The 6th ESF is to be gathered in Istanbul, Turkey; a marvellous city not only with its cultural heritage, but also of social and political struggles; the historic resistance of the Tekel workers, Kurdish popular resistance, etc.
Amidst the global capitalist crisis, which recently show its face in Greece with the IMF-EU austerity plan, and the ongoing crisis in countries as Latvia, Hungary, Romania, and other places, we are going to gather the European Social Forum in Istanbul.
Economical, financial, political, social and ecological crises cannot be seperated from each other. So all the movements struggling against capitalism, imperialism, fascism and the far right, patriarchy, destruction of earth and nature should join their hands to develop a common strategy. In Istanbul ESF, we the social movements, are going to eloborate such a common strategy of action.
We struggle against austerity plans, ‘social cuts’, unemployment, and all the means of the capitalists to put the burden of the crises on the labouring, poor people.
We oppose social and ecological destruction; the exploitation of labour and the nature; social exclusion and the climate change… We were part of the climate justice mobilization in Copenhagen and Cochabamba; we will share our experiences and ideas, discuss possibilities of common action.
We warn against the rise of the far right under the conditions of crises, and stress that the rise of the far right can only be prevented by the development of popular and social alternatives.
Istanbul is in the middle of three conflict regions; Caucasus, Balkans and Middle East… We will raise our voice against imperialist occupations and war in these regions and support the struggles of the Palestinian, Iraqi, Kurdish, Afghan and all the oppressed peoples.
Istanbul is the gateway to Europe and one of the focus points of EU policies against migrants. We will support the right to free move of the world peoples, and reject a Fortress Europe.
Just like Istanbul is the meeting point of the continents, the ESF in Istanbul will be a bridge between the social and political struggles of Europe and of Middle East, Caucasus and North Africa. Istanbul ESF will be an international social response to the international attacks of the capitalist classes.
Let’s meet in Istanbul, where the social movements meet.