[WSF-Discuss] WSF IC Copenhagen September 2008

[CACIM]

*WSF IC Copenhagen September 2008*

@
http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/wsf-ic-copenhagen-september-2008

The next WSF International Council meeting takes place following the
European Social Forum from 22-24 September 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. This
meeting is already facing a challenging situation even before it has begun.
There is a serious lack of funds in the solidarity fund which was
established to support the participation of representatives of Southern
organisations to the meeting. As such the financing of the WSF process
remains an urgent issue throughout the process.

Read the full agenda for the
meeting<http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/resolveuid/840580484d3934344a4fff20820ec5b4>
.

An WSF IC working page <http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/summary> was
created on OpenFSM to aid the discussion on the issues upcoming.

One of the issues on the agenda is a draft concerning guiding principles for
the holding of WSF
events<http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/guiding-principles-for-holding-a-wsf-event>.
In NIGDs recently established WSF working group in particular comments were
made on the need to reinforce the issue of gender parity as a guiding
principle in the organisation of the WSF, and concerns were expressed
regarding this issue and the organisation of opening panels in the upcoming
European Social Forum. Perhaps more than parity.  Marko Ulvila suggested
with regards to the opening events of any WSF that " "In the India Social
Forum December 2006 all the opening speakers were women. I  think it should
be our reference point. Further, I think by having exclusively women we
could reach some kind of  historical/cumulative balance. Since so far most
of the speakers of the WSF  openings have been more or less exclusively men,
let the next 5-10 years be exclusively women."

Another issue concerns the participation of heads of states in the
WSF<http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/heads-of-state-jefes-de-estado>.
This issue has come once again on the agenda of the WSF IC in connection to
the next WSF in Belem, Brazil in January 2009. The working document allows
space for this participation in specific events, subject to a variety of
constraints. Communications found place between NIGD members Francine
Mestrum, Ruth Reitan and Peter Waterman with also Chico Whitaker on various
e-lists, and their contributions on the issue of the participation of heads
of states in the
WSF<http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/contributions-to-heads-of-states-discussion>are
also found on Open FSM. See also further
comments on the participation of heads of
states<http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/resolveuid/ecb0f42860f74bc8bffcf73e2ff1f9a7>by
Azril Bacal and Uddhab Pyakurel (not yet taken up on OpenFSM).
Francine
Mestrum summarised the discussions on the heads of state issue in the NIGD
WSF working group as : "There is no consensus on this point. Some are very
clear against the presence of heads of state, since there are no or very
little 'pure' anti-neoliberal heads of state and WSF is an event of and for
civil society. Others are not a priori against it but ask for very clear
rules.  It should not be left to self-management. An interesting suggestion
was made to have heads of state invited by regional forums, since
circumstances are different in Latin America, Asia, Europe. One consensus
though: no one demands a change of the charter of principles and no one
contested the idea that if heads of state are present, they should speak
outside the normal WSF-time (not first or last day, only after 6.00 pm)."

Besides these issues also discussions on the strategy of the WSF will
continue. For one an answer is to be found as to the when and where the next
WSF will be held.
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