Fourth World Social Forum | Another World Is Possible | Invitation

Fourth World Social Forum in Mumbai

16th to 21st January 2004

March from August Kranti (Revolution) Park to final Plenary at Agad Maidan March from August Kranti (Revolution) Park to final Plenary at Agad Maidan

RSCJ participation at the WSF:
Kudos to RSCJs! Fourteen of us were at the world’s largest social awareness gathering held in Mumbai, twelve Indians, and Sr. Helen Ralston, RSCJ from the Canadian Province and Bodo (Monica Esquivel) RSCJ (Young Professed) from Mexico i.e. 16% of the Indian Province. Thanks to Sr. Marie our Provincial who circulated the Jesuits in Social Action letter inviting Church personnel to participate in the WSF. Despite the fact that some came only for a day or for a few hours, it is still an indicator that RSCJs are thinking and concerned about world issues. An added feather in the RSCJ cap was that Sr. Helen Ralston presented a paper at the forum entitled “Citizenship, Agency, Identity and Resistance among Canadian and Australian Women of South Asian Origin” and Sr. Gladys responded to one of the speakers Revered Fr. Dominic Emmanuel SVD who spoke on “Religion, Culture and Identity”. I was fortunate to be present for both the talks and took pride in RSCJ participation. 15 students from our Sadhana Special School for physically and mentally challenged students together with two teachers also participated in the forum. Another feather in our cap was that students of two departments of the Sophia Polytechnic – The Travel and Tourism Department and the Mass Media and Communications Department, helped out at the WSF.

Church Participation: The strong and significant presence of the Church at the WSF was noteworthy and a matter of pride for all Christians. Like Jesus our “Guru” (Master) we are concerned about the poor man on the street. The National Council of Churches in India, Jesuits for Social Action, Church for Auxiliary Action, Harit Vasai, CHAI, the Global Lutheran and Orthodox Churches and Pax Romana ICMICA were there at the WSF. Besides several local Christian organisations from abroad and India had brought contingents to participate in the WSF. Over 10,000 participated in the International Youth Camp (IYC) held at the Don Bosco’s, Matunga – Mumbai.

What the WSF is all about:
The WSF, a social movement, was conceived, as an international forum only three years ago (the first three WSFs were organised in Brazil) and is built around the focal theme “Another World is Possible – Let us build it”. It is a counterpoint to the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland. The goal of this elite forum is to deliberate alternatives and to popularize key concepts in the public sphere to the formulations offered by neo-liberalism, imperialism or property rights and patents. It also deals with Third World debt, sectarian violence, communalism and war.

How the WSF went about its goal:
Attempts were made to find alternatives, multiple strategies and methodologies through interaction, deliberation, debate, dialogue, analysis, space for networking, coalition building, domain of critical thinking and an alternative world view, exploration and discovery. The WSF invited the participation of a rich diversity of mass organisations, people’s movements, citizen’s bodies and groups to join in the process of mutual learning, informal debate and participatory formulation of alternative models which are worthy and viable of addressing changes in development along with justice. This was done through workshops, panels, round tables, testimonials, seminars, conferences, group discussions, street plays, films, cultural events, etc.

Delegate at the WSF: I was very fortunate to be a delegate at this multi-coloured human outsize jamboree and mega-mela for all six days. The carnival and symbol of hope exposed the atrocities done to the marginalised, especially women and children. Fundamentalism, casteism, displacement, state repression and the like continue to push the poor, especially the dalits (untouchables), tribals and minorities to a “disposable status”. The WSF, a growing global movement was a meaningful response to such trade liberalisation and privatization.

One lakh participants from 130 countries assembled on the NESCO grounds at Goregaon East. It was heartening to meet and greet foreign delegates, NGOs, academicians, activist and the poor suffering humanity of the streets on an equal footing. A visible sign of giving space for dialogue, love and hope permeated the air, as like-minded individuals engaged meaningfully in processes that made an impact. It was truly an expression of people, power and non-electoral politics.

