A social forum is an open meeting place for civil society organizations and individuals opposed to neoliberalism and what its participants regard as the domination of the world by capital and imperialism.[1] The first social forum was the World Social Forum (WSF) held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre. It was designed as a counter forum to the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos at the same time. While the WSF regards the WEF as a meeting of the political and economic elite of the world, the WSF gathers social forces and aims to promotes democratization and social justice.

After the first WSF, the social forum idea was replicated across the world in various transnational, national, and local social forums. Most, though not all, social forums adhere to the WSF Charter of Principles,[1] drawn up by the International Council of the WSF.[2] The diversity of participants in the social forums has reflected the diversity of the Global Justice Movement (or Anti-Globalization Movement).

Transnational social forums edit

National social forums edit

Local and regional social forums edit

Germany edit

  • Berlin Social Forum
  • Bremen Social Forum
  • Bochum Social Forum
  • Erlangen Social Forum
  • Freiburg Social Forum
  • Heidelberg Social Forum
  • Leipzig Social Forum
  • Pforzheim Social Forum
  • Reutlingen Social Forum
  • Saar Social Forum
  • Tübingen Social Forum

Great Britain edit

India edit

Social forums in India include:

Italy edit

Social forums in Italy include:[3]

Sweden edit

Social forums in Sweden include:[4]

  • Gothenburg Social Forum
  • Gävle Social Forum
  • Skåne Social Forum
  • Stockholm Social Forum
  • Umeå Social Forum
  • Uppsala Social Forum

United States edit

Thematic social forums edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Charter of Principles". Fórum Social Mundial. Archived from the original on 2010-11-17.
  2. ^ "Who organizes it". Fórum Social Mundial. Archived from the original on 2010-10-06.
  3. ^ "Italian Social Forum Contact List".
  4. ^ [1] Archived September 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine