They came to protest the war. They came to protest injustice and imperialistic models of integration. Thousands of participants of the 6th World Social Forum marched through the streets of Caracas, Venezuela Tuesday in a display of solidarity with diverse social movements.

“We believe in a world where people are empowered, where the press is not controlled, and where women are able to speak their truth,” affirmed Sheila Reid of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Similarly, members from the various branches of the World March of Women were present to visibilize women’s global struggle against poverty and violence.

Present also were many groups calling for the decriminalization of abortion. Laws in Latin American countries continue to penalize abortion, and complications due to unsafe abortion constitute one of the main causes of maternal mortality.

Other Latin American and international feminist groups, networks and movements also attracted public attention with their colorful banners, home-made drums and energetic chants. Activists against fundamentalisms handed out giant mouths as part of their campaign “Your voice against fundamentalism”.

Lesbian and gay groups from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and other countries turned out in force, drawing the links between different struggles. “Our struggle cannot be an isolated one” remarked Marianela Tovar from Mision Sucre in Venezuela. “I am here to change the patriarchal system of heterosexism and capitalism which oppresses and discriminates against indigenous peoples, workers and others. The issue of the lack of visibility and marginalization of lesbians is not an individual one. It is a political struggle, I stand with all oppressed groups.”

Elizabeth Castillo from Colombia’s Grupo de Madres Lesbianas informed that “Armed conflict vulnerabilizes women, putting lesbian women and transsexuals at particular risk”, and pointed out that a key issue “brought forward by Colombian activists at the march is the call for the end to impunity against crimes against humanity”.

Workers’ unions from Brazil, Canada, Venezuela and other countries called for jobs with justice and greater opportunities for youth. “The proposal is to provide democratic development from the bottom up,” said Sergio, a young member of the Movimiento Sin Tierra from Argentina. He also saw participation in the march as an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences.

There was a show of optimism as environmentalists, indigenous peoples, feminists, anti-war activists, peasants and those struggling for alternative models of economic development held banners high and lent their voices in unison. “The war on terror is a lie” shouted some while others chanted, “We don’t want to, we don’t feel like being a North American colony. And we do want to, we do feel like being a free and sovereign Latin America”. Groups such as the Red Latinoamericana de Mujeres Transformando la Economia (REMTE) , CLOC, and Via Campesina brought activists together from many Latin American countries to march and to work together over the next 6 days of the conference where they will reflect on concrete solidarity-based development alternatives.

The issue of the debt remains as present this year as it has in the past. “Yes to life, no to debt” read one sign from a Haitian NGO.

As the sun set in Caracas, activists, intellectuals, development workers from diverse social movements gathered in an outdoor cultural event. The sounds of trova, intermingled with Andean music and powerful testimonies, reminding us of the urgent need to create a just and more inclusive world.