Social forum explained

A social forum is an open meeting place for civil society organizations and individuals opposed to neoliberalism and what its participants regard as the domination of the world by capital and imperialism.^[1] The first social forum was the World Social Forum (WSF) held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre. It was designed as a counter forum to the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos at the same time. While the WSF regards the WEF as a meeting of the political and economic elite of the world, the WSF gathers social forces and aims to promotes democratization and social justice.

After the first WSF, the social forum idea was replicated across the world in various transnational, national, and local social forums. Most, though not all, social forums adhere to the WSF Charter of Principles,^[1] drawn up by the International Council of the WSF.^[2] The diversity of participants in the social forums has reflected the diversity of the Global Justice Movement (or Anti-Globalization Movement).

Transnational social forums

• African Social Forum
• Americas Social Forum
• Asian Social Forum
• European Social Forum (ESF)
• Mediterranean Social Forum
• Pan-amazon Social Forum
• Southern Africa Social Forum
• World Social Forum

National social forums

• Austrian Social Forum
• Belgian Social Forum
• Belarusian Social Forum
• Danish Social Forum
• Finnish Social Forum
• German Social Forum
• Greek Social Forum
• Hungarian Social Forum
• Norwegian Social Forum
• Romanian Social Forum
• Swiss Social Forum
• Thai Social Forum
• Turkish Social Forum
• United States Social Forum

Local and regional social forums

Germany

• Berlin Social Forum
• Bremen Social Forum
• Bochum Social Forum
• Erlangen Social Forum
• Freiburg Social Forum
• Heidelberg Social Forum
• Leipzig Social Forum
• Pforzheim Social Forum
• Reutlingen Social Forum
• Saar Social Forum
• Tübingen Social Forum

Great Britain

• Cardiff Social Forum
• Liverpool Social Forum
• London Social Forum
• Manchester Social Forum
• Sheffield Social Forum

India

Social forums in India include:

Italy

Social forums in Italy include:^[3]

• Genoa Social Forum

Sweden

Social forums in Sweden include:^[4]

• Gothenburg Social Forum
• Gävle Social Forum
• Skåne Social Forum
• Stockholm Social Forum
• Umeå Social Forum
• Uppsala Social Forum

United States

• Boston Social Forum
• Southeast Social Forum
• Local to Global Justice Teach-in

Thematic social forums

• Social Forum of Architecture

See also

• World Social Forum
• Social Forums

Notes and References

1. Web site: Charter of Principles. Fórum Social Mundial. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101117213810/http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.php?id_menu=4&cd_language=2. 2010-11-17.
2. Web site: Who organizes it. Fórum Social Mundial. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101006125543/http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.php?id_menu=3_2&cd_language=2. 2010-10-06.
3. Web site: Italian Social Forum Contact List.
4. http://www.nigd.org/nigd-wsf-area/wsf-material/nigd/docs/SwedishLocalSocialForums2004