Porto Alegre: The global social movement is growing quickly

OTTAWA, ONTARIO - With over 100,000 participants, including representatives from more than 3,500 non-governmental organisations, the very successful 3rd World Social Forum, which is ending today in Porto Alegre (Brazil), is a clear demonstration that the global social movement is growing.

Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the 100,000-member Council of Canadians, was on hand for the Forum and gave a keynote address before 5,000 people on the crisis of international financial institutions. Also invited as keynote speakers were Noam Chomsky, well known U.S. academic, and Ignacio Ramonet, editor-in-chief of Le Monde diplomatique.

Pictures from the World Social Forum:

After her address, Ms. Barlow launched the Portuguese translation of Blue Gold: The Battle Against Corporate Theft of the World's Water (titled Ouro Azul) in a room filled with Brazilian and international journalists. It is the 12th version of this best-seller to be made available.

"The third World Social Forum represents the future; the World Economic Forum represents the past," said Barlow. "While the political and corporate elite gather in Davos to maintain their power in the face of growing inequality world-wide, well over 100,000 people from all over the world are working hard in Porto Alegre to save the planet. They represent the most powerful civil society movement of modern times and we are now forging huge international networks to reclaim the global commons from a small corporate elite.

"Massive opposition to the World Trade Organisation and the Free Trade Area of the Americas is growing all through Latin America - nowhere more so than in Lula's Brazil. Yet, while the Porto Alegre meeting is being very well covered by the major press of Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia, there are no major media outlets from Canada or the U.S. besides two Quebec dailies. This means that Canadians are missing a vital story unfolding in the South." But she added that the Council of Canadians is committed to bringing the spirit of the World Social Forum back to Canada.

The first World Social Forum in 2001 attracted 3,000 delegates and the second gathering attracted over 60,000 last year.

Maude Barlow is back in Canada and is available for interviews today before heading to Bracebridge, Orillia and Owen Sound where she will address citizens at public meetings organised as part of a campaign against for-profit health care.

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