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IC Casablanca meeting report 

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Status - work in progress in this page  : report from 18 december is also available in complete Casa report EN or abreged format . Report on 16  17 december iis covering discusion on context; movements, wsf process and role of IC - semi verbatim transcript of  discussions is here  Casablanca 201312 extension

Report complete     >>  >  download pdf     



Dec 16 & 17 Index


16 &17 dec discussion EN.. 2

16 &17  decdiscussion - 3 pages synthesis EN.. 2

GENERAL CONTEXT EN.. 5

MOVEMENTS EN.. 5

SOCIAL FORUM PROCESS EN.. 7

ABOUT IN & AROUND INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL EN.. 11

 

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16 &17 dec discussion EN indications

This document is a way to capture the discussion held in IC during 16 and 17 december in casablanca

EN The plan is “logical”( not chronological), going from “context” to “movements” to “forum process” to “ role of ic” .

Every paragraph is an excerpt of discussion

 The number refers to the interventions chronological order visible in the semi verbatim transcript   http://openfsm.net/projects/ic-extended/casablanca-201312-extension document in with some video coverage.

Block letter sentences are collected for the sintesis part ( above this one)

Phrases are part of the digest summary. [Indications between brackets give link to concrete illustration of what is said ]

@CG means general context,@CM = context of movements, @MF = movements and forum process, @TF = topics in the forum, @EO= event organisation, @OF = organisation of forum process, @CI= tasks and organization of IC

 

16 &17  decdiscussion - 3 pages synthesis EN

Combining main points expressed in interventions, without seeking full coherence

General

Neoliberal globalisation as the core / uniting subject for the WSF – Need for another type of democracy – are we facing a new stage of re-dividing the world?

Movements

Debate on situation of wsf process is vivid and reflect debate on situation of movements. Charter of Porto Alegre and local rooting are guarantees of social movements autonomy

Why should a social actor become interested in joining this wsf process?

Idea of thematic forum is an answer for those who are not interested in wsf event anymore- it is a tool for some struggles too - Many movement feel they need a priority affirmation  of “their” theme in a forum and do not find it - Economic difficulties of old movements

Explain to new actors / movements what can the space and methodology of the Forum offer them and get inspired by their forms of organization - remind again and again that the international level is important

Many existing actors are engaged in “new mobilisations”, which are not “movements” - Alternatiba villages of alternatives to promote ecological and social transition - Religious fundamentalism has spread in all continents and criteria for non acceptance is attitude towards rights- Montreal occupy 2011 people have participated in Quebec social forum 2007 - Youth multiply public space

How does WSF process help struggles? There are obviously local struggles which will not get through if they do not become world scale and it is normal – they can use social forum as a tool

The reverse question is also relevant: how movements give energy and contribute to facilitate world social forum process ?

Social forum process

Topics, thematics, events

Stressing importance of several topics– Palestine – Iraq – activist repression - we know we cannot select priorities in events . Organize a world net to analyze globalization

Affirming relevancy on thematic processes on women, youth, nonviolence, popular neighborhoods. Thematic forums are occasions to bring together and capture the energy and dynamics on the selected theme

Improving  social forum event –  activities with concrete discussions stemming from practice – innovative integration of solidarity economy – wide accessibility - more space for meetings and create alliances – exploring new forms world social lunch”, “world cafes” ?

Deepening reflexion on convergence processes and movements - Avoiding projecting on the WSF all the problems

focus on regions

The impact of globalisation is different in each regional context : Better organize the WSF process by major regions, highlighting their peculiar thematics,

Regionalization of the issues and struggles is not diminishing the regional usefulness of social forum events .Focus a lot on the intersections between the regions. Developing links between processes in a horizontal decentralized way

Enlarge WSF process through the work done at the regional and national level. The Maghreb dynamics did the job at regional level of collecting movements and issues and they prosper; Exchange on how each WSF regional dynamic tackles all these issues

The global forum event should take and raise the issues and struggles that emerge in regional forums Give more visibility and show solidarity

Facilitation in wsf : be politically at the service of movements

identity common  to WSF participants is built through ownership of process, convergence dialogue , and sharing facilitation experience

Give more functionality to forum process, innovations are possible. Exchange opinions on WSF process and agree on shared tasks of IC to support it

Formulating tasks of iC

We are ready, after an experience of 10 years, to define the tasks of IC, which are not described in the WSF charter . We need a strategy that departs from proposals for the process in the next four or five years

In IC, Our interest is to be useful to make more effective and committed the global civil society. “We” can be “functionally at the service” of movements in a political way. Also we can evolve ideas!.

 “We”, in the council, need to help multiply occasions of events, to facilitate the emergence of events, and avoid the “competition” between forums. We can help craft an horizontal “meshing” between these regional processes, so that cooperations emerge from intercommunication activities

Draft an IC workplan by taking a “functional perspective” on the development of wsf process format and practices (ownership, facilitation, rooting, remote intercommunication)

IC can stimulate the creation of multiple working groups identifying which topics are necessarily local and global-and map/outreach to they actors,  it is a participation dynamics, completely different than saying " just come all !" : Articulate themes that are the concern of a territory and a particular community

Among tasks : Explain the forum in new areas, train about forum, as it remains perceived as elitist In Africa and Arab countries. Give better visibility of themes and methodology on wsf websites. Develop useful services between one event and the other; create a permanent living social space useful to social actors . Work on the systematisation and capitalisation of discussion and experience Discontinuity in the process capitalization does not help to aggregate - Thanks to those who are documenting this meeting

Views on ic operation

Questionnaire on IC has helped rebuild trust in IC – The re-composition of IC requires a more precise definition of its form and role.  It could provide all members a choice between active and associate members. The IC must decide to form a working group on the reorganization and expansion of the IC : newci group ( see discussion 18-1) Enlarge IC through work done at the regional and national level. Introduce some member fee in IC ?

IC must be relying on open working groups focused on themes that it identifies : Since the end of 2011, a contributory group " WSF calendar, now in Casablanca a “memodoc” group, also a group promoting  the tool announced from local forums to “make more useful activities in social forums” and events associated with the WSF process

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1617D Discussion on context, movements, process, and role of IC 10 pages

GENERAL CONTEXT EN

Neoliberal globalisation as the core / uniting subject for the WSF

@CG@2 At the beginning of the WSF events, the international strategy had targeted international institutions (IMF, WB and WTO) and proposed to rely on international law. The situation has changed and financial capitalism has downgraded international institutions. Movements must define a new global strategy. WSF can help.

@CG@6 neo liberalism is said to be in crisis but it is in good shape

@CG@24 Liberal capitalism is in crisis since it cannot find solutions for its appetite and moves war to people (e.g. Iraq and now Africa).

@CG@11 problem is how to rebuild real democracy. That’s a common point and we have to focus on it.

@CG@14 the question, in my opinion, in the essence of the Social Forum’s work in creating long-term strategies, are we facing a new stage of re-dividing the world? Or is there a new stage that holds within it new social justice values?

MOVEMENTS EN

1 -NEW MOVEMENTS AND WSF

Explain to new actors / movements what can the space and methodology of the Forum offer them and get inspired by their forms of organisation

@CM@6 - puerta del sol - are among the regions - the majority of players that we know are involved in these movements - regional assemblies that collect initiatives from local forums

@CM@6 - most of the times - these are the same actors that we knows from year who are engaged – under which aspect? is a consistent structure with very strong participation features

@CM@10 - Alternatiba .. ie construction of [Event "village of alternatives"] global-local [To promote the ecological and social transition]. It happened in Bayonne in the Basque country with extraordinary success - and there was a European and international call to multiply Alternatibas in Europe and in the world www.alternatiba.eu

@CM@23 - mobilizations are not "movements" We have more popular mobilization but not necessarily social movements. Such mobilization are ephemerous organisation with steep up and downs, and more effective on form than substance “they are in love with themselves” but do not have enough strength to impact the system, and its not easy to involve them in the long term if they are not sustainable.

