[WSMDiscuss] Towards the online meeting around the future of the World Social Forum, on Saturday May 23 2020

Thu May 21 04:53:09 CEST 2020

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The World Social Forum in movement… !, Movements in movement…, Ideas in movement…, The world in movement…

Greetings, all !

            I’m writing now further to earlier exchange on this list about having an online Call meeting to critically discuss the World Social Forum and its future.

            (Please, everyone on this list, note that this meeting is of course open to anyone and everyone on this list, and not only to those who have already said they will join !)

            As per my mail of May 12, this is to confirm that the call is taking place as scheduled, this coming Saturday, May 23, at 11 am EDT (Caracas/Montreal) or 5 pm (Paris/Maputo), for just two hours.  I have set up this meeting on behalf of the WSMDiscuss,

            Please go to the event at https://www.viralopenspace.net/en/activities/looking-ahead-revisiting-the-world-social-forum/ <https://www.viralopenspace.net/en/activities/looking-ahead-revisiting-the-world-social-forum/>, and then click on the link at where it says ‘Online meeting’; and with luck, you’ll be on !

As you will see there, we’re doing the meeting on Skype – but don’t worry if you don’t have skype on your computer.  When I set up the meeting, Skype told me that it will open up Skype for you on the web.  (But please note that when I tried this, I learned that it doesn’t like Firefox (which I use) and prefers “Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome to access Skype for Web. Alternatively, you can use Skype Web Control <https://support.skype.com/faq/FA34704/> - or download Skype on your desktop computer.”)

            Please also note also that given that we’re organising the call on the VOS (Viral Open Space), our meeting will be open to others to join – just as is the case of the World Social Forum itself.  So it is at least possible that the participants will not be restricted to people on this list.  In addition, and as you may recall, Ole Pedersen of the Norwegian Social Forum had written in to say that he would be happy to invite the participants in the discussions that they had already been organising, to participate in the proposed meeting. 

            Towards our discussion, I’m attaching the following documents here :

A Discussion Note for the Call that has Gustave Massiah and I have prepared, based on his original note as posted on this list, and now titled ‘A Note towards opening fresh discussion on the future of the World Social Forum, at this world-historical juncture’
An Agenda for our Call
Two recent WSF documents already circulated on this list, but re-posted here so that you have them at hand :
‘Summary of the Consensus of the Meeting of the WSF International Council, Porto Alegre, January 25 and 26 2020’
‘Another World Is Possible, Urgent, And Necessary !’.  Pre-call for movements, networks, and organizations of the international civil society toward the WSF2021 in Mexico’ (issued by the WSF International Council.  It is undated, but since it talks about the pandemic, I think it was perhaps prepared in April 2020.)
The WSF’s Charter of Principles, dating from back in June 2001.
Please note that we have only two hours for our meeting, and so we are going to have to be very economic and efficient with our time !  I have suggested a time break-up in the Agenda.  I acknowledge that Items 3-5 in the agenda are critically important, and ideally, each needs much more time; and ideally, we in fact need to keep talking about each of these issues, and perhaps even follow-up with further such calls, to share more and to deepen our understandings.  But right now, on Saturday, the core of our meeting and focus has to be Point 4, as given below.   

            Here then are the objectives of the meeting, as I see them :

1)     To critically discuss the Discussion Note that Gus and I have prepared for the Call, in relation to the documents recently circulated by the IC.

2)     To broadly agree on conclusions for Point 4 in the Agenda :

What then, in the above contexts – of the actually-existing and emerging world, and of alterglobalism and emerging world social movement within which the WSF exists and of which it is one constituent part –, can and should the WSF now try and become ?  How should it re-define itself ?

3)     To come up with recommendations and proposals from our side, in relation to :

a.     The future of the World Social Forum and its International Council

b.     The WSF event proposed to be held in Mexico in 2021

c.     In relation to a review of the WSF’s Charter of Principles.

4)     To agree on a drafting group of 2-3 people who we will empower to draft and circulate to all participants a draft report from the meeting, by May 30; and where we should aim to collectively finalise our report by say June 6 - towards forwarding them to the WSF’s International Council and to members of the International Council.

5)     To agree on *how we want to submit this to the IC : Whether just by email or whether we would like to request members of the IC, perhaps even from among the participants in the Call, to table our Note at the IC and to represent us at the its meeting coming up in June ?

Last – but not least -, a crucial matter, of volunteers for being rapporteurs !  I would like to request volunteers from this list to act as rapporteurs for the meeting.  I would think we should have 2-3 rapporteurs, so that those who are rapporteurs can also take part in the meeting, and we can then draw on the notes each one contributes for preparing our recommendations from the call.  Would volunteers please speak up ?!  Thanks !

In solidarity,

Jai

att

Gustave Massiah and Jai Sen, May 2020 - A Note towards opening fresh discussion on the future of the World Social Forum, at this world-historical juncture ~ gm note 080520 mdfd js d1 180520 d2 2005 ACA rvwd gm2005 F js200520 TC ACA

Agenda for WSMDiscuss VOS Event on May 23 2020 on 'Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum' d1 js 180520 d2 js200520 ACA d3 200520 TC ACA

Plus :

Anon, nd, c.April 2020 - ‘Summary of the Consensus of the Meeting of the WSF International Council, Porto Alegre, January 25 and 26 2020’ x tord b on wsmd 040520

WSF International Council, nd, c.April 2020 - ‘Another World Is Possible, Urgent, And Necessary !’.  Pre-call for movements, networks, organizations of the international civil society toward the WSF2021 in Mexico x tord b 040520 ANNTTD js 050520

WSF International Council, June 2001 - WSF Charter of Principles - Revised and Final Version 0601 x FSM website js 231003 rfmttd js110520

____________________________

Jai Sen

Independent researcher, editor; Senior Fellow at the School of International Development and Globalisation Studies at the University of Ottawa

jai.sen at cacim.net <mailto:jai.sen at cacim.net>
Now based in New Delhi, India (+91-98189 11325) and in Ottawa, Canada, on unceded and unsurrendered Anishinaabe territory (+1-613-282 2900) 

CURRENT / RECENT publications :

Jai Sen, ed, 2018a – The Movements of Movements, Part 2 : Rethinking Our Dance. Ebook and hard copy available at PM Press <http://www.pmpress.org/>
Jai Sen, ed, 2018b – The Movements of Movements, Part 1 : What Makes Us Move ? (Indian edition). New Delhi : AuthorsUpfront, in collaboration with OpenWord and PM Press.  Hard copy available at MOM1AmazonIN <https://www.amazon.in/dp/9387280101/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522884070&sr=8-2&keywords=movements+of+movements+jai+sen>, MOM1Flipkart <https://www.flipkart.com/the-movements-of-movements/p/itmf3zg7h79ecpgj?pid=9789387280106&lid=LSTBOK9789387280106NBA1CH&marketplace=FLIPKART&srno=s_1_1&otracker=search&fm=SEARCH&iid=ff35b702-e6a8-4423-b014-16c84f6f0092.9789387280106.SEARCH&ppt=Search%20Page>, and MOM1AUpFront <http://www.authorsupfront.com/movements.htm>
Jai Sen, ed, 2017 – The Movements of Movements, Part 1 : What Makes Us Move ?.  New Delhi : OpenWord and Oakland, CA : PM Press.  Ebook and hard copy available at PM Press <http://www.pmpress.org/>
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