The first event of the 2003 Toronto Social Forum
series.
The Co-ordinating Committee of the Toronto Social Forum invites
activists, artists, and other progressive people and organizations
to participate in the program of this one-day forum by submitting
ideas for 90 minute events, workshops, cultural activities, panels,
films, participatory theatre exercises, musical offerings, etc.
in the spirit of the following:
This event and its objectives:
This one-day forum is an interactive, open, educational space
for information sharing, dialogue and discussion for social movements
interested in linking local struggles to global struggles.
The objectives are:
- to build knowledge and interest in Toronto about the World
Social Forum (WSF), taking place in January, Porto Alegre, Brazil;
- to showcase a selection of local campaigns, alternatives and
initiatives that are expressions of and connected to global
movements;
- to inform and guide Toronto activists going to the World Social
Forum about local contributions to the global movement for alternatives
to neo-liberalism.
This forum is the first in a three-forum series. On February
15, “From the World Social Forum to Toronto” will
include reports and discussion of the 2003 World Social Forum.
On March 28-30, a three-day Toronto Social Forum of resistance
and alternatives to corporate-led globalization is being organized.
A call for participation in that program for that event will follow
shortly. For further information: (website)
Program Proposals for January 11 forum:
Proposals can be geared to groups from 25 to 100 in 90 minute
blocs, roughly from 11:00-12:30 or 1:30-3:00. We anticipate 4-5
concurrent events of varying sizes and modes in each time slot.
Events are self-organized and self-financing.
The Toronto Social Forum will provide space, equipment, outreach
and promotion, and support services to ensure accessibility. All
events will be described in a program brochure. We welcome events
offered in languages other than English. We encourage groups to
collaborate on program proposals.
Proposals should be written, 1 page, and provide a brief description,
including target audience, anticipated size and language(s), organizing
group and contact person.
Email proposals to tsf@ryerson.ca
with subject line: “January 11 TSF proposal” by December
9.
For further information, jconway @ ryerson.ca
Background:
On Sept. 23, an open meeting involving more than 80 people enthusiastically
supported the idea of organizing toward a Toronto Social Forum.
There was great convergence around the need and desirability of
a Toronto Social Forum that valued diversity, participation, accessibility,
that was grounded in and promoted local, concrete alternatives,
and that would gather progressive movements to explore our common
ground.
In brief, we imagine the TSF to be a 2-3 day event over a weekend,
that includes one major plenary session/activity per day on an
overarching theme; a second-tier of large-scale sessions (perhaps
2-3 concurrent) of great general interest per day; a third tier
of great numbers of concurrent workshops/activities in the afternoons.
Any person or group is invited to submit proposals for any of
these sessions.