@CM@23 - Religious fundamentalism has spread in all continents, it is not a problem only in Maghreb-Mashreq, and such groups cannot be integrated in our space for their attitude on rights.

@CM@41 In Quebec the Occupy movement was strong and effective, and the new political culture of occupying public space and bringing together individuals is complementary and not in competition with the WSF. Many of the people who made the Montreal occupy movement,- with more people in Montreal occupy than in zuccotti park in new York, - had participated in the Social forum 2007 in Montreal.

@MF@46 - The occupy movement shows that the old way of representation, like here in the IC, is not so valid to deal with reality. Hence we cannot simply invite some new movements and claim to represent others.

-@CM@59- I think in May 2014 we will have a series of political actions. The problem is to bring together the new movements, the organizational structure is delivered by the old ones.

@CM@67 – There are obviously local struggles which will not get through if they do not become world scale and it is normal it was spoke about foreign interventions - the struggle against mining in Brazil between us and canada - tax havens to fight against financial capitalism it ,myself engaged in the fight against it - Nuclear energy impossible if it is not a global struggle.

 

2 -MOVEMENTS AND WSF

@CM@2 Debate on situation of wsf process is vivid and reflect debate on situation of movements.

@CM@13 -What about the old movements? What about the trade unions? From Europe, I can judge they have practically disappeared. They are not present now. During the three years I am a member of this IC, they disappeared step-by-step. Nobody is asking the question ‘Why?

@CM@26 -Feminist movements need to rethink itself within global struggles and local struggles (e.g. of Palestinian women) need to relate to feminist issues. We should not feel far away from indignant occupy movements only because the struggle against neoliberalism is not their priority

@CM@29- The new movements do not find the WSF as their space, but also some of the “old” movements, which are in economic difficulty. Some are not here today.

@CM@31- How does WSF process help struggles … It is also in the reverse: how movements give energy and contribute to world social forum process. It is two sided : How can the WSF contribute to struggles on specific issues, and how can specific movements contribute to the WSF process?

@MF@32- Why should we be sad that people do not come in "our" space? They do not come because they have no more interest - They used the forum and then the space was not useful anymore and participation is costly- Idea of thematic forum is an answer for them- They do not need a general space- Those who think that to unite is useful will come to the forum.

@MF@34 -This space remains essential to address the issues linked to the many faces of globalization. We cannot afford to get out ...

@MF@35-Solidarity economy and ethical finances is a growing movement with little representation. Few networks evolved in time but solidarity economy is very based on local models, so it is difficult to develop international alliances. But this alternative model is fundamental to change the economic system starting by our personal choices on management of money and trade.

@MF@35 - We experienced lack of breath in the WSF after the events, while problems posed by globalization and violence are pervasive. This is still an important venue for discussion for the women movement.

@CM@39 - If social movements are not strong we cannot expect political movements to be strong either.

@MF@40 - We need an analysis of why so many movements do not participate anymore in the WSF .

@MF@41 - Since 2004 i hear about fatigue de-connection, absence of youth. But youth made camp in porto Alegre, then they go to public space. Youth multiply public space. We are actors of social movements and we are opening spaces. It works at all levels.

@MF@42 - Why should a social actor become interested in joining this process? To receive solidarity, to meet and make alliances with other movements, to use thematic knowledge of the others, to become stronger and more connected. . Today at lunch, I found partners on a project, but i am here and others not and they cannot do what i did

@MF@44- For the culture of many movements, "how useful is it " is understood as " is this priority for the forum " ?- Many movement fell they need a priority affirmation in a forum and do not find it-

@MF@44 Few years ago in France we have had a struggle against building of an airport and land-expropriation. There was convergence between environmental and social dimensions but there was no need to build a network. Instead, a social forum was the needed space. Suddenly they invented the “thematical forum against imposed useless projects”- This movement grasped the idea of the forum: “What we do is a forum!” . It gave an international aspect to their struggle. It strengthened the struggle a lot

@MF@44- In Rio, the forum allowed a new intelligence to be shaped in order to oppose the way the city was managed. Three step against urbanism for world cup : How can we build a visibility?- How we can find proposals and reflexions that enrich our struggle and allow to give it a new a dimension. It is a political communication. All the work done in activities in the forum will be useful. Even very local struggles can gain an international dimension and visibility by organizing social forums, gaining arguments and political strength, converging to a more organized type of work

@MF@48 – In an organisation like ATTAC, which is born as an anti-neoliberal movement attac has been at the birth of WSF,, because it is involved in many different instances at the local level, needs to be reminded again and again that the international level is important and that attac needs to remain alterglobal

While there is a temptation to instrumentalize social movements by political movements/parties/governements, charter of Porto Alegre and WSF and local rooting are guarantees of social movement autonomy. with local rooting but not recess on nationalism, and this is an essential asset. There is a multiplicity of actors working for change, and for autonomy of social movements : no single group will save the world.

 SOCIAL FORUM PROCESS EN

Common WSF identity through convergences and sharing:

1 - tasks or topics to be discussed in wsf process

@TF@12- priorities need to be ordered along the following: where does the priority lie in the World Social Forum struggles, with the miserable situation in Palestine?

@TF@11- problem is how to rebuild real democracy. That’s a common point and we have to focus on it.

@TF@24 be more precise about democracy which form do “we” want

@TF@16 - The Social Forum whether Mashreq/Maghreb or Maghreb/Mashreq has to make decisions or at least activities that shed the light on the damage that affected Iraq by colonialism and address the support of terrorism outside Iraq to Syria that is highly funded and has many supporters and transborder implementers

@TF@17 - out-migration and that Iraq is losing some of its Iraqi components in terms of minorities. Iraq is being deprived of the Armenians and the Assyrians as they are migrating whether internal immigration or out-migration

@TF@19- Foreign intervention in Maghreb and Africa needs to be a central topic to be discussed in the future, in particular Mali and Central Africa

@TF@24 – “Our” goal is not only liberation but emancipation of people, the forum needs to work on this. We also need more discussion on issues like coloniality -.

@TF@29 - In Morocco there are many local struggles dispersed : as an example in Ouarzazate 4000 women victims of microcredit .How to express solidarity to these many struggles?.

@TF@53 which lobbying can we make, as international alterglobalists to create a pressure other that what is exerted by europe officiles in tunisia?

@TF@69 - Therefore I believe that there should be some coordination with the International Federation of Trade Unions to organize a meeting to find out the causes of this decline which affects the social status of workers globally.

@TF@70. - We suffer a lot from freedom suppression, where freedom of expression has been lost and this is an issue which I think must be strongly addressed in the forum. It should be discussed with issues related to the media; “the role and enhancement of the media with respect to activist human rights”. I speak about Iraq where we have lost prominent activists in demonstrations and protest...

@TF@71- The repression of activists is a huge problem in many parts of the world, particularly in Maghreb. I particularly wanted to mention this because no-one is listed to speak about it. There is an attempt in Maghreb. I think there have been discussions, yesterday in particular Yuseff, working on it to organize Maghreb Social Forum, in which the issue of repression of activists will be a key issue

2 - Tunis wsf assessment & concrete organisation of world events

@EO@14 - bulk of the issues that were discussed in Tunis came from the realities on the ground and not from theory, the state and civil society, political Islam and development, all discussed in the reality on the ground, not as top-down theoretical.

@EO@35 - Solidarity economy cannot be involved in the WSF only through a small market besides the activities in events , we need to find other ideas.

@EO@43 More human diversity should be included in the forums.We need to be careful towards special needs, like people with disabilities, and make it possible for them to attend World SocialForum.There are 15% of handicapped in the world

@EO@46 We need to develop more space for meetings and create alliances. space to strategize, not a real social forum. We should think about more creative ways to involve people from other circles: we need other methodology. How to renew the way we organize the event? : we could transform WSF in “world social lunch”, or set up “world cafes” where people have a pause and are creative.

