Call to 1st Open Space dialogue

national | public consultation / irish social forum | news report Sunday February 23, 2003 13:59 by Barry Finnegan - - interim convenor of Open Space dialogue for Irish civil society to build Irish Social Forum john.finnegan3 at mail dot dcu dot ie 01-8741223

... get-together for civil society on the island of Ireland to discuss a proposal for an ISF

This is the initial call that went out for an Open Space get-together for civil society groups on the island of Ireland to discuss a proposal to create an Irish Social Forum. This proposal to create an Irish Social Forum and an Open Space with which to visualise it comes from a Report Back Meeting (which was held in Liberty Hall, Dublin) organised by some of the groups from the island of Ireland who attended the European Social Forum (ESF) held in Florence, Italy from November 6th to 10th 2002.

Hello all,

Call to Open Space get-together for civil society groups on the island of Ireland to discuss a proposal to create an Irish Social Forum.
Open Space 1: Teachers Club (1st floor meeting room), Parnell Sq., Dublin1. Saturday 21st December, 2002, from 3.30p.m. to 5.30p.m.
Contact:
Open Space interim convenor,
Barry Finnegan. Ph: 01-8741223; e-mail: john.finnegan3@mail.dcu.ie
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This proposal to create an Irish Social Forum and an Open Space with which to visualise it comes from a Report Back Meeting (which was held in Liberty Hall, Dublin) organised by some of the groups from the island of Ireland who attended the European Social Forum (ESF) held in Florence, Italy from November 6th to 10th 2002. An interim convenor was nominated at this meeting to organise an Open Space for dialogue and inclusion of the different sectors of civil society groups who would be interested in visualising, debating and creating an Irish Social Forum. So far groups and organisations from the sectors of: Environment/ Sustainability; Development/ Assistance For The South; Labour/ Trade Unions; Religious; Anti-neoliberalist left, green and anarchist groupings and parties; Peace/ Anti-Militarism; have said they will attend. The interim convenor realises not every group on the island who should have been contacted has been contacted yet, while others were not able to send any representatives due to the short notice of Open Space 1 and is willing to accept personal responsibility for this. Part of the purpose of this Open Space 1 meeting is to bring together the various sectors without creating the perception that the process is controlled by one group or sector, and to see who else we think should be involved, and bring it on from there. Coming on Saturday so far:

ATTAC na hÉireann (Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions to aid Citizens) (contact: Conor Ó Briain)
Anti-Iraqi Sanctions (contact: Michael Birmingham)
Comhlamh (contact: Conall OCuimh)
Canals Community Network (contact: Rosín)
Dublin Food Co-Op (contact: Padraig Cannon)
Debt & Development Coalition (contact: Jean Somers)
Dublin Council of Trade Unions (contact: Des Bonas)
Earthwatch (contact: Christian)
Feasta (contact: Emer)
Green Party (contact: Deirde DeBurca)
Globalise Resistance (contact: Nora Gerathy)
gluaiseacht (contact: Padraig Stack)
Indymedia.ie (contact: Ciaran More)
Jesuit Faith & Justice Committee (contact: Eugene)
LASC (Latin America Solidarity Centre) (contact: Aidan Cahill)
Oxfam (contact: Colin Roche)
SWP (Socialist Workers Party) (contact: Bríd Smith)
Sustainable Ireland (contact: Davie Philips)
Troicré (contact: Lorna Gold)
Workers Solidarity Movement (contact: Checkov)

The ESF in Florence just over one month ago was inspired by the World Social Forum (WSF) in Brazil. The first Editorial (or, Meeting) of the WSF was in January 2001, with a follow-up Editorial in January this year and another planned for January 2003.
What the World Social Forum is (from the WSF website): http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/home.asp
“The World Social Forum is an open meeting place where groups and movements of civil society opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by capital or by any form of imperialism, but engaged in building a planetary society centred on the human person, come together to pursue their thinking, to debate ideas democratically, for formulate proposals, share their experiences freely and network for effective action (see the Charter of Principles). The WSF proposed to debate alternative means to building a globalization in solidarity, which respects universal human rights and those of all men and women of all nations and the environment, and is grounded in democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social justice, equality and the sovereignty of peoples.”

The Open Space get-together in the Teachers Club is just that, a get-together, where we can all meet each other and perhaps or indeed, perhaps not:

- say who we are, what group we are part of, what our group does and with whom
- say what we think we can we learn from the World Social Forums and the European Social Forum (or do we know enough about them!)
- how would we suggest talking to each other and organising together if we do wish to create an Irish Social Forum
- how do we ensure the inclusion of people from both north and south of the border
- how do we ensure the inclusion of people from socially and financially disadvantaged groups
- how do we ensure the inclusion of people from rural as well as urban areas
- do we want to have at least one more Open Space and more time and information to discuss the ideas and proposals before we start suggesting a date(s) for any potential Irish Social Forum
- what do we think of the importance of balancing dialogue with action within any potential Irish Social Forum (for example, on the one hand: meetings, dialogues, workshops, presentations, question and answer and brainstorming sessions; while on another hand: carnivals, demonstrations, peaceful direct action, protests, marches and circuses; while on yet another hand: beech clearing, litter picking, tree planting, english teaching, bulk buying of wholesome food, car-pooling; child-minding, barter-LETS currencies?)

It might be an idea for us to think of how we want any potential Irish Social Forum to relate to and with political parties. The reason I say this is because Point 8 of the WSF Charter of Principles says: - “The World Social Forum is a plural, diversified, non-confessional, non-governmental and non-party context that, in a decentralized fashion, interrelates organizations and movements engaged in concrete action at levels from the local to the international to built another world.”

In an effort to promote openness and trust among the different groups and organisations coming to Open Space, most people have been able to come wearing just one hat, but its a small island, so obviously some people will be in more than group or organisation.

Other groups and organisations have been contacted but as yet have neither said yeah or nay due to it being nearly Christmas and getting short notice (my fault ;-).

looking forward to Saturday,
all the best,
Barry Finnegan
Open Space 1 interim convenor
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Weblinks to the WSF website:

WHAT IS THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (see this link):
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=19&cd_language=2

WHAT IS THE WSF CHARTER OF PRINCIPLES? (see this link):
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=4&cd_language=2

ORIGINS AND AIM OF THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (see this link):
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=2_1&cd_language=2

WHO ORGANIZES THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (see this link):
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=3&cd_language=2

HOW THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM FOR JANUARY 2003 WILL OPPERATE
(see this link): http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=5_1&cd_language=2

WHAT ARE THE REGIONAL AND THEMATIC SOCIAL FORUMS (see this link):
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/main.asp?id_menu=11&cd_language=2
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