Social Movements at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Caracas

With a well-nourished activities program, campaigns, networks and social organizations from the Americas and the entire world are participating in the VI World Social Forum and II Social Forum of the Americas, taking place in Caracas, Venezuela, from January 24th to January 26th, 2006.

As in past World Social Forums, social movements gather in order to debate, propose, search for concensus and establish strategies as well as a calender for struggles and activities based on the diverse transversal themes such as USA military presence in the Americas and in the world, the failed FTAA and its replacement with regional "Free Trade" agreements, the patriarchal violence of neoliberalism, the impacts of the neoliberal model on rural contexts and strategies for struggle for agrarian reform, communication rights, the problem of terrorism, indigenous peoples, territories and autonomy and diversity, among others.

Along with participating in their own events, the representatives from the contient will participate in the WSF's openning march under the banner "Against Imperialism and War" and in diverse rallies and cultural presentations. Also scheduled is an "Open Gathering" ("Cabildo Abierto") with the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez Frías for a close up on the "Bolivarian Process" ("Proceso Bolivariano") and to interchange ideas about the reality of the region and anti-neoliberal and anti-imperial struggles.

Among the various processes taking place in Caracas during the Forum, it is important to mention: the Continental Campaing against FTAA, the Campaign for the Demilitarization of the Americas (CADA, as it's known in Spanish), the Campaign against the External Debt, the Campaign Against the WTO, Via Campesina - the Latin American Coordinator for Rural Organizations, the Continental Social Alliance, the South-South Dialogue GLBT, the World March of Women, the Continental Campaign for Communication Rights, the Network in Defense of Humanity, the Andean Coordinator for Indigenous People and the Union Forum of the Americas, among others.

This web of campaigns and social networks converges in the Assembly of Social Movements, the space where the common statement will be debated and agreed upon and the strategies and calendar of activities to be undertaken at the global level will be drawn up.

On this ocasion, as in past Forums and other international activities, the Minga Informativa de Movimientos Sociales, will give special coSocial Movements at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Caracas

With a well-nourished activities program, campaigns, networks and social organizations from the Americas and the entire world are participating in the VI World Social Forum and II Social Forum of the Americas, taking place in Caracas, Venezuela, from January 24th to January 26th, 2006.

As in past World Social Forums, social movements gather in order to debate, propose, search for concensus and establish strategies as well as a calender for struggles and activities based on the diverse transversal themes such as USA military presence in the Americas and in the world, the failed FTAA and its replacement with regional "Free Trade" agreements, the patriarchal violence of neoliberalism, the impacts of the neoliberal model on rural contexts and strategies for struggle for agrarian reform, communication rights, the problem of terrorism, indigenous peoples, territories and autonomy and diversity, among others.

Along with participating in their own events, the representatives from the contient will participate in the WSF's openning march under the banner "Against Imperialism and War" and in diverse rallies and cultural presentations. Also scheduled is an "Open Gathering" ("Cabildo Abierto") with the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez Frías for a close up on the "Bolivarian Process" ("Proceso Bolivariano") and to interchange ideas about the reality of the region and anti-neoliberal and anti-imperial struggles.

Among the various processes taking place in Caracas during the Forum, it is important to mention: the Continental Campaing against FTAA, the Campaign for the Demilitarization of the Americas (CADA, as it's known in Spanish), the Campaign against the External Debt, the Campaign Against the WTO, Via Campesina - the Latin American Coordinator for Rural Organizations, the Continental Social Alliance, the South-South Dialogue GLBT, the World March of Women, the Continental Campaign for Communication Rights, the Network in Defense of Humanity, the Andean Coordinator for Indigenous People and the Union Forum of the Americas, among others.

This web of campaigns and social networks converges in the Assembly of Social Movements, the space where the common statement will be debated and agreed upon and the strategies and calendar of activities to be undertaken at the global level will be drawn up.

On this ocasion, as in past Forums and other international activities, the Minga Informativa de Movimientos Sociales, will give special coverage of this continental and world gathering in Caracas. Thirty communicators from ten countries participate in this collective communication effort to make the information available to readers whether in Spanish, Portuguese, English or Kichwa. We invite you to visit our website: http://movimientos.org/fsm2006 where you can find news, analysis and statements from this important continental gathering. The Minga also colaborates with the website "FSA al Dia": http://fsainfo.rits.org.br/, with Telesur, with Ciranda and with the newspaper "Terra Viva" (IPS -InterPress service), among others.

Web-based Community for Social Movements
http://movimientos.org/
Subscriptions: http://listas.movimientos.org/listas

Trans. Juan Diego Diaz and Amanda Procter