URI participation at the World Social Forum 2003
March 15th, 2003 by sfuqua
At the World Social Forum at Porto Alegre, Brazil from the 23rd to the 28th of January 2003, 100,000 people and 5,717 NGOs from 156 countries met in order to share ideas and projects for an alternative possible world. The Forum's interfaith program and space called Kairos
was co-coordinated by the United Religions Initiative, which was represented by its Brazilian community.
By Andre Porto, URI Latin American Co-coordinator
At the World Social Forum at Porto Alegre, Brazil from the 23rd to the 28th
of January 2003, 100,000 people and 5,717 NGOs from 156 countries met in order
to share ideas and projects for an alternative possible world. Through panels,
lectures, workshops, testimonies, cultural activities and informal dialogue,
pro-active actors and supporters from civil society around the world shared
their dreams, proposals and contributions for a better world. The quest for
solutions and action for a peaceful and promising future for all was the centerpiece
of many diverse perspectives and personalities such as Fritjof Capra, Noam Chomksy
and President Lula. The media sent 4,094 journalists from 51 countries promoting
the Forum worldwide. The Forum's interfaith program and space called Kairos
was co-coordinated by the URI - United Religions Initiative, which was represented
by its Brazilian community.
The whole southern and beautiful city of Porto Alegre, its population of 1.8M
and its infra-structure were mobilized by this gigantic event. The docks, a
soccer stadium, the youth camp's park, the Catholic University's campus and
other facilities were the venues adapted to host over 2000 programs. An ambience
of hope and enthusiasm created by the very meaningful victory of President Lula
filled every activity. His presence and speech to the crowd at the Forum clearly
points to an increasing synergy and compromise between society and government.
A time to re-think the practice of democracy and the role of an empowered civil
society and its citizens. On the eve of an insane and barbarian war those sunny
days in Porto Alegre provided fresh air for the spirit.
This year, President Lula was the first head of state to attend both the World
Social Forum and its counter-voice the World Economic Forum. The simultaneity
of both events points clearly to their tension but also to their interconnectedness.
Lula perceived that bridge between Porto Alegre and Davos and used the opportunity
to propose large scale solutions for hunger worldwide. A few other people had
the chance to be in both Forums trying to open up communication channels.
In order to present the input of faith based groups to the community engaged
in the Forum, URI, the Interfaith Group of Porto Alegre and the Ecumenical Coalition
(a group of Brazilian progressive Catholics and Protestant Churches and networks
linked with CLAI - Latin American Council of Churches and WCC - World Council
of Churches) organized a program and created a common space at the university's
campus. The process for putting together the Kairos project was in itself a
rich exchange of experiences and support between its partners. The program and
production were designed and conducted collectively and the funds were provided
by Christian networks such as Caritas, Red Cono Sur de Centros Laicos, Amerindia
and the World Council of Churches.
The groups and people involved had in common the wish to present the pro-active
and socially engaged dimension of religion. Two big white tents, separated spaces
hosting sacred practices and workshops and the groups' booths. For four days
people shared information on social, educational and environmental programs
and campaigns including their contribution for building a Culture of Peace.
The cooperation needed between social and spiritual movements towards an inclusive
society, where life comes before money, was an issue brought up often during
the encounters. The interaction between religious and spiritual people and social
leaders was a very interesting element to fuel the chemistry needed for a closer
partnerships. Some highlights of the program were exactly when the interfaith
group was present in public sites like during the opening march and the sunrise
interfaith ceremony.
Two workshops were organized by the URI. The first one at the Kairos tent
gathered representatives from the Brazilian CCs to share their experiences and
plans for 2003. The other activity, designed to present the URI to the Forum's
community and included in the Forum's framework has attracted thirty people
interested to learn about it. The diverse group of participants and the URI
Brazilian community that lead the activity had a rich exchange and inspiring
afternoon. A special leaflet including the basics about the URI and the contact
information for all CCs in Latin America was produced to be distributed during
the Forum. At the URI booth people could get leaflets and information about
the URI.
The URI along with the Three Faiths Forum organization, which organized this
year for the first time an interfaith activity at the World Economic Forum,
have tried to create a link between the Kairos Project and the interfaith group
at Davos. Due to the animosity from both Forum's organizations it was hard to
push forward any proposal. Nevertheless, a good connection and plans for better
communications for the next Forum were made. A few participants at both Davos
and Porto Alegre, have also been involved with another very interesting and
daring event called “Giving a Soul to Globalization” that takes place annually
in Fes, Morocco. Fes has been offering a space for face to face dialogue towards
a middle ground between Porto Alegre and Davos. The colloquium gathers a wide
international range of notorious social activists, artists, philosophers, scientists,
as well as directors of international bodies such as the World Bank and World
Trade Organization. The URI was twice represented at the Colloquium.
An inspiring moment this year happened spontaneously after a panel on ways
to peace in the Middle East that took place in the Gigantinho Gymnasium. Three
Israelis and three Palestinians, all activists within pro peace movements, shook
hands and hugged each other while 20,000 spectators sang Lennon's song Imagine.
Even though we might question the real impact of such acts in the real conflict's
daily life, positive images of hope perpetuated by the media can remind us that
it is possible for different people to live together peacefully on Earth.
In the three years that the Social Forum has run, the interfaith participation
has grown significantly. At the first edition there was nothing organized, perhaps
revealing a gap or miscommunication between social and spiritual movements.
During the second edition a sunrise interfaith ceremony and a panel on religious
visions and paths for overcoming violence (which wasn't part of the official
program) took place. Still, there was a perceived disregard for faith based
groups in 2002. Unfortunately, the URI Latin American Assembly had taken place
a few days before the Forum that year in Mexico making our institutional participation
impossible. The activities in the 2nd Forum brought together the interfaith
group of Porto Alegre (soon to become a CC) which hosted and locally managed
the Kairos project. An improvement this year was the inclusion of the interfaith
activities in the official program and the designated campus site.
At the end of the event the interfaith community released a short petition
requesting more space for interfaith activities and a role in the Forum's international
coordination. A larger manifesto including reflections on the interfaith contribution
to the Forum's process didn't reach consensus among the representatives from
the World Council of Churches, but URI Brazil is circulating it within its CCs
(this document will soon be translated to English). Since the next Forum's edition
will be in India, the interfaith dimension will be definitely much more significant.
The URI with its vibrant Indian and Asian community can strongly support the
Forum in 2004.
It is important to see the Forum as a process operating in many levels and
not just an annual event. The methodologies and practices that transnational
civil society is continually developing to create an alternative model to the
dominant world order has been felt and seen very powerfully from Seattle to
Porto Alegre in 2003.
Read (in 5 languages) and see more about the Forum at: www.forumsocialmundial.org.br.
