Bringing Porto Alegre to Europe
The first meeting to plan for a mobilisation from England to the European Social Forum in Italy this autumn saw around 70 people cram into a room not big enough for them.
Those in attendance included large numbers of supporters of Globalise Resistance, a serious delegation from the Green Party and representatives from the Socialist Alliance, the SWP, the International Socialist Group, Red Pepper and a number of trade union militants and independents.
The meeting heard report backs from Porto Alegre from Hilary Wainwright of Red Pepper, the Parliamentary Forum from Caroline Lucas of the Green Party and from the first European planning meeting in Brussels on March 8-9 given by Chris Nineham of Globalise Resistance.
A report was also given from the massive demonstration that took place in Rome on March 23 – which certainly confirmed that Italy is once again at the forefront of mobilising against neo-liberal globalisation and war – and is therefore an excellent place to hold the ESF.
The meeting agreed that the political basis of the ESF should be support for the appeal of Porto Alegre – a declaration which is clearly against war as well as globalisation as such.
This should be the way of ensuring that the soft left were not able to take over and reappropriate this space – rather than the idea which was raised by some in Brussels than the way to exclude those who only want to tinker with the worst elements of today’s system rather than create a real alternative was to ban political parties..
As well as discussing these reports, the meeting addressed the question posed by the Green Party as to whether we should launch a British/English Social Forum at this stage. After debate it was agreed that this wasn’t the right time to do so – first we needed to build much wider support than was currently represented in that room (however crowded) for the Italian meeting – and then on the basis of that work, launch something permanent here.
Johnathan Neale, who was heavily involved in the Genoa Social Forum, pointed out that the Italian Social Forum was only established after the Genoa demonstrations themselves.
There seemed to be some concern from the Green Party that by not creating a Forum as such as this stage people were somehow arguing that the fight against neo-liberalism on the ground could be somehow delayed, was not urgent.
But that was not what people were saying at all – rather the question was proving that this new instrument could be useful to people on the ground – and therefore building something that would in the long term be broader than what could just be declared at this point.
The meeting then broke into various sub-groups to discuss the political basis of the group, publicity, and practically getting people to Italy and came back together again to report on what had been done.
The aspiration is to try to take twice as many people to Italy in the autumn as went to Genoa in Italy
The first focus of public activity to build for this will be on the forthcoming May Day marches up and down the country where leaflets and stickers will be distributed
We are campaigning to get as many organisations as possible to sign the appeal of Porto Alegre
Raphaella one of the co-ordinators of the European Social Forum will be speaking at the Globalise Resistance AGM on May 18. She will be approached to see if it is possible for her to come for longer and therefore speak at meetings in other parts of the country
There was some disagreement about precisely what the name of the coalition should be – Mobilising Committee for the European Social Forum, Mobilisation for the ESF, Moblising for the ESF. This will be finally resolved at the next meeting.
Leaflets, stickers and a letter to organisations are currently being produced and will be available very soon from ESF c/o PO Box 29689, London E8 2XR. E mail: [email protected] .
Web site http://uk.geocities.com/mobilisationesf/
Next meeting :6.30pm, Monday 22 April, University of London Union, Malet St WC1 (Euston, Euston Square, Goodge St tubes)