@EO@21 assembly of social movements was created precisely because the IC did not take the responsibility to create an agenda for social movements

@EO@42 - if we go to an event where social movement is lively, the event is good

 

3 - ORGANISATION FACILITATION OF WSF PROCESS in general

Developing the “service” / functional perspective. Enhance and work on the facilitation.

@OF@20 The political view is not sufficient here . Let's take a “functional perspective” on the development of wsf process format and practices to create a “workplan” for ic . There is a need to inventory, outreach to, and bring in contacts the groups initiating social forum processes

 see OE space http://openfsm.net/projects/espacios-oe]

@OF@20 4 issues on functionnal perspective :

1 – developing ownership of wsf process and cooperation on line

Effective on line cooperation practices, using face to face moments for most delicate tasks – how to develop ownership of wsf in organizations and in individuated/non structured movements ?

(The way in which the WSF is organised appears elitist to some)

2 - organizing and sharing facilitation effort to sustain the general process - We need appropriate facilitation of the process and of discussions, a mapping of working groups “giving service to the process”, this requires self sustainment of trans-event initiatives based on broad contributing collectives [ initiative about documentation from local forum participant group mentionned by Gus see part 18-2 http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/casa13-report-en]

3 - rooting the process through local events and focusing on concrete alternatives - how can event committees involve a variety of organizations and movements combining various expectations viewpoints about forums?

4 - extending and meshing events through remote intercommunication How to stimulate self organized horizontal inter-communication among participants in various processes

[ sfex initiative : http://openfsm.net/projects/sfexintercom]

@OF@34-Now the current phase is not about reinventing the forum but give it more functionality. I remember when we were out of momentum, and we gather momentum when social movements happened

@OF@41 - We need to articulate with new movements : they are innovative on the way to act, they organize in an original way- enormous methodological innovation in terms of the way of organising and practicing horizontal decision making.. We need to find what “technology” to use to put into practice the complementarity WSF – new movements and innovate in our forms of organization

@OF@44 We need to invent new proposals, re-engineer the forum, but we know we cannot select priorities.

@OF@45 We lack structuring of thinking of convergence movements - Each has its own efficiency . We tend to project on the WSF all the problems, and do not know how to implement this and find solutions because they are too many issues to address

@OF@46 We should have a “service role” and become more skilled in political facilitation. We can be “functionally at the service” of movements in a political way. We need to radically reorganize ourselves.

4 - THEMATIC FORUMS

@OF@22 Biggest challenge today is difference between types of crisis that caused poverty, environmental disasters... but those who suffer most are the youth, we need to discuss how to involve them more strongly in the WSF . We need to decide which are responsibilities of all of us in the process.-importance to strengthen youth participation and need for assessment mechanisms

@OF@25 - Women's freedom is always the first to be attacked by Islamists so we need a regional forum to focus on this, not forgetting the global level

@OF32 @Why should we be sad that people do not come in "our" space? They do not come because they have no more interest - They used the forum and then the space was not useful anymore and participation is costly- Idea of thematic forum is an answer for them- They do not need a general space- Those who think that to unite is useful will come to the forum.

@OF@33 - in my organisation (education trade union) we started soon to notice that WSF was disconnected from local people. One of the main axes of our work should be the development of alternative media.

@OF@36. This is maybe the beginning of a new process on peace that may continue. We have a oscillation between general forums and thematic forums and we need both

@OF@38 we say: let us intensify thematic forum .. let s do it- we speak about regional forum .. in the recent years some have disappeared- let us capitalize- essential if we want to go on- we agree on fundamentals forum space .. discontinuity in the process- we do not communicate enough- we cannot get back to classical recipes. The idea of thematic forum is not just to discuss about an issue, but to bring together and capture the energy and dynamics on that matter in specific territories

5 - REGIONALISATION du processus forum - INTERCONNEXION entre forum

Developing links between processes in a horizontal decentralized way

@OF@2 This situation causes fragmentation of the movements and poses a challenge to the anti-globalization movement. One possible answer is to better organize the WSF process by major regions in giving visibility and a greater role to social forums of the major regions .

One proposal is to organize at least one forum by major region every three years and consider it as a new form of polycentric World Social Forum .

@OF@6 – am much in favor of regionalisation of wsf , then region must have their own life, it has to be linked to thematics of each region, we in europe have a new experience of a forum against extreme right and populism – we need regionalization with adapted themes

@ OF @ 8 - localizing struggles too much is detrimental to the dimension of brotherhood, linking social and environmental justice - think the com - initiative -interconnect regional forums and allow them to speak - in 2006 did not speak to each other how to interconnect-not lose view this dimension

@ OF@11- we have to focus a lot on the intersections between the regions. The intersections are where dialogue and cooperation or conflict can develop. They can be bridged, or they can be borders. Mediterranean is an example, but also Mexico/US. All the regional intersections are very important to focus on.

@ OF@11 - we should also say that the building of the actors in the WSF process and IC should be based on enlargement work done at the regional and national level.

@OF@18- how to articulate regional and global process ?,

@OF@20 - Regionalisation of the topics may cause regionalisation of the issues and struggles, whIch is not diminishing the usefulness of social forum events –we just need more exchange between those event processes

@OF@42-The Maghreb dynamics did the job at regional level of collecting movements and issues and they prosper, but are we able to do the same at global level?

@OF@56 some people who go and explain about wsf in Balkans and it stays regional scale – meeting in Zagreb next year, we need to take this forum into account

@MF@62 the question of popular neighborhoods who wish to develop their own process not only at a city level like Casablanca , but also with our friends in tunis, and develop in the suburbs - it's not from today that Paris had its major problems at the periphery-certainly the issue of favelas in Brazil would be an important “connection” -not only this but also women, emigration, corruption, free exchange, terrorism, unemployed graduates, I can provide these in writing - how to articulate themes that are the concern of a territory and a particular community ....

6 -WORLD EVENT

What role does the “global” level have?

Give more visibility and show solidarity towards emerging struggles

@OF@23 - a polycentric forum might divide global struggles. maybe have a succession of local national global forums to build proximity between local and global struggles, fitting a democratic model.

@OF@40 -The global forum should take and raise the issues that emerge in regional forums, where Problems are different. Otherwise some issues will be completely neglected in some areas. For example problems related to extractivism and land-grabbing that are strong in Africa need to be discussed and linked to global discussions , otherwise they go unnoticed

@OF@41 We need to avoid the word “competition” between forums.

@OF@45 What we need to avoid is that the World Social Forum becomes another regional forum plus some international movements. The WSF can be a space of convergence of convergences, the network of networks.

ABOUT IN & AROUND INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL EN

Opinion on WSF process / shared task list for IC

1 - TASKS AROUND IC BETWEEN EVENTS WORKING GROUPS AROUND OR BY IC ( follow up possible in newCI working group)

@CI@2 IC must be relying on open working groups based focused on themes that it identifies, and assigns to movements that propose them initiatives in different areas, as is the case for the WSF calendar.

[http://openfsm.net/projects/wsf2012-support/wsf2014-calendar]

@CI@42 We need to discuss more about what “we” do between one event and the other, we need to become more useful for movements when they struggle every day.

@CI@42 Last year we produced few solidarity calls, spread no info on local struggles, so we have been useless on this. if social actors have to use google and avaaz we are useless-

@CI@42 We the organizations committed to the WSF process need to create a permanent living social space useful to social actors to develop their horizon and connections, with better tools and channels for political communication. Social actors are more in number than earlier but more spread in the territories.

@CI@47 Importance to put the WSF in visibility , including between the events, two proposals have been made in this direction : publish on the WSF website activities in thematic forums; make WSF communications on actions, mobilization, campaigns of movements involved in the WSF. On the one hand it would make it more visible and reinforce these actions, mobilizations and campaigns .. On the other hand it would make more visible and attractive WSF process .

