Delhi to host WSF India from November 9

New Delhi, Nov 1: The World Social Forum (WSF) has moved on from its much-loved and equally hated original slogan, 'Another World is Possible'.

At the Indian edition of WSF scheduled to be held here next week, the theme is ''how to build another world''.

After organising two WSF events (Asia Social Forum, Hyderabad in 2003 and WSF, Mumbai in 2004), Indian NGOs against globalisation will once again come together for five days of brainstorming and strategy sessions from November 9.

More than 1,000 civil society organisations from India, Asia, Africa and Europe will organise seminars, workshops, testimonies, public hearings, cultural shows and exhibitions on issues like neo-liberal globalisation, sectarian politics, casteism, patriarchy, war and militarisation.

About 75,000 people drawn from groups like minorities, immigrants, students, women, dalits, tribals, farmers, artisans and academics are expected to participate, according to the organisers. There will also be singers of Kabir from Chhattisgarh, folk artistes from Punjab and even the domestic rock band Indian Ocean to keep the event going.

Among the prominent participants are former prime minister V P Singh, a champion of the rights of the poor, and Palestinian leader Hannan Ashrawi, a known face in middle east peace talks.

Sri Lanka's human rights commission chief Radhika Kumaraswamy will also be in Delhi, the organisers said.

''The forum will be discussing strategy of how to create the concrete structure and systems for another world,'' says Mukul Sharma, facilitator for the programme group of India Social Forum.

''Most of the programmes of the forum will be happening in the realm of people's right to livelihood, labour and employment, minority rights, displacement and cultural resistance to globalisation,'' says Sharma, Director, Amnesty International India.

The controversial Special Economic Zones (SEZs) issue that has created anger among farmers, who fear displacement, will figure in the deliberations. The participants will also be talking about an alternate rehabilitation policy and a policy to stop displacement.

For the first time, tribals will form a major group at the event with as many as 15,000 reaching the capital from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.

''The presence of a large number of tribals is important in the context of the pending Tribals Bill,'' says Sharma.

Another highlight of the event will be a move towards seeking an ''Asia-Africa solidarity''. ''We can learn a lot from Africa.

For example, Africa has gone through the worst times on the issue of HIV/AIDS and now Asia can learn how the African countries came through it successfully,'' he says.

The African experience in three centuries of conflict will be another area Asia will be looking forward to, with many countries in South Asia in the middle of their own conflicts.

The next WSF will be held in Kenyan capital Nairobi during January 20-25 next year. Born in 2001 in Porto Alegre as a parallel event to the World Economic Forum, WSF attracts social groups from around the world, particularly from developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

UNI