Since its initial meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001, the World Social Forum (WSF) has acted as a gathering place for activists, civil society and social movements to debate, dialogue and develop alternatives to neoliberalism. Indeed, many contemporary social movements and left governments have their roots in the WSF process, and in its 15 years, it has been able—as the organizers claim—to “build together in a movement of international solidarity a better world founded on social and environmental justice, a social and solidary economy, a participative democracy and the acknowledgement of equal dignity for all.”
The World Social Forum 2016 in Montreal is historic, as it marks the first time the gathering is taking place in the Global North. It also comes at a time when the stakes could not be higher. The contemporary challenges of austerity, climate change, and migration all demand progressive and creative responses. While the WSF itself will not issue dictates, its role as a space where tens of thousands of people will meet, engage ideas, hold artistic demonstrations and workshops, gives a real-time model of the promise that “Another World is Possible.”
At our New York office, we are proud to help coordinate the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung’s international delegation to the WSF. We have been working with our partners in our global network to bring together a delegation of cutting-edge social movement activists from the Global South and North. A highlight of our workshops and panels will be “Change the System, Not the Climate,” a self-contained space featuring eleven workshops and a major international conference, co-organized by RLS–NYC and Alternatives Montreal.
August 10-12: CLIMATE SPACE
Hosted by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung and Alternatives (Montreal)
This space consists of one major international conference and 11 workshops/panels. The location will be the downtown UQAM campus (315, rue Sainte-Catherine Est, Montréal), main site of WSF 2016.
OUR PANELS AND WORKSHOPS
CLIMATE JUSTICE AFTER PARIS
Organized by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung and Alternatives
August 10, 1:00pm to 3:30 pm, RM-130, UQAM
Speakers:
Tadzio Müller, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Germany
Tetet Lauron, IBON International, Philippines
Sabine Minninger, Bread for the World, Germany
Hamza Hamouchene, Forum Marocain des Alternatives and Alternatives International, Morocco
CLIMATE CHANGE: A CHALLENGE FOR THE GLOBAL SOUTH
August 11, 4pm to 6pm, RM-130, UQAM
Speakers:
Ibrahima Thiam, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—Dakar Office, Senegal
Alina Saba, Nepal, Mugal Women’s Upliftment Institute, Nepal
Carolina Vallejo, Yasunidos Movement, Ecuador
Hamza Hamouchene, GB Platform, Algeria
Chair: Stefanie Ehmsen, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office
CHANGE THE SYSTEM, NOT THE CLIMATE
August 11, 6pm to 8pm at Salle Marie Gérin-Lajoie, UQAM
Introduction by Stefanie Ehmsen, co-director of the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office, and Roger Rashi, Alternatives, Montreal
Speakers:
Naomi Klein, author and activist
Maité Llanos, Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED) in Europe, Global Labour Institute Network, Geneva
Céline Guyon, Stop Oléoducs, Quebec grassroots group opposing the Energy East pipeline
Tadzio Müller, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Germany
Clayton Thomas-Muller, former Idle No More spokesperson and campaigner for 350.org, Canada
THE FIGHT FOR THE LIFE OF THE GLOBAL CITY
August 12, 9:00am to 11:30 am, RM-130, UQAM
Speakers:
Shivani Chaudhry, Housing and Land Rights Network, India
Toñi Vasquez, PAH International, Spain
Facundo Filippo, former Buenos Aires City Legislator, Argentine
Gün Tank, RLS executive board, Commissioner of Integration in Tempelhof-Schöneberg (Berlin)
Moderator: Kazembe Balagun, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office
BORDER STRUGGLES AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS MOVEMENTS IN A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
August 12, 1:00pm to 3:30pm, RM-130, UQAM
Speakers:
Bilial Jouhari, GADEM, Morocco
Gerda Heck, Watch-The-Med-Alarmphone, Germany
Rosa Nelly Santos, COFAMIPRO, Honduras
Mostafa Henaway, Immigrant Workers Center and Ontario Coalition against Poverty, Canada
Moderator: Stefanie Kron, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, Berlin.
AMPLIFY THE SOUTH: COMMUNITY RADIO IN THE FIGHT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
August 11, 9:00 – 11:30am, McGill University, Pavillon des Arts (Local W5), 853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Featuring:
Allan Kalinga, Uganda Community Green Radio
Gretchen King, Community Media Advocacy Centre/CKUT Radio, Montreal
Michelle Chen, WBAI and Belabored Podcast, New York
FREE SOFTWARE AND DIGITAL COMMONS
Led by Enrique Rosas, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—Mexico City Office
Share your creativity through MediaGoblin
Aug 12, 13:00 – 15:30, McGill University, Pavillon des Arts (Local 285), 853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Mexcla: Bilingual on-line communication assisted by an interpreter
Aug 12 2016 13:00 – 15:30, McGill, Pavillon des Arts (Local W220), 853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Group collaboration with Own Cloud
Aug 11 2016 13:00 – 15:30, McGill, Pavillon des Arts (Local W5), 853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Beyond Copy Left: Equity and Reciprocity while sharing our Creations
Université McGill – Pavillon des Arts (Local W5)
853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest – Montréal Aug 12 2016 09:00 – 11:30
Another internet is possible: Meet progressive ISPs around the world
Aug 12 2016 09:00 – 11:30 Université McGill – Pavillon des Arts (Local W220)
853, rue Sherbrooke Ouest – Montréal