( cooperation around wsf websites ( wsf2015,  wsf institutional, openfsm - not mentionned )

@CI@63 Since the end of 2011, a contributory group " WSF calendar " collects known info on forums process, updates the calendar of events which is giving geography of forum process, and allows to prepare ahead of time interactions, either by direct delegations or by remote contacts that will allow the convergences and cooperations we talked about http://openfsm.net/projects/wsf2012-support

@CI@67 IC can stimulate the creation of multiple working groups identifying which topics are necessarily local and global , and these groups can stimulate the links between all those that need to unite around these themes , so they prepare to be together in the next WSFevent - it is a participation dynamics completely different than saying " just come all " but rather groups that will identify those who need to come to work together on a theme that is necessarily global and come to work . It is a dream since the beginning of the forum : to create the famous global citizenship that is whereby we will get to results.

@CI@72 we need in the forum and therefore also in the IC a form, a mechanism to help us link national regional and thematic processes, with international processes of the forum. It is a knot that somehow we have to loosen in a creative way: a working group could be formed to try to reflect upon practical ways of how regional and thematic experiences or are or not converging towards international

@CI@72 A working group which has to do with the expansion of the forum, and the need to expand the forum and perhaps the two dimensions that are somehow mixing. We 've talked about inclusion and youth who are leading new movements, before we had the commission of expansion, today could be another working group that thinks on which formula this can be realized

2 working groups issues on SYSTEMATIZACION DOCUMENTATION TRAINING ( see 18 – 3 – follow up possible in memodoc working group)

Work on the systematisation and capitalisation of results

@OF@2 participants from Several local social forums France , Belgium and Quebec have proposed Inter -national Council of the WSF to create a tool to make them more useful activities in social forums and events associated with the WSF process . This tool should allow to identify the activities that take place in the context of a forum, to give directions to contact their organizers , to connect nearby events that unfold in several forum processes. Participants, who are facilitators of local social forums will support the definition and implementation of this initiative

@OF@7 groupe de travail sur la capitalisation pour eviter de recycler et ressasser - groupe de capitalisation (memodoc : http://openfsm.net/projects/memodoc)

@OF@38 We have promoted many thematic forums but done very little to systhematize the results. Same for the regional forums. What is fundamental is a “capitalisation” of what has been done in the name of the WSF in the last 13 years. Discontinuity in the process does not help to aggregate. we have plenty of analyses- we say many things and do not systematize-

@EO@43 Thanks to those who are documenting this meeting making it accessible through notes and video live streaming ( ic extended initiative: http://openfsm.net/projects/ic-extended)

@OF@47 Training about forum is essential : knowledge about social forum remains elitist In Africa and Arab countries, and the WSF remains elitist: people do not understand what it is and cannot contribute significantly to workshops during forums. Better visibility of the themes and of the forum methodology should be guaranteed in the website of the event, especially among youth, and also on the WSF site

[http://openfsm.net/projects/fsm-wsf]

3 - General ROLE OF IC

@CI@32 “We”, in the council, need to help multiply occasions of events. People come in events not because we are nice , but because they think it is useful, and IC is just a body to facilitate the emergence of events. There is no council saying: “ come and join us”, Who are we to say this? The methodology of the forum is offering in itself something to movements to create alliances and linkages.

@CI@37 Not about becoming leaders of social movements in the world. “We” should go back to that original mission: organize a world net to analyze globalization. We need to avoid becoming a “market” of thematic and territorial struggles. But rather see in which way each and every movement can be part of a common fight against financial globalisation. Discussion about finance is the core- “we” cannot solve the problems of the social movements

@CI@42 which is our interest as IC ? Our interest in IC is to be useful to make more effective and committed the global civil society. Organizations committed to the WSF process want to be useful in order to make global civil society stronger in changing the world.

@CI@84 charter of principles does not say what is the role of IC, we have to define it ( see task definition in 18-1-1 http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/casa13-report-en)

@CI@24 IC is not about just deciding things about forum but also a place to evolve ideas.

@CI@63 The role of the international council is to inform, to ensure that there is an exchange of experience between these regional dynamics. It is about connecting these dynamics and not by a vertical process bottom up and then top down. It is about Getting to craft a mesh between these regional processes so that cooperations emerge from activities and concerns of actors. (SFEX intercom initiative http://openfsm.net/projects/sfexintercom)

 

4 – short term for IC - DEVENIR DU CI court terme (see 18-1)

@CI@2 CI reconstruction depends on the evolution of the process. We need a strategy that departs proposals for the process in the next four or five years and defines a contingency plan which covers a few points: decision on the next WSF redial CI, maintaining a minimum secretariat set up working groups open.

@CI@7 notorious incapacity or willful refusal from IC to get involved, how these spaces will integrate the board?

@CI@13 I think defined personal responsibility is necessary to have a real, working structure. About the secretariat, very practically, I think it’s not to be avoided to introduce some member fee, depending on the financial possibilities

@CI@23 questionnaire that help rebuild trust in IC (tunis group G2 http://openfsm.net/projects/cifutur/cifutur-consultations )

5 – IC composition - Composition du CI (see 18-1)

@CI@2 The recomposition of IC requires a more precise definition . This is an open assembly of social movements and citizens who are willing to actively participate in the organization and development of the WSF process . The expansion of the IC would be sought from movements that participated in the organizing committee of the WSF events and all forums and events in the process. The proposal is to provide all members a choice between three categories of members. “Active members” are committed to actively participate in the operation and activities of the IC . They undertake to provide a contribution allowing autonomy of the secretariat, either or as financial contribution proportional to their means, or as a provision of human resources to support tasks.

“Associate members” wishing to join the process without being an active member . It needs to be decided whether consensus [ for decisions o in IC] is achieved between the active members only or also associate members. “observers” allow movements interested in the process without being willing or able to engage strongly to participate in IC.

@CI@2 The IC must be balanced among regions with a geopolitical opening to the movement of new powers and to new movements. The IC must decide to form a working group on the reorganization and expansion of the IC . [ http://openfsm.net/projects/newci]

@OF@11 - we should also say that the building of the actors in the WSF process and IC should be based on enlargement work done at the regional and national level.

@CI@18 how would regionalisation feed IC composition and role?

6 - REQUESTS TO IC ( through interventions)

@CI@15 I am asking the International Council to include as a part of its agenda a statement or a word or action to limit this phenomenon or there would be an adoption in the name of the progressives in the world against terrorism that kills dozens in Iraq everyday. And Thank You.

@CI@24 We need to send a solidarity message to Ameer Makhoul from Haifa who participated in our council and is in jail

@CI@62 from yesterday I try to check through the reports up to where did the council assimilated new paradigms in the Maghreb mashrek region and I am not satisfied

@CI@74 Once your committee approves the adoption of our proposal, an international committee for youth forum will be formed. You can participate in this committee by filling in the application handed out and which we will also send via E-mail. Thank you


 

second part of Day 17th

17-1 Regions  

Information from regions are in the semi verbatim  > 17-1 Updates from various regions: Draft transcript 10h30 – 12h00

REGIONAL UPDATE SUMMARY EN

Tunisia @50 -Tunisian revolution – from the protest on the economic situation to change of government.

Europe altersummit @51 3-4 meetings a year, unions and dialogue with left parties

USSF @52 - USA: policentric North America SF in June/July 2015. Philadelphia and New Orleans. Updates to come from USSF national planning committee.

Maghreb-Mashreq: civil society and social movements main actors. Huge pressure from the US and EU to influence the political and economical process and take over the changes; what role of the international alterglobalist movement.

Latin America: the struggle of the African diaspora is peculiar of the region, while other exlusions (such as the indigenous people) are transversal and present in other regions.

Forum balkanique @56 - Balkan region: there is an active dynamic which has included the ex-Yugoslavian countries with Greece, Bulgaria. Difficulty to be present beyond the region in other forums and need to be more part of the continental and international dynamics.

Forum social tematico porto alegre@57 -Porto Alegre: problem because POA either does a world forum or it is not considered. So we started the Thematic Forum to contribute to the international agenda that unites us and the methodological discussion. January 2014.