My experience: For me as a religious, an Educationist and a student – the WSF was a deep spiritual and learning experience. It helped me learn to understand the various world issues, to exchange information and establish contacts, to extend my solidarity with popular struggles and to contribute my little mite wherever possible, from an ethical and theological perspective. The WSF mega process and talkfest was certainly a moment of grace and a great opportunity to absorb progressive ideas and join the voiceless in their struggle. It was an influential alternative voice, which created rainbow alliances.

The Organization: Bhupesh Gupta Bhavan at Prabhadevi, was the venue for the organisation of the programme of the WSF, which saw both, Indian and foreign volunteers. The logistics of the event was huge as the organisers saw to the housing, feeding and transporting of 800 volunteers, besides the numerous scheduled events, translations in thirteen languages, 1200 odd seminars and the 2000 registered journalists. There were 150 street plays, over 85 films and 1500 artists, poets, playwrights, writers and filmmakers in attendance. Prior to the even two local trains were painted with images and messages of the WSF. It was indeed controlled chaos.

The 120 page programme: This gargantuan meeting with a 120-page programme dealt largely with major themes like Militarism, War and Peace, Media, Information, Knowledge and Culture, Democracy, Ecological and Economic Security, Debt, Finance and Trade, Sustainable and Democratic Development, World and Labour and Work in Production and Social Reproduction. Social Sectors like Food, Health, Education and Social Security, Exclusions, Nation, State, Citizenship, Law and Justice, Caste, Race and other forms of Descent and Work-based Exclusions, Religion, Culture and Identities, Patriarchy, Gender and Sexuality. Children and disabled also demanded a place in the forum and were included.

The Speakers: Joseph Stiglitz the Noble laureate and speaker at the WSF was a major international voice against free market dogmas. Done the right way, liberalization can help economies boom, done the wrong way, it can lead to poverty and unemployment. Those at the WSF were convinced that a better world is based on ethics rather than real politics. Unfair patterns of globalisation have to be fought in order to build a more just world.

Hearing the voices of noble laureates Shirin Ebadi, Joseph Stiglitz, internationally known theoreticians and activists like Walden Bello, Samir Amin, Emmanuel Wallaisteen, Mary Robinson, Arundhati Roy, Medha Patkar, Vandana Shiva and others at the WSF will be part of a memory that can recalled at times of diversity, when there seem to be no answers. No one-time effort can offer solutions. Nations cannot change overnight but they can cough up ideas. Mindsets and attitudes can ultimately change our realities.

The WSF was also a rich, bewildering culture trove with 200 odd international groups that performed items with a cause. There were over 130 national and international theatre groups, a literary corner and the collective works of rural and indigenous people as well.

The Rights of Children and the Disabled: Over 2000 children from all over the world formed a part of the forum. For children, globalisation means bearing the brunt of larger economic trends in declining employment growth, higher food costs, commercialization of education and health care. Around 58 Child Rights groups participated. Child rights were mainly about the inclusion of children in decision-making. The idea was to influence pro-child policies at both national and international levels. In India alone almost 2 million children die every year before reaching their first birthday, nearly 75 million children below 5 years of age are malnourished. Children of 100 million families live without water at home. One in every ten children, call our unfriendly streets, home. Experience shows that children are among the most vulnerable when local economies are opened up to global market forces without our investing in and providing adequate safeguards for the poor.

The Peace Rally: The seven kilometer World Peace and Unity Rally on 21st January beginning at August Kranti Maidan and culminating at the Azad Maidan saw the whole of Mumbai participate, as bus and taxi drivers, daily commuters, shop keepers and even policemen connected, as they patiently waited for the peaceniks to pass by. Sr. Helen, Bodo and I represented the RSCJ in the rally. Gorgeous satin flags, placards and hand out leaflets filled the air, as participants marched wearing badges, headgear and shouting peace slogans. There was a unifying vision underlying the kaleidoscope plurality.

Conclusions: The goal of the WSF was not to arrive at conclusions or to hand out ready made models for others to follow. It was a meeting ground for like minded people to air and share views and news of their doings, gain strength, courage and moral support, connect, experiment and find their own models for change.

