Octubre 20, 2006

WSF critique

In response to a callout for help from Indymedia Centers to fund an IMC in Nairobi for the upcoming World Social Forum, I wrote this:

I have very mixed feelings about the Social Forum model, especially
after going to my first one last weekend, the Border Social Forum.

I think Indymedia should only be heavily involved (in terms of time
and/or finances) if it is actively engaged in (constructively)
critiquing the social forums. I see them as fundamentally instruments
of liberal NGOs now, tho they may be rescueable. Therefore indymedia
MUST have a more critical and nuanced view of them than previous
coverage.

Also if there will be an Alternative Social Forum in Nairobi similiar
to the one in Caracas, I would urge very strongly that imcistas get
involved with that and that more coverage is done of it.

Regardless, personally I have way too many things going on in this
hemisphere, especially in january, to go to the WSF or to do
fundraising or other activity around it.

my 2 cents


Posted by steev at Octubre 20, 2006 02:31 PM
Comments
Yes but... Now, after some years of "Forros" Sociales mundiales we can say that. The oficial forums really sucks. But for Indymedia was a great place for face to face meetings and meet compaņeros/as of the network. And there were they don't have the experience is a very rich moment. But one time is enough :P We know about oficial social forum but in the others side, the radical forums, normally are less independent and a little elitist. Some of them are promoted by vanguardist parties of autoritarian movements. Local Indymedia have to see what are the alternatives and where is the indymedia spirits. And of course depend the caracter of the local collective. Not the same Urbana IMC that Indymedia Atenas. Posted by: Libertinus at Octubre 21, 2006 06:58 AM