WSF, STILL A STRANGER TO THE PUBLIC EYE By Mario OsavaRIO DE JANEIRO - Defending human rights, democracy and diversity are its strongest point, but its "main defect" is lack of public visibility. That is how most participants viewed last year's World Social Forum (WSF), held in Caracas and Bamako, according to a survey.
FROM THE BURKINABÉ COUNTRYSIDE TO ITALIAN TOMATO FIELDS By Tiego TiemtoréOUAGADOUGOU - For Mady Daboné, Europe beckons. "Staying here...is misery," the 30-year-old from the village of Begdo in eastern Burkina Faso told IPS, adding that several of his friends were already abroad. "I have about twenty of them in Italy and Spain. They have all done well, even though they suffered at the beginning."
MULTINATIONAL CAPITAL ON THE OFFENSIVE By Raúl GutiérrezSAN SALVADOR - International financial consortia have already squeezed local shareholders out of banks in El Salvador, and now they are expected to sideline the state, all of which will contribute to widening the gap between rich and poor.
ON THE EVE OF THE NAIROBI GATHERING, A GLANCE BACK By Almahady CisséBAMAKO - Almost a year ago, IPS interviewed a cross-section of people in Mali to gauge expectations for the African leg of the 2006 World Social Forum (WSF), held in Bamako. Certain interviewees were sceptical about whether the meeting could effect political and economic change; others proved more hopeful. So, were their expectations realised?
NGOS LONG ON VISION, SHORT ON DETAIL? By Sylvestre TetchiadaYAOUNDE - As the countdown to the 2007 World Social Forum gains momentum, anti-globalisation activists from around the world are no doubt rolling up their sleeves for spirited debates on the flaws in the current economic order. In Cameroon, however, such debates are already underway.
A RACE TO LEAVE INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS BEHIND By Joyce MulamaNAIROBI - Come the 2007 World Social Forum (WSF), to be held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi this month, many delegates will doubtless be seen running to and from various events. Some may also be running for an event, however: the 'Marathon for Basic Rights: Another World is Possible Even for Slum Dwellers'.
"WHAT IS WSF? SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING ME MEDICINE?" By Joyce MulamaNAIROBI - In just two months time the World Social Forum (WSF) will get underway in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, marking the first instance in which Africa is acting as sole host of the event.
INDIA SOCIAL FORUM TURNS FOCUS ON NEW ISSUES By Praful BidwaiNEW DELHI - What do you call a five-day-long gathering of 50,000 people, which features more than 350 panels, conferences, seminars and workshops on a range of social, political and cultural issues, along with film festivals, musical and dramatic events, and colourful marches by diverse groups dancing for different causes?
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