Some criticised the WSF for not giving sufficient importance to environmental issues. All said and done it is my hope that the WSF will help build the consensus for an alternative lifestyle of simplicity and self-reliance where the human being is the centre. It is my hope that there is a call for the “Globalization of values” and an “economics of hope”. It is my hope that human beings adhere to the wisdom of Buddha who said, “Do not trade with human beings, weapons, slaughter of animals for eating, poison and liquor, if you want the true world peace, unity and harmony.

It is my belief and conviction that, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE. OUR CHALLENGE IS TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD IT. LET US ALL JOIN HANDS TO MAKE THIS DREAM A REALITY.

The names of the RSCJs who participated in alphabetical order – Ananda, Archana, Benedicta, Bodo, Celina, Daphne S., Gaitonde, Geeta, Gladys, Helen, Marie, Mudita, Prabha, Rosa M..)

Another world is possible

That was the cry, loud and clear, from delegates to the fourth World Social Forum as they came marching through the streets into the heart of the city of Mumbai on Wednesday 21 January 2004, with chants, whistles, flags, placards and drums. RSCJ were among the marchers. Issue by issue: "Coca-Cola terrorista!" "Viva Palestina!" "No War!" "Quit Iraq!" "PEACE with NonViolence!" - delegation after delegation, peoples of all colours and creeds from the countries of the world, we marched together, stopped traffic and dumbfounded pedestrians, bus passengers, cycle riders, while police expertly cleared a pathway for the indefatigable, exuberant, dancing marchers. The march began at a large park of historic significance. It was the site of Gandhi's "Quit India!" and "do or die" proclamation in August 1942. It ended at Azad Maidan, a huge open dusty/grassy area (dating back to the days of the British Raj) that was the venue of the closing Plenary Forum. Pakistani, African, Brazilian and Indian artists entertained us with fantastic performances. There were speeches -- a taped one from Nelson Mandela --a digital collage of forum scenes and events -- all beamed to four huge screens positioned throughout the maidan so that the delegates could see everything live. There was no problem hearing the booming, passionate voices and music! The mood was jubilant, yet very serious, a sense of one-ness that characterized the entire six-day forum. At the closing Plenary a Pakistani woman and well-known human rights activist, Asma Jahanger's voice echoed passionately across the grounds: "There was a lot of energy that came to the Forum, there is a lot of energy that will go out from the Forum. We want a different world, a world of humanity, compassion, a world of the people."

Over 100,000 people from 152 countries had spent six days together, yes together, in a crowded mela of discussion, drumbeats, dancing, processions, street theatre, debates and dust of NESCO grounds in northern Mumbai, India, from 16 to 21 January 2004.

The World Social Forum is not an organization, not a united front platform, but an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and interconnecting for effective action by movements of civil society that are opposed to neo-liberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism. They are not opposed to globalization as such, but rather to the evils of globalization. In fact, they are the world's "other superpower," as The New York Times described them after 15 February 2003, when more than 15 million people across the globe expressed their opposition to the looming invasion of Iraq. They are civil society movements committed to building a global society centred on the human person. They create a space for strengthening alliances among social movements, unions of working peoples, and NGOs, as well as an opportunity for cross-sectoral dialogue. The first three WSFs were held in January-February 2001 to 2003, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where the idea of providing such a space was conceived. Over the last three years WSF has emerged as a counterweight to the worldview of the World Economic Forum.

The fourth World Social Forum was different from those held previously in Brazil. Firstly, more than eighty percent of the participants were Indian or South Asian, rather than Latin American and Western. They were above all the marginalized peoples of Asia. Secondly, the main foci of WSF 2004 were Casteism, Racism and Social Exclusions, Religious sectarianism and Fundamentalism, Identity politics, as well as Imperialist Globalization, Patriarchy, Militarism and Peace.

There were really three layers of activities at the Mumbai World Social Forum:

1. a vast array of 100 or more simultaneous seminars, panel discussions, workshops to choose from in each of the three time slots during the day,
2. continuous cultural events: street theatre, films, tribal dances, exhibitions (for instance, the tragic story of natural disasters, communalism and untried murderers in Gujarat, Gandhiji's home), and
3. massed drum-beating, placard-bearing, dancing processions of delegations from the South throughout the thoroughfares of the Forum venue, NESCO grounds.