News from south asia @58 -South Asia: almost 10 meeting where held in India in different cities. We met in Katmandu in nov. and decided to hold the next South-eastaastast Asia Social Forum in May 2014. Both politically and because of the role in climate and other global issues – next IC in Nepal

May2014 in Europe @59 -Europe: new Blockupy movement mobilising in the streets. Next ones in May 2014

Palestine forum and dynamics of solidarity with other national / people struggles

@61 Implication of the complexity of the regional issues on the ground: sectarianism, terrorism, popular neighborhoods and many other which link can be similar in other countries on which we need to link -Magreb-Mashreq: help support the many activities and forums in region.

Eastern Europe @65 -East-Europe: convergence meetings taking place in Austria, including Russia and other ex-USSR countries. The Eastern European Forum asks to be integrated into the IC as a member (request is 3 years old)

cooperacion syndical Europe –maghreb @66

 (rita) Also the Free Media Forum will have a session participating to the Porto Alegre thematic forum

People social forum @68 - Climate justice movements repression in Canada

Africa:

Mediterrenean / Lampedusa

Repression of activists all over the world

Youth forum @74 After the Tunisian WSF a small committee has been created to make a Youth Social Forum.

Mexico: dynamics still going on...

 

17-2 Proposals WSF 2015 

There were three interventions

Ensuite sont venues les questions et réponses: on peut voir les interventions dans le semi verbatim  > 17-2 Notes on Proposals for WSF 2015 (12h00 – 13h30)

17-3 Discussion  on IC

see report presented on 18th morning  le 18-1 which summarize discussions 

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    Dec 18

    18- 1 - report of Dec17 discussion on “NewIC”

    Three groups of topics have been distinguished through preliminary discussion : organization of IC - Tasks of IC and Expansion of IC

    Then discussion proceeded to exchange on the tasks prior to discussing organization then expansion

    • Topic 1 Tasks of IC - the following list of tasks was consensed though a 30mn discussion . (order can be changedG

    It was agreed to have a small group drafting a one page reference document based on this list and circulating it on IC list for comments and confirmation of consensus ( Gina – Mauri - Pierre )

    • Discuss political geopolitical context in order to contextualize wsf process

    • Sustain Methodological discussion on how to organize events , sustain processes and initiatives

    • Facilitate dialogue between local and global struggles and alternatives

    • Facilitate linkage between regional forums processes–

    • Identify tasks/issues about concretely facilitating wsf process and launch/review work of open contributive groups addressing those tasks/issues

    • Spread knowledge on wsf charter and process

    • Develop and promote use of appropriate Communication tools

    • Define date and place and format of WSF events

    • Monitor and contribute to Practical organization of wsf events

    • Finance IC activities/meetings

    • Monitor financing of WSF events

      tasks-of-IC.jpg 

    • Topic 2 Organization of IC – internal facilitation - Transparency – democratization -

    Mid term visions shared

    A first vision two fold:

    1/ A horizontal structure, with groups having specific scopes and responsibilities, needed to have operation of ic during and in between meetings ( eg agenda and facilitate plenaries - review of activity – report decision follow up - membership and distribution in groups - extension of meetings ….) - . Each group reports or facilitates part s of IC meeting –All members of ic participate in at least one of such group and change groups regularly. Operationality is ensured by distributing the most active members in the groups.

    2/ commissions revive as “review groups” to a/ identify needs /issues related to facilitation of wsf process and launch corresponding working groups, open to active wsf participants, beyond ic membership, to concretely contribute to address those needs /issues. b/ Make regularly recommendations about the work of those groups

    Second vision : have a minimal list of tasks assigned to small list of named person until next ic meeting and reevaluate such assignments and tasks at each meeting

    Third vision with three main axes- Develop and operate a “tool /group/mediation” for continuous dialogue between wsf participants Have a secretariat for organizing wsf event – Document agreements and vision of IC tasks

    Importance of Logistical role of groups hosting an IC meeting was recorded

    Short term IC operation proposals,

    A -Create a Group defining and assigning until next IC a minimum list of tasks with name of a few responsible persons (small groups). Tasks mentioned were :

    Make this meeting report (assigned in the 18th meeting to gina –mauri – pierre)

    Describe and Follow up on IC meeting decisions- Operate IC member mailing list ( possible in http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci - Circulate IC internal info on it- Accompany committees that develop wsf event - Sustain a calendar of wsf process ( done on- www.openfsm.net by a group created In Dhaka end of 2011)- Keep wsf expansion commission operating

    It is agreed in plenary that these other tasks will be listed and assigned in the frame of the working group created in topic 3 below


    B - Create a group with at least one Brazilian and one person from Maghreb to monitor change of secretariat Tunis agreement to move secretariat to country organizing next WSF 2015 was recorded – It was confirmed that Brazilian minimum secretariat supported by Grap, who has dissolved, is scheduled to stop operation end of 2013 –(The project of memory of wsf in porto alegre see below part 2 cannot fund IC secretariat operation) –

    >> this group will be a mailing list “newCI-secretariat” in the newCI space : chico + those from the group below in topic 3, who are interested http://openfsm.net/projects/newci/lists

    Chico informs IC that Brazilian ic members will meet in 14 de janeiro with the perspective to create a larger collective to support wsf process and IC secretariat

    C -Create a group to systematize /document the “accumulate” and perspectives of IC vision organization and operation ( this tasks is assigned in the 18th meeting to mauri + those interested

    >> There will be a mailing list “NewCI-sistematize” in the NewCI space , also in relation with the memodoc space and working group ( see part 2 below) http://openfsm.net/projects/newci/lists

    • Topic 3 Expansion CI : Membership, Dialogue with movements, Reactivate old members, presence of Regional and Thematic social forums processes

    Two visions of future IC membership were shared

    Three third ic with a third of historical persons- a third for presence of local and regional committees – a third with new actors

    ic as” 3 circle assembly of social actors willing to contribute to wsf process facilitation and growth” ( with formal membership and consensus decision protocol In first or second circle) with a circle of “active members” paying a little fee – and being active with human or monetary resources, a circle of “associated members” agreeing with charter of principle and not willing to be ”active”, a circle of “observers”- Keep membership for organizations, not persons, nor “forums”

    Were mentioned

    The importance of role of the dynamics of regional forums in the expansion of the process for good( Maghreb) or for bad (Europe) - The importance of geopolitical analysis to orient the expansion task - The need to have a clear and operating process on solidarity fund - The importance to have territorial and big sectors presence /representation

    Proposals

    scope A: Start six month process of consultation and decision - where ic members are invited to make proposal on any of the topics related to ic ( tasks organization expansion ) collect and systematize them – based on this issue various online surveys on internet and publicly collect answers

    scope B: think about political and practical problems of expansion (including solidarity fund) –based on the experience of expansion commission with Maghreb and meet before next ic to discuss criteria - also concretely start to contact old inactive members and newer one

    Scope C : ( see proposal A in topic 2) define and staff a minimum list of tasks asap with name of a few responsible persons (small groups) until next IC tasks mentioned were : Describe and Follow up on IC meeting decisions- Operate IC member mailing list - Circulate IC internal info on it- Accompany committees that develop wsf event - Sustain calendar of wsf process ( done on- openfsm by a group created In Dhaka end of 2011)- Keep expansion commission operating

    18th plenary Decision >> start a “NewCI-discussion” group to cover scopes A B C - the group is accessible here : http://openfsm.net/projects/newci and the mailing list is here newci-discussion@lists.openfsm.net

    IC members who did not attend 17th evening discussion and would like to be included and express view points on the ic organization and methodology are welcome in the group which will consult broadly

    People who declared interest for this NewCI-discussion group in Casablanca are : Outtara Taofiq Leonardo Sergio Mireille Raphael Hassania Uddhab Chico Raffaella Norma Alaa Pierre Rita Leo Cheima Hamouda

    2 - Informations about Memory and Documentation


    Mauri- the brazilian/ RS governement has approved a project for digitizing of wsf office- organizing of documents- is fundamental to have wide circulation of information- the Project was approved in the name of NGO educational action  – it is a process and it would be good to have a group of IC members that accompany it – one year 250000 euros

