The fifth World Social Forum (WSF) returned to the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. From 25 to 31 January it brought together 155,000 people for six days of discussion, debate and demonstrations on the fight against war, racism and neoliberalism. Its division into " self-organised spaces” meant that it was totally unfocused when it came to formulating any concrete strategy for achieving "another world".
New pamphlet on the anticapitalist movement now on saleThe movement against corporate globalisation and war is at a crossroads. This pamphlet explains why and how to resolve the crisis of direction and leadership that has best the movement.
The third European Social Forum took place in London during 15-17 October. Over the three days 20,000 people from nearly 70 countries took part in over 500 meetings, listening to over 250 speakers. While smaller than the first two ESF meetings it was still the biggest political conference of debate and discussion of anticapitalists ever to happen in the UK.
Around the world
1 February
Iraq: fake elections will not stop the resistance!
15 January
Iraq: boycott the elections; end the occupation now!
22 December
Ireland: unionists demand IRA's public surrender
5 December
Italy: massive strike against Berlusconi's attacks
22 November
Ukraine: a fight between two oligarchs
15 November
Stop imperialist butchery in Falluajah
Palestine: Arafat is dead. Long live Palestine!
8 November
Côte d'Ivoire: French troops out!
19 October
Germany: lessons of the sell-out at Opel
10 September
Chechnya: Russian troops out!
30 August
Venezuela: Chavez wins recall vote
Bolivia: after the referendum, what next?
8 August
France: officials sell-out fight against privatisation
WTO: deal stops slide to deglobalisation - for now
1 August
Sudan: no to a "humanitarian" invasion!
Sudan: stop the slaughter; government militia out of Darfur
25 July
Germany: union leaders surrender 35-hour week without a fight
18 July
Britain:Butler inquiry proves antiwar movement right
Peru: 24-hour general strike unites the opposition to Toledo government
Britain: decriminalise prostitution, not ghettoise it
1 July
Iraq: USA hands over power to ...US embassy
22 June
European Social Forum: fight for a youth space
13 June
EU elections reveal polarised Europe
Nigeria: general strike beats back oil price rise
8 May
Palestine: butchery confirms Gaza pull-out plan
1 May
Peru: corrupt mayor killed in Aymara insurrection
Iraq: US forced to retreat from Falluja
Britain:Le Pen seen off by Manchester anti-fascists
5 April
Germany: half a million march in day of protests
25 March
France: reformist left makes big gains in regional elections
Palestine: Sharon kills Hamas leader
Kosova: stop ethnic cleansing!
15 March
Socialist Party wins Spain's general election
Putin wins "no contest" election
12 March
Madrid bombs kill workers and youth
8 March
Celebrate international women's day!
1 March
US and France act to oust Aristide
24 February
Iran: Clerical dictatorship rigs elections
Italy: Berlusconi under mounting seige from protests
15 February
Iran: Boycott the elections! Down with the Islamic republic!
8 February
Italy: Social forums lack direction
Britain: Trade union convention decides little
1 February
Italy: General strike needed to oust Berlusconi
USA: solidarity needed in supermarket strike
On 17 August the Supreme Court of Slovakia upheld the conviction of Mario Bango, 21 year old Roma activist, for attempted murder but reduced his sentence to 10 years. Joy Knight was at his appeal.
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The second issue of the L5I's journal – with articles on European imperialism, Brazil under Lula and the Basque national struggle, among others – is available to order online.
Britain: lessons of the 1984-85 miners' strike
How Thatcher prepared and provoked a strike to smash the working class vanguard.
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