Plenary sessions and seminars documented and addressed world poverty, particularly among farmers in the global South, hunger, depletion of the planet's resources (like water) for the sake of profit for transnational corporations of the North, trafficking in women and children, violence against women and women's counter movements, and the promotion of militarism, aggression and war for the sake of profit and power.

Among the placard-carrying, drum-beating, slogan-shouting marchers, thousands of dalits ("untouchables") from all over India stood out in their protests against casteism, discrimination and denial of human rights in free, independent India. For the most part, dalits did not participate in the seminars and panels. If literate, few spoke or understood the official western languages of the WSF (English, French, Spanish / Portuguese). In thousands they claimed open spaces of Nesco grounds for dialogue among the excluded of the world and for initiating solidarity, placard-bearing processions. They were empowered people who proclaimed their identity and dignity to us, the minority of the North. It was an explosive experience of dialogue among cultures and religions - truly a challenging "irruption of the poor," as Canadian Richard Renshaw, CSC, Deputy Executive Director of Development and Peace, has described it (Catholic New Times 29 February 2004).

By contrast with the noisy demonstrations , the Asian Women's Human Rights Council arranged that supporters of Women in Black, the global feminist movement against war, stood with candles one evening in a silent Peace Vigil.

At well-organized outdoor food service sites I had tangible experiences of border-crossing between the marchers and the seminar participants. I found myself rubbing shoulders with young and old, able-bodied and physically challenged, dalits, internationally renowned speakers and human rights activists, hindus and muslims, habited sisters, a priest and his group who provide non-institutional children's care for HIV/AIDS orphans and victims of the sex trade. Smiling welcomes, a sense of solidarity and one-ness among strangers created a friendly space for all.

Many Indian RSCJ participated in various sessions. Four of us (including Bodo, a Mexican RSCJ on her way to probation) were in the March to the final Plenary at Azad Maidan. My principal role at the WSF was to organize and make a presentation at a joint session of two research committees (Women in Society and Ethnic, Race and Minority Relations) of the International Sociological Association. The title of the session was: "The Imperative for a Culture of Peace: Gender, Race, Conflict and Resistance." In our session, the Beijing International Peace Vigil Group made a provocative presentation: "An Alternative Vision for UN Millennium Development Goals." They proposed an additional Peace Millennium goal, which, they argued, should be Millennium Goal #1, because without peace and justice none of the other millennium goals (in the areas of poverty, primary education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS, environment, and global partnership) can be reached.

A highlight for me was a session, organized by the International Federation for Human Rights, on "Globalization and Justice: The International Criminal Court." The final panelist was Iranian Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She forcefully demanded universal ratification of the International Criminal Court. She spoke of the brutal rape of Iranian women by Iraqi soldiers and no prosecution for these crimes. The first respondent to Shirin Ebadi was an Iraqi woman, a journalist, Director of (U.S.) Occupation Watch in Baghdad. She stepped to the podium and equally forcefully apologized on behalf of Iraqis for the crimes of Iraqi soldiers against Iranian women. Shirin leaped to her feet and embraced the Iraqi woman for a full minute. Then they both held up their arms, held tight together, while a standing audience applauded. That gesture of reconciliation, compassion and peace was a powerful symbol and gesture of the WSF vision.

There were many other wonderful moments. Now it is time for reflection, strategizing and collective action back in our home countries to build the new people's world. In Canada, plans are afoot for an Aboriginal/Quebec/Canada Social Forum. For us all, the next Global Day of Mobilization is 20 March 2004 , anniversary of the U.S. attack on Iraq. A huge gathering of anti-war activists assembled in one of the Solidarity tents on Nesco grounds to launch this fourth World Social Forum campaign for global action. The slogan: No More War!

For six days the World Social Forum broke down barriers of caste, religion, class, gender -- even North and South. Thousands of people were as one in their commitment to peace, justice, dignity for all humanity, and conservation of planet Earth. One can cherish the hope that Another World Is Possible if we are willing to work for it on a daily basis. Let us build it together!