    Gus - Very important – we support the request of people from 20 local social forum who ask that a simple system be put in place in which for each activity and convergence assembly appear with the theme and the name and email of people wo prepared them- propose to start with WSF2013 and we propose them to come in the group with ABONG/Mauri

    Gina mentions there isinterest expressed from institute of social history in Amsterdam

    Pierre- suggests that people interested in group Memory and documentation and groups NewCI organization meet 15 minutes just after the end of the meeting

    Paco –mentions there is video material available in www.wsftv.net

    Norma agrees that without memory we are nothing

    Leo adds to proposal of gus to have also people from regional fórums

    The wide group memodoc is started on line : see thee space http://openfsm.net/projects/memodoc Inside it are the support group to the porto alegre memoria project , and other initiatives

    Initial Participants declared in casablanca are : carminda mauri Raphael gus pierre norma erika rita leonardo liege ala romdhane

    P1000387.JPG

    P1000374.JPG P1000375.JPG.P1000376.JPG.P1000377.JPG.P1000381.JPG.P1000380.JPG

    18 -3 – Announcements in Calendar of events in WSF process for 2014


    This list is made with announcements of present – a permanent calendar is updated by a working group created in Dhaka ic end of 2011 - .http://openfsm.net/projects/wsf2012-support/wsf2014-calendar

    if you have new events to add to the calendar write to fsmwsf.calendar at gmail.com A suggestion is made to change gmail email to free software mail. category 1 means a social forum is implicit , Category 2 means an activity in wsf Pierre will Send an email to all the ic with the calendar –


    01-03-14

    1. Carminda - Forum local au togo janvier (*) 

    2. Cecilia - Foro social mondial de educacion 21 23 janeiro- canoa

    3. Mauri - FST 21 26 janeiro crisis capitalista - democracia justica social y ambiental - porto alegre

    4. Erika - preparation World forum on free media / Forum mondial des media libres / – rencontre jan porto alegre- mai tunis - sept maroc –oct paris (category 2)

    5. Uddhab - south asian social forum lucknow (india) 1 – 5 march

    6. Mimoun - Université de printemps cadtm afrique 6 10 mars tunis (category 2)

    7. Cheima – Tunisian Youth thematic forum - Forum tematico tunesino juventud - Forum social thematique des jeunes tunisiens 26 30 mars Tunis

    8. Pierre - Thematic social forum arts and social media march Alexandria Egypt(*)

    04-06/14

    1. Mouhieddine - forum social thematique migration 18 20 avril Monastir tunisie
    2. Leo – thematic social forum - Lutte contre extreme droit budapest avril 2014
    3. Bruno – peace event – forum sobre paz – fourm sur la paix 6 9 june Sarajevo ( category 1?)
    4. Gus université solidarité internationale juillet rennes- France (category 2 ?)
    5. Pierre - citizen meetings /encuentros ciudadanos /rencontres citoyennes Kinshasa avril? Congo (category 2))(*)

     

      07-09/14

      1. Kamal - forum egalité femmes hommes Tunisie juillet 2014
      2. Gus attac european university - université europeenne attac paris 19 23 aout 2014 (category 2 ?)
      3. Feroz – people social forum - forum social des peoples 21 24 august Ottawa canada
      4. Chico – Forum social thematique sur energie 7 10 aout brasilia
      5. Feroz - Deuxieme edition vers le forum social palestine libre aout montral ( category 2 ?)
      6. Cheima – euromediterranean youth forum - Forum social thematique jeunesse euroméditarreneen septembre tunis
      7. Raphael – lower st laurent region – social forum - forum social regional du bas saint Laurent septembre
      8. Ali – Peace marathon- marathon para la paz – marathon pour la paix in baghad september 2014 (category 2)

        10-12/14

        1. Raffaela - Mediterranene event on migration and alternatives Lampedusa 2 -6 octobre italy (category 2)

        2. Taofik  Université citoyennes internationale France octobre 2014 (category 2)

        3. Mimoun -Linguistic diversity – diversidad linguistica - Fsm thematique sur la diversité linguistique perpignan october 2014

        4. Leo – resistance and organized crime - resistencia y crimen organizado - Forum social thematique Resistance et crime organisé mexico octobre ( category 1?)

        5. Omar – Palestine and women – palestina y mujeres - Forum social mondial Palestine &femmes October- novembre jordanie ?

        2014

        1. Ouattara – west africa – africa del oeste Forum social afrique de l’ouest en guinée 2014
        2. Taofik - african social forum - Forum social africain 2014 no date no time
        3. Kamal? – trade union - Forum social syndical magrehb 2014
        4. Raffaella - Forum social mondial migrations - johanesburg  2014
        5. Kamal - Forum social maghreb 2014
        6. Kamal - encounters on western sahara confict – encuentros sobre sahara occidental - Serie rencontre sur conflit sahara (category 2)
        7. Kamal - Islam polique / religion emancipation - séminaire dimension regionale (category 2?)
        8. Kamal - Islam polique / religion emancipation dimension internationale avant 2015 ( category ?)
        9. Taofik ? – droits economiques et sociaux mahgreb mashrek
        10. Kamal  activités sur la paix en libye impliquées dans étape de sarajevo ( category 2 ?)
        11.  

          18- 4 - IC Support to OpenFSM website  www.openfsm.net 

          Agreement in plenary to add the following statement of support to openfsm.net in the meeting report

          EN

          WSF IC members in Casablanca consider www.openfsm.net , where many of IC working groups are hosted, as one of their web tools, and support efforts made to sustain its operation since 2008, and for the next three years”.

          www.openfsm.net hosts independent spaces, with miniwebsite and mailing lists , and contributes tointercommunication between wsf participants . It is used by several regional or national forum processes, and many other initiatives. It hosts since its inception 500 different autonomous spaces. 3000 active wsf participants have an account with editing capacity in it, and several more thousands are subscribed on some of its many mailing lists.


           

           P1000395.JPG P1000397.JPG.P1000401.JPG

           

          18-5  1/ joint declaration Maghreb-Quebec


          ENGLISH

          INITIATIVE TOWARDS WSF  IN QUEBEC & Maghreb SOCIAL FORUM

          JOINT PROPOSAL TOWARDS A WSF  PROCESS FOR 2015-2016


          1 . We wish to express the solidarity of the peoples of South and North in their struggle against neoliberalism and building a more just, democratic , united and sustainable world.

          2 . We support the holding of the World Social Forum in 2015 in Tunisia.

          3 . We support the holding of a WSF  event in Quebec in 2016.

          4 . We strongly encourage the revival of Asia social forum process.

          5 . We pledge to send a Quebec delegation in Tunis in 2015 and a Maghreb - Mashreq delegation to Montreal in 2016 to make effective articulation of struggles and movements of the regional to the global level .

          6 . We want to work together to facilitate the organization , the extension of WSF  events (extended) and knowledge transfer in the WSF  process .

          7 . We ask IC to endorse the proposals so that we can officially launch two collaborative processes of organization: FSM- Tunis in March 2015 and WSF - Quebec in August 2016 .

