps the smaller scale of the ISF will allow more direct contact with participants, delegates and individuals and allow more interaction and circulation of ideas. The organisation of the event is key though and if it is to be successful it must be promoted in a wide a manner as possible and to as wide an audience as possible. The social forum is participatory and democratic in nature and it must therefore aim to involve as many people as possible. The more diverse the particpants and the content the more people will get involved and that is crucial to its future success.

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Will the Irish Social Forum (ISF) be back for 2006? Do people want to talk about the ESF?

Comments (4 of 4)