[WSMDiscuss] Report-back on online meeting organised this last Saturday, May 23, titled ‘Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum’

Fri May 29 00:55:35 CEST 2020

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Viruses in movement…, The world in movement…, Movements in movement…, The World Social Forum in movement…

Greetings, friends and comrades on WSMDiscuss !

            This post is to follow up on the online meeting that we organised this last Saturday, on the Viral Open Space, titled ‘Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum’, further to the discussion we had here on the list over the past few weeks.  Just for the information of those of you who were not at the meeting, I organised it – together with Gustave Massiah – in the name of WSMDiscuss.  So this is also a report-back, to all list members.

            I’m glad to be able to say that I think that the meeting went quite ‘well’, in the sense of productively (and also without any major technical hitches !).  There were some very significant interventions.  Though we ultimately weren’t able to cover *all the ground we had laid out for ourselves, I think we definitely succeeded in opening serious discussion on and critical engagement with the question of the relevance of the World Social Forum at this emerging historical juncture, and I’m hoping that some or perhaps even many of the participants will carry the discussions and ideas forward within their own circles and networks; and if even that happens, then I think we will have achieved a lot. 

            A number of people on this list took part (and we missed having with us two of you who planned to be there but ultimately could not, Matt York and Fayyaz Baqir); I therefore of course especially invite those who you who were there, to now come in here with your reactions and comments !

            This mail is therefore to share with you the following documents :

·       The report from the meeting that Gustave Massiah and I have prepared.  We have already sent this to all the participants at the meeting, and we are now also going to send it to members of the World Social Forum’s International Council, ahead their upcoming meeting this coming Saturday, May 30, and in the hope that this might contribute to the discussions and deliberation they have there.  We have put this report together somewhat hurriedly in part because of our interest in reaching it to the IC before its meeting, and in part simply to move things along.  Please note that this is therefore only a first draft, which we might want to revise.

·       The list of participants, along with the organisational and contact details that participants provided in the Skype chat space, and also any links or other information they shared. 

·       The text of Gustave Massiah’s introduction to the debate

The contributions we have received from participants, following the meeting, as we requested at the end of the meeting. 
As mentioned in the report, we propose to soon upload these documents – and earlier related documents - on websites, as well as the recordings we have of the debate, and will share the access details on list, in due course.

Finally, Gus and I invite you to please also consider carrying these discussions forward within your own circles, movements, and networks, both to continue to critically engage with the World Social Forum and with what it can become and so in the extremely challenging times that we are all living through, and also in relation to the task of constantly building the strength of our own movements and activities.  Please therefore feel free to upload, circulate, and translate the attached documents, and please definitely, keep in touch with us – and all of us - as much as you think appropriate.

(Indeed, if you do translate any of them, please definitely reach copies to Gus and myself.)

In solidarity,

Jai

att

The report :

Gustave Massiah and Jai Sen, May 2020b – ‘The Relevance of the World Social Forum to the present historical moment - The Process and the Debate', A Report, draft x gm250520 mdfd js2605, 2705 corr gm 2805 F gm-js280520 ACA

The list of participants :

Revisiting the WSF May 23 2020 - List of Participants, Contact details, Links d1 js 250520 d2 260520 TC F 280520 ACA

Text of Gustave Massiah’s introduction to the debate :

Gustave Massiah, May 2020a – ‘Introduction to the Debate’, a Note prepared for ‘Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum’ x gm250520 prfd js280520 ACA

Contributions received from participants, following the meeting :

Francine Mestrum, May 2020 – ‘The WSF at 20’.  Post May 23 2020 Call contribution on the future of the WSF x fm250520

Matt Meyer, May 2020 – ‘World Social Forum 2020 - Movements in the context of Movements’.  Text of presentation at ‘Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum’ May 23 2020 x mm 270520

Ole Pedersen, May 2020a – ‘Viral Open Space - Future of World Social Forum’, Expanded text of presentation at ‘Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum’ x ole p 270520

And a document referred to in Ole’s contribution :

Norwegian Social Forum and concerned friends of the WSF, January 2017 – ‘What Makes Us Inspired in the World Social Forum Process’, an open letter x ole pedersen 260520

____________________________

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/>
SUBSCRIBE TO World Social Movement Discuss, an open, unmoderated, and self-organising forum on social and political movement at any level (local, national, regional, and global).  To subscribe, simply send an empty email to wsm-discuss-subscribe at lists.openspaceforum.net <mailto:wsm-discuss-subscribe at lists.openspaceforum.net>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Gustave Massiah and Jai Sen, May 2020b ? ?The Relevance of the World Social Forum to the present historical moment - The Process and the Debate', A Report, draft x gm250520 mdfd js2605, 2705 corr gm 2805 F gm-js280520 ACA.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 165217 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Revisiting the WSF May 23 2020 - List of Participants, Contact details, Links d1 js 250520 d2 260520 TC F 280520 ACA.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 81920 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment.doc>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0002.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Gustave Massiah, May 2020a ? ?Introduction to the Debate?, a Note prepared for ?Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum? x gm250520 prfd js280520 ACA.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 59491 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0001.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0003.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Francine Mestrum, May 2020 ? ?The WSF at 20?.  Post May 23 2020 Call contribution on the future of the WSF x fm250520.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 26624 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0001.doc>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0004.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Matt Meyer, May 2020 ? ?World Social Forum 2020 - Movements in the context of Movements?.  Text of presentation at ?Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum? May 23 2020 x mm 270520.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 29184 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0002.doc>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0005.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Ole Pedersen, May 2020a ? ?Viral Open Space - Future of World Social Forum?, Expanded text of presentation at ?Looking ahead - Revisiting the World Social Forum? x ole p 270520.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 82502 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0002.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0006.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Norwegian Social Forum and concerned friends of the WSF, January 2017 ? ?What Makes Us Inspired in the World Social Forum Process?, an open letter x ole pedersen 260520.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 133833 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0003.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.openspaceforum.net/pipermail/wsm-discuss/attachments/20200528/193d644b/attachment-0007.htm>