           


          18-5 2 REPORT ON DISCUSSION ON WSF2015-16 english


          After the joint announcement Maghreb Quebec proposing a two step process, with one WSF 2015 event, and one or more WSF 2016 event, discussion focused on various points, with expression of diverging opinions, and ended up with an accepted consensus formulation ( part 3)

          Point A/ Importance of Asia in WSF  process

          1/ on the ground of this importance, a few members advocated postponement of the decision on WSF  2015 or WSF 2016 until march 2014,

           We can postpone decision three months and send a delegation of IC in Lucknow SASF event announced in March, to assess if they can / want to make WSF in 2015 or 2016 … the organizations present in Lucknow dynamics are significant In www.openfsm.net [http://openfsm.net/projects/cifutur/cifuturg1-decision2015] it is visible that consultation meetings have started 7 month ago

          Some particular persons and movement members of IC from India question the current process in south Asia, anyway it is a bottom up process, done through consultation meetings, and WSF  is an open space

          A supplementary three months should be given to consult, to discuss, and come up with a proposal -let us mobilize in the Lucknow south Asia social forum process, and see if it “up to standard”, let us have an IC in in south Asia for instance Katmandu -

          What happened recently in Bali with WTO are decision that may lead half of humanity towards food insecurity , it is normal to think about a possibility of WSF  in Asia

          2/ several members observed there was no south Asian proposal formulated, and more time was needed for it to emerge,

          There is not a formulated proposal from India , IC cannot impose a WSF  in these conditions, several large social movement are not aware of the consultation still

          We have all encouraged and saluted the meetings in India - we have supported all proposals in asia - we have been in Dhaka SASF and fully agree that Asia is one of the priorities of WSF  

          It would be good to have Reports on situation of WSF  process in Asia on IC mailing list, explaining who is involved, how it is facilitated , what are the activities that could be made visible in the WSF  calendar as activities in WSF  process, what could be the format best suited for mobilization build up

          South Asian movements can continue working, to see when they can give this service of organizing a WSF  event – everything is open, and we need all to be able to sense potentialities, and take decision so that this WSF  process continues

          3/ Several members supported the idea of an IC delegation an Asia to discuss

          There are several Asias which are two third of humanity – a mission of IC could be assigned to discuss, with various actors, the relevancy of an event, the orientation to consolidate groups that will build the process, what are the steps. SASF forum is one idea, there may be other ideas and possibilities

          We want so much that the Asian process moves forwards that we are ready to organize a mission, we are open to having an IC organized there , we do all we can in our frame, and with due respect to everyone

           

          4/ several members focused their comments on possible early inclusion of Asia in this 2015-2016 process proposed by Maghreb-Quebec , through the possibility of a bi centered (WSF *2) South north event Asia-Quebec in 2016

          How to develop this vision and proceed? We can open in three month a new process with Asia to join Quebec Maghreb dynamics for 2015 2016 with possibility of an event in Asia in 2016

          There is joint responsibility among south Asian IC members about communicating more about Status of the WSF  process in India and south Asia at large. Image of south Asia process in IC Is currently weak. Two examples of this lack of visibility : there is no one in IC from Bangladesh, where the only known social forum event in the region since 2006 has been organized in 2011), and, before Lucknow this coming march, no event or activity from south Asia has been announced in WSF  process calendar since 2011.

          Quebec movements have been accumulating credibility, through local and regional forums since 2007 and through contribution to strengthening civil society on “alterglobal values” during “maple spring” - Quality of process at home and coherent communication towards ic are important. There is an invitation to Asian movements extended by Maghreb-Quebec committees to engage in a discussion and join them to forge a new process, and  a bi centered WSF 2016 could be an occasion to gather momentum in Asia , with some support of movements from other regions, and WSF 2017 might be a full swing Asian event

          it is about Adding India In the collaborative process : Quebec and India and Tunisia collaborate towards 2016 and 2017

          My mandate in this meeting does not include the polycentric or bi-centered options, so I have to go back and talk home

          B / Characteristics of the joint proposal Quebec and Maghreb

          1/ A few members expressed doubts on making a decision now about Quebec

          The perceived proposal is not a single WSF in Quebec in 2016, it is rather a polycentric and this needs to be clarified – Also : what are, can be the political linkages between Maghreb and Quebec?

          not deciding Quebec now would not « harm » the WSF  process – Tunisia 2015 is agreed as it is important to anchor WSF  process in the region of crisis, but Quebec is not so convincing. There are inter-movement problems, they need time to think it over, and an IC delegation might help

          2/ Many accepted the proposal as linked 2015-2016, and open to pluri-centered WSF event in 2016

          We cannot postpone decision on 2015 – and think there is enough agreement – the input from Quebec is very attractive – they made an agreement with Maghreb and there is no alternative proposal from Asia

          The group from Quebec has been open-minded in their discussion with Maghreb , why Indians would refuse the proposal from Quebec to cooperate about WSF  2016 ?

          Is “WSF process” label an exclusive Brand one place each year, or rather a common good we want to promote as a useful tool?

          There has been long effort of sharing since Tunis to be able to present 2015

          Let us keep the process open, but not fuzzy- We in Tunisia had the experience of having to organize last minute and had to focus on organizing more than on content and stayed frustrated - we work to meet a logistical deadline, but not enough on the meaning of participation- so a deadline must be given for our friends in Quebec

          It is the third time we speak about a WSF event in Quebec - the quality of the proposal can explain we make a decision. We need to respect it, and not place it in a competition with others

          We cannot postpone the decision on Tunis – march 2015 – we cannot decide anything about india - there is no consensus among local actors, - Now, we are not at the stage of yesterday : today a common proposal has been presented : Quebec – Tunis. This morning we receive one document, which announces a new dynamics which puts south and south in solidarity, in order to start a new way of the process - If we accept Tunis 2015 and not Quebec it breaks the joint proposal we received this morning

          3/ Quebec collective commented:

          The process is ongoing in Quebec since several years. We can think in regional terms: For us it is fundamental that social movements pressure their northern governments, and the movement which emerged since 2011 are proposing this to you. The agreement made with Maghreb is to respect their own imperative, we also had a political objective in 2015 and we accepted to minor it because we understand that Maghrebi friends want One forum event in 2015,  in order to have an efficient international leverage for their struggles in the region. We shifted and are in solidarity, now the agreement proposed is to link the organizing processes of 2015 and 2016 events, and we wish to contribute to methodological innovations in this new configuration. We have experience in networking, in sharing documentation and convergence efforts. We want to link the processes 2015 and 2016. We will mobilize for Tunis 2015, and we will build this tool which will allow a real linkage. We propose collaboration to 2015 organizing process and welcome help to support and enrich the 2016 process– in the declaration we also invite Asian friends: in our perspective, we can multiply events, since we have a global movement and citizenship. We need form of solidarity from south to north : Telling us “ do not do anything before we settle our internal situation” is not productive, we need shared ownership of WSF  idea

           

          C/ Novelties of this new 2015 16 configuration

          1/ Have a part of WSF event process in the north

          The idea of social forum event in the north is not appealing to my organization – we support first the South. What does it mean to accept the linkage between 2015 and 2016?

          Is there an objective reason to consider Quebec is less priority than India? 10 years ago, yes, 5 years ago, maybe .. today there is no political reason to prioritize southern countries over the northern ones

          2/ Start a new form of WSF process through cooperation between consecutive events  

          Please friends from Maghreb and Quebec kindly keep IC informed about the content of the cooperation on organization /facilitation of events 2015 and 2016 as it unfolds, and particularly stressing the post event phase with documentation of activities, and stimulation of convergence processes

          We have given a big step in the WSF  process - Canadians have commented on this:  there is a new step : we have invented a new way to put in relation two consecutive events. We cannot regress.

          3/ Are these new periodicity rules?

          Let us salute the announcement of cooperation between Tunisia and Quebec, and their proposal is welcomed as a possibility to come back to an annual WSF event, with one being polycentric every two years

          Since 2007 the yearly event WSF formula was set aside, and now it comes back. It is just to solve a specific problem of having two proposals in 2015? – It is good if it reflects evolution of global dynamics, and same for polycentrism, it is good if it is a new form/spirit

          WSF process is being constantly invented, this is not an organization with rules, and the process may have ups and downs. Polycentric in 2006 was because there was this possibility Caracas Bamako Karachi, later we did WSF event every two years for reasons of costs and fatigue around the concept,….we progress slowly

          We have not to decide periodicity of this event: 1 - There is no fixed rule of periodicity we are not a bureaucracy we are in steps, not in rules, and 2 -we are in a period of transition revitalization of the WSF process. We had a lot of consensus in the discussions these past two days, telling us we have to use all the available energies which are put at the service of WSF process. We must not waste energies and need to find a consensus on how to use all of them

           

          IC is not a direction that decides where next WSF event will be held: it is possible to hold it in Tunis or Montreal because there are movements there, who propose to give this “service” to movements in the whole world. This is the result of a slow process, and we try to find what is best. After Mumbai 2004, there was no WSF event in Asia, because there was no condition to go, and now it seems that the will to give the world this service is maturing again slowly there

          We cannot postpone the decision on Tunis, because March 2015 is very soon, and we cannot decide anything about India since there is no consensus among local actors in the WSF process. Now we are not at the stage of yesterday 17th : today 18th a common proposal has been presented Tunisia- Quebec. This morning we receive one document describing a new dynamics, which puts North and South in solidarity, in order to start a new way of the WSF event process - If we accept Tunis 2015 and not accept an event in 2016 in Quebec, it breaks the composite proposal we received this morning

          It is a dynamics where decisions need to be taken. We have two steps agreed and we discuss if there is a third possible step

          We take decisions by consensus of IC members : when there is someone who says he disagrees and will leave the process if the decision is taken, we stop and report, but is seems no one is going this far in this discussion - IC meeting can help combine information and feelings. We make decisions because process is going forward

          It is necessary to respect the work that people bring to the council - decide on who is concrete and ready and as legitimate as anyone. There is a requisite of some cohesion.

