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organizations
on the International Council (IC) of the World Social Forum met in
Bangkok,
Thailand, to discuss progress on issues relating to the WSF process
and,
more specifically, to the methodology to be adopted at WSF 2003 in
Porto
Alegre. The basis on which the various activities are to be organized
was
approved, although the details on some points not yet defined in the
programming will be submitted to the IC by a 15-member working group at
its
next meeting (to be held on the occasion of the Europe Social Forum,
which
will take place from November 6 to 10 in Florence, Italy).

METHODOLOGY FOR WSF 2003

As decided at the last IC meeting in late April in Barcelona, the
Working
Group on Methodology set up on that occasion prepared a draft
programme,
which should include the following activities:

-	Five thematic areas
-	Conferences
-	Panel debates
-	Testimonies
-	Seminars
-	Workshops
-	Dialogue and controversy round tables
-	Provision for debates on the Regional, Thematic and Local Social
Forums

It is up to the IC member-organizations to suggest actors to put on the
activities, with the exception of the workshops, which will be proposed
by
the delegates participating in the event.

Thematic Areas:
Each thematic area is conceived as a catalyst of concerns, proposals
and
strategies that are already being pursued by the organizations
participating
in the WSF process. Through the WSF, the aim is to give them visibility
and,
in possible, have them adopted as widely as possible by the various
actors
of planetary civil society struggling against neo-liberal
globalization. It
was decided that there will be five Thematic Areas at WSF 2003:
-	Democratic Sustainable Development
-	Principles and values, human rights, diversity and equality
-	Media, culture and counter-hegemony
-	Political power, civil society and democracy
-	Democratic world order, working against war and for peace

The working group composed of IC members will detail the
recommendations for
the Thematic Areas and for proposed sub-areas – which may make up the
panel
debates – by the IC’s forthcoming meeting in Florence, Italy.

Conferences:
The purpose of the conferences is to socialize views and analyses to
the
broader public at the Forum. They should contribute to strengthening a
broad
movement of public opinion as to the need, possibility and urgency of
building “other worlds” in the light of the threats and limits of
neo-liberal economic and financial globalization. The proposal is that
at
least one conference be organized per Thematic Area.

Panel debates:
Structured by Thematic Area, the panel debates are the map of WSF
actions
and its public face as a forum of world civil society. They will
explore the
major issues, proposals and strategies and bring out all their
diversity of
roles and outlooks in their action to change neo-liberal globalization
and
to bring “other possible worlds” into being.

Testimonies:
The Testimonies are talks by leading personalities – or groups of
people
acting in the same field – who offer outstanding examples of lives
spent
working for human liberty and dignity which indicate avenues to a new
world.
They are a way of valorizing the political and cultural patrimony of
the
universe of groups, organizations and movements that are building the
WSF.

Dialogue and controversy round tables:
These are a specific setting within the WSF to bring delegates’ views
and
proposals into confrontation with those of guests from political
parties,
governments and UN organizations. The aim is to choose hot issues where
setting up dialogue and controversy according to previously agreed
rules,
can be useful to the process of spelling out the proposals and
strategies of
world civil society.

Seminars:
The seminars are an opportunity for thinking collectively about the
“state
of the issue” and for pointing to possible developments in a limited
subject
area from among the sub-themes in each thematic area. They are intended
both
to elaborate and explore the diagnosis of these issues and to discuss
related proposals and strategies. They are an essential component to
our
thinking constructively together in that they bring organizations,
movements
and networks together around the themes in an endeavour to strengthen
the
bloc of subjects embodying the proposals and actions.

Workshops:
The workshops are activities proposed by the groups, movements and
organizations that register delegates to WSF 2003. They are the factory
of
the Forum, a kind of world civil laboratory, and are intended to bring
groups, coalitions, networks, movements and organizations into contact
to
share their experiences, network, plan and define strategies, always
with a
view to taking action in the present and the future.

Provision for debates on the Regional, Thematic and Local Social
Forums:
At a location reserved for the purpose, permanent activities will be
organized and facilities provided  so that the various Social Forums
held
prior to Porto Alegre (Argentina Thematic SF, Europe Regional SF, Asia
and
Pan-Amazon SFs and other national and local SFs) can be heard. It will
be a
kind of site for exhibitions, meetings and debates open throughout the
time
WSF 2003 is being held, with a  specific programme to be agreed on with
those who took the initiative of holding the various Forums. The idea
is to
give visibility to the process in which the WSF is moving to the world
level, while respecting the autonomy, characteristics and specific
dynamics
of each of the Forums that will have been held.

OTHER PREPARATIONS

Registration for WSF 2003:
Now the methodology for WSF 2003 has been defined, over the coming few
weeks
the WSF Executive Secretariat in Brazil will be finalizing the
registration
procedures and form for delegates to the event. Any civil society
organization, movement or group that declares its agreement with the
WSF
Charter of Principles may register, participate with delegates and
propose
activities for WSF 2003. The WSF sees these actors as having legitimacy
as
representatives of groups of people and collective endeavours. Other
militants or interested parties not belonging to any organization may
participate as spectators.

Regional and Thematic Forums:
As is already being widely announced, the process of taking the WSF to
the
world level includes a number of Social Forums that are regionally
focussed
or that explore issues considered priorities in discussions of
neo-liberal
globalization. Three major Regional Forums of this kind are being held
prior
to WSF 2003: the Europe SF, the organizational process for which is
firmly
in place, will take place from November 6 to 10 in Florence, Italy; the
Asia
SF, which is to take place from January 2 to 7, 2003 in Hyderabad,
India,
has been considerable strengthened by the presence of a large number of
Asian organizations at the Bangkok meeting; and the Pan-Amazon SF,
which
will take place from January 16 to 19, 2003 in Belem do Para, Brazil.
As
regards the Thematic Social Forums, two themes have been considered
priorities: the effects of neo-liberal policies and the militarization
of
conflicts in developing countries. In this connection, the Argentina
Thematic Social Forum is taking place this week in a country chosen to
host
the event because it is one of the most striking examples of the
disastrous
results of the neo-liberal economic model. Meanwhile, the Bangkok
meeting
also discussed the militarization of conflicts and, on the basis of the
assessment by representatives of Palestinian organizations on the IC,
proposed that discussions be resumed on holding a Palestine Social
Forum in
Ramallah as early as December this year.