Social movements open Social Forum in Porto Alegre

Groups and organizations with a range of claims and activism strategies sharing the belief that “another world is possible” opened Brazil's thematic social forum in Porto Alegre on Tuesday (Jan. 19) in the run-up to the World Social Forum, which completes its 15th anniversary this year. The traditional opening march drew thousands of attendees on a walk around the city center.

Chanting slogans and carrying banners, the walk reflected the purpose of the thematic social forum. “This is a forum where groups that discuss a variety of rights issues can meet and come back home stronger for their own struggles,” said the chairman of the Central Workers' Union (CUT) for Rio Grande do Sul, Claudir Nespolo, who is in the local organizing committee of the forum. The official program kicks off Wednesday (Jan. 20), with convergence assemblies and self-managed activities.

Under the theme Peace, Democracy, and the Rights of People and the Planet, the forum will discuss such issues as urban reform, housing rights, racial and gender issues, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and others.

Whelton Pimentel, coordinator for the National Union for Affordable Housing, said the forum “is the place people come to energize and share in a common agenda with urban and rural movements.” He urged the need for urban reform and a campaign on the social role of cities. “We support more powerful occupations [for housing rights] as property rights continue to overpower the right to housing in this country,” he said.

Also at the forum are representatives from federal, state and local governments, hoping to capture some of the demands of civil society. The Minister of Labor and Social Security, Miguel Rossetto, was at the opening march. He said the event is very energizing and can launch the challenge of making a different world.

“Here are people who stand up for democracy and social justice. Here we find ideas, proposals, and public policy commitments that can make a difference in our country,” said Rossetto, who is attending a debate on economic democracy on Thursday (21).

The thematic forum is a warm-up event for the World Social Forum that will take place in Montreal, Canada, on August 9-14. This is the first time it will be hosted by a Northern country.

Translated by Mayra Borges

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