           

          18 5 3 Consensus decision

          Taking stock of the discussion, The WORDING accepted as consensus was

          We begin a new process of cooperation and solidarity between the South and the North and, between the old and new generations of social actors. 
          This process will be built through a common and integrated work between the preparatory processes of different WSF  events . 
          In 2015 we decide to hold the next WSF  in Tunisia in March . 
          In 2016 we receive positively and accepted the commitment of the Collective from Quebec to work for the organization of a WSF  event in August in Montreal . 

          We will continue discussions with Asian movements around the possibility , in accordance with their situation and their will, to join this process- in the next ic meeting we will present the whole picture for 2016 after this discussions


          18- 5-4 Synthesis WSF 2015 WSF 2016

          SYNTHESIS FROM REPORT GROUP

          After a general discussion on the situation in the world viewed from the many movements and organizations present at this international council , after presentations made by the various reported initiatives about WSF event in 2015 ( in India Quebec Tunisia) , after exchanges held between their representatives , and after a consensus reached through a plenary discussion held december 18th ( reported above 18-5-2&3) , the following synthesis is proposed in the report :

          1- The council welcomes the announcement of a cooperation between Quebec and Maghreb organizing committees. This program includes cross- delegation and mutual support in the facilitation of the preparation , extension, and follow up processes of 2015 and 2016 events / (see point 18-5-1 ). The following paragraphs are to be considered taking into account this new type of integrated cooperation between organizing committees consecutive events , supported by contributions of any kind awaited from international council members ( point 18-6)

          2 -WSF 2015 and WSF 2016 events will get inserted in the WSF process among a significant number of regional local or thematic events, as seen with 33 events announced in the case of 2014, and which reflect the vitality of the WSF process. In 2014, the holding of Maghreb social forum, and People social forum in Ottawa will be two important regional steps in the preparation process of WSF 2015 and WSF 2016 (see 18-3  calendar FSM 2014).

          3 - WSF 2015 will take place in March 2015 in Tunis, Tunisia and will be an opportunity for a strong regional mobilization, based on the experience gained during the WSF 2013. “Investment” in the co preparation and participation in this  event will mark the solidarity from participants in the WSF process worldwide with civil society in the region, at a decisive moment for its future.

          4 - The International Council confirms the principle of having a WSF event in 2016 " with an anchor in the global North", which reflects the consideration of changes that have occurred since WSF  started in 2001, and it accepts the commitment of the Quebec committee to work towards such a WSF event in August 2016 in Montreal, securing broadest inclusion of Canadian movements and organizations in the preparation process. IC is aware that with those decisions, it overcomes an orientation that might have become bureaucratic, to hold WSF events every two years, and opens a ground for new forms of wsf events and wsf process facilitation

          5 - Members of the International Council consider that discussions must go on with the Quebec and Maghreb committees and the movements in Asia , on the possibility of organizational solidarity between maghrebians quebecans and asians developing continuity of wsf process from 2015 to 2016 , and on the merits and the possibility of another WSF 2016 anchorage in Asia, thus making WSF 2016 bi centered South-North,

          6 - The full format of WSF 2016 process will be confirmed at the next international committee to be held mid-2014

           

          18-5-5 - SHORT NOTE SENT 31ST DECEMBER

          sent on IC list

          Dear all

          The WSF  International Council held its meeting in Casablanca on 16, 17 and 18 December, with 122 participants, 47 members of the IC and 75 observers from 23 countries . 

          We are the group responsible for the minutes of this meeting and send you a formulation of decisions taken at the final meeting of 18 in the morning, about the location of the next WSF  events. 
          We have written this brief text , after having consulted the members of IC who facilitated the work at this meeting , as well as delegations of countries involved in these decisions : 
           
          1 - We begin a new process of cooperation and solidarity between the South and the North and, between the old and new generations of social actors. 
          This process will be built through a common and integrated work between the preparatory processes of different WSF  events . 
          In 2015 we decided to hold the next WSF  in Tunisia in March . 
          In 2016 we received positively and accepted the commitment of the Collective from Quebec to work for the organization of a WSF  event in August in Montreal . 

          We will continue discussions with Asian movements around the possibility , in accordance with their situation and their will, to join this process, (including the possibility of a WSF 2016 formula with a bi-centered location one in Quebec and one in Asia) 

          2- CI notes with satisfaction the holding of 33 regional , national and thematic events on all continents in 2014. It particularly stresses the importance of the social forum process in Maghreb in 2014 and the Social Forum of Peoples ( Ottawa , August 2014 ) as important steps towards the World Social Forum in Tunis in March 2015 and the world social forum in Montreal in August 2016. "
          __________ 
          Our Group will send you as soon as possible a comprehensive report of the meeting,including the section on the review of the structure and mode of operation of the IC . 

          We suggest that you circulate into your mailing lists this first element of the report , adding your own observations, as such, if necessary

          Gina Mauri Pierre

          P1000385.JPG.P1000377.JPG.P1000364.JPG 

           

          18 - 6 – Next IC 


          A short discussion took place . It was agreed that there will be an IC in tunis around  December 2014/ january 2015 to support final preparation of WSF2015 event in tunis ,  and another one will be mid 2014 in a place to be defined.

          4 possibilities were mentioned: Nepal or india date and place to be confirmed  -Sarajevo  june 2014 on occasion of thematic fórum on peace and militarization - Brazil in august 2014 on occasion of thematic forum on energy – needs to be confirmed by  Brazilian IC  next January 14th - Canada in august 2014 on occasion of people social fórum (Attac mentioned it will have its university on the same days and its participation would be minimal )

          A working group for preparing decision on where/when will mid 2014  IC be held facilitated by  one or more  maghreb mashrek person ( hamouda) will be created end of february with at least one person from each place having proposed by that date  to host the mid 2014 IC meeting. It was asked to take in consideration the average cost of transportation to the place when chosing the location


          18 -7 – Declaration Support Tunis 2015

          This declaration was quickly approved without opening discussion

          International council took the decision that wsf 2015 will be again in Tunisia. This decision relies on numerous mobilization initiatives presented in the Maghreb mashrek region and the proposals of articulation with other dynamics in the world

          IC members present commit to support by all means organization process for 2015 forum, and to get  fully involved in all the preparation phases

          Casa Blanca, Morroco 18 diciembre 2013

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          18 - 8 –participation & logistics

          Kamal gave the following information  - 122 participants registered among which 47 members of IC and 75 observers from 23 countries (including Iraq Yemen Palestine) could participate in the discussion.- see the list   http://openfsm.net/projects/wsfic_fsmci/casa13-participants

          The total budget of the meeting is 64000 euros among which  41% for airplane tickets (including those of observers from Iraq and Palestine) 30% food , 15% interpretation, and a prevision of 5500 euros of solidarity fund , out of which 1500 have been received. There is a current deficit of 25000 euros that FMAS will manage to cover. More solidarity would have been appreciated