During the World Social Forum, a series of polycentric encounters will be held between groups in Dakar (Senegal), Spain, France and various parts of Brazil including Pelotas, Belém, Porto Alegre, and Piratini. The encounters will be coordinated from the city of Pelotas in the south of Brazil, where the neighbourhood of Dunas has organised its own social forums since the beginning of the WSF in 2001.
The last forum to be held in Dunas was the Expanded Social Forum of the Peripheries in February 2010. This forum incorporated a series of polycentric seminars and workshops, with participation through video conference from Italy, Spain, France, Mexico and Belém.
One of the outcomes of the Expanded Social Forum of the Peripheries was the creation of the Network InCommon (Rede EmComum), which aims to bring together people from all over the world who are working for the empowerment of grassroots communities and the construction of a future city that is more just, human, united and inclusive.
To coincide with the WSF 2011 in Dakar, members of the network are organising a series of polycentric workshops on the following topics:
Monday February 7th, 13-15pm GMT: Affirmative Action and Participation of Black People in Spaces of Power. Participation from Dakar, Porto Alegre, Pelotas and Piratini (Brazil).
Tuesday 8th February, 12 – 13.30 GMT: Challenges Involved in the Universalisation of Social Security. Participation from Dakar and Pelotas.
Tuesday 8th February, 13.30 – 16.00 GMT: Community Organisation, Knowledge Management and Social Transformation. Participation from Dakar, Pelotas, Terrassa (Spain) and Grenoble (France).
Wednesday 9th February, 13.00 – 16.00 GMT: Transformative culture and education. Participation from Dakar, Pelotas, Belém (Brazil) and Terrassa (Spain).
All of the activities can be viewed online here. In Dakar, the activities will take place in the Dakar Extended space.
More information about the Network InCommon is available here.