A panel on “the importance of the WSF-FP and the reconstruction of an international anti-war movement” are being organized by the large federation Alternatives International for 30 November 2012, from 16h30 to 18h30, in Porto Alegre. The network has nine organizations in its membership, including the Alternative Information Centre (AIC), in Jerusalem and Teacher Creativity Centre (TCC), Ramallah. The members of Alternatives are also in Brazil, with Institut Terrazul, Fortaleza, in Asia, with Alternative Espaces Citoyens, in Niamey and Alternatives Asia, New Delhi, Africa, with Forum des Alternatives Maroc (FMAS), Rabat, and Europe, with Initiative Pour Un Autre Monde (IPAM), in Paris an Un Ponte Per (UPP), in Rome. The Alternatives International is based in Montreal, Canada
Most of the above members are involved in the WSF process since the beginning in 2001, says Feroz Medhi, representative of the federation in the International Council do WSF and reference person for the IC WSF Free Palestine. “ Our federation has organized at least one event on Palestine in most of the WSF events”, he explains “In 2008 we proposed that a world education forum be held in Palestine. That happened in October 2010 in many cities in Palestine”.
Feroz remember the starting process to organize the WSF Free Palestine. “It was in that forum, (the Education Forum in 2010), we proposed to hold a thematic WSF in solidarity with Palestine. Thanks to the efforts from the Brazilian and Palestinian social movements and international solidarity movements, this has become a reality with the upcoming WSF-Free Palestine to be held in Porto Alegre”.
A new forum for Palestine every 2 years
The panel of Alternatives will focus that role of the WSFFP in the world solidarity process. “ It should serve as a tool to raise the consciousness of the world social movement on the burning actuality of the global war, (“Iran being the new “global enemy”) and the need to re-activate a global anti-war movement. This is why its importance goes far beyond Palestine and the liberation struggle of the Palestinian people”, Feroz says . The speakers of this panel, moderated by Marcela Escribano (Canada), are Mireille Fanon (France), Michael Warchawsky (France), Ahmad, Jaradat (Palestine) and Pedro Ivo Batista (Brazil)
Our efforts has been to bring the Palestine human rights and self determination issue within the WSF process. This will help in increasing the support for the Palestinian cause and the BDS movement. As one of the outcome of this forum we expect to continue holding such a forum in different cities in the world every 2 years. Also, we expect to re-activate the anti-war movement given the constant threats from Israel and the USA for further new wars.