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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">WSF IC Copenhagen September 2008</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">@ <a href="http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/wsf-ic-copenhagen-september-2008">http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/wsf-ic-copenhagen-september-2008</a>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Read the full <a href="http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/resolveuid/840580484d3934344a4fff20820ec5b4" target="_self" title="WSF IC Copenhagen September 2008 Agenda">agenda for the
meeting</a>.<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">An <a href="http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/summary" target="_self">WSF IC
working page</a> was created on OpenFSM to aid the discussion on the issues
upcoming. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">One of the issues on the agenda is a
draft concerning <a href="http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/guiding-principles-for-holding-a-wsf-event" target="_self">guiding principles for the holding of WSF events</a>. 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." </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Another issue concerns the <a href="http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/heads-of-state-jefes-de-estado" target="_self">participation of heads of states in the WSF</a>. 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 <a href="http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/contributions-to-heads-of-states-discussion" target="_self">contributions on the issue of the participation of heads of
states in the WSF</a> are also found on Open FSM. See also <a href="http://www.nigd.org/nan/nan-doc-store/07-08-2008/resolveuid/ecb0f42860f74bc8bffcf73e2ff1f9a7" target="_self" title="NIGD comments heads of state participation WSF">further
comments on the participation of heads of states</a> 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)." </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">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.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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