NORTH EAST SOCIAL FORUM

antrim | public consultation / irish social forum | news report

Monday July 14, 2003 15:33

by Eoin O'Broin - North East Social Forum

eoinobroin at hotmail dot com

Minutes of 1st working meeting of NESF

Below are the minutes of the 1st working meeting of the NESF. Decisions taken, working groups formed and forthcoming meetings are all included.

NORTH EAST IRISH SOCIAL FORUM
1ST WORKING MEETING

8th July 2003

Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre.

Present: Emily Kawano, Institute for Popular Economics; Christine Loudes; Dan Buckley, Globalise Resistance; Umberto Sava; Ihintz Oliden; Eoin O'Broin, Sinn Fein; Ciaran Mulholland, Socialist Party; Gerry Ruddy, IRSP; Frances Dowds, NI Anti-Poverty Network; Gordon Hewitt, Socialist Workers Party; Michael Mahadeo, One World Centre; John Barry, Green Party; Krista Holte, Globalise Resistance; Brian Moore, NIPSA; Aine Fox, Belfast Anti War Movement; Dessie Donnelly, UNISON; Alistair Mullan, Tools for Solidarity/Giros; Miresi Busana; Douglas Hamilton, Cuba Support Group; Alisa Keane, Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Amanda Allaway, NIPSA; Padraig O'Connor; Ann Fitzpatrick, Comhlamh NI; Nathalie Caleyron, Multi-Cultural Resource Centre; Sara Boyce; Clem Bradley, Ogra Shinn Fein; Desmond Donnelly, Stephen McCloskey, One World Centre

Agenda agreed.

Finalise Name of Social Forum.

Report from Dublin Meeting (6th July).

Proposals for Social Forum Structure.

The name of Social Forum North East Irish Social Forum (NE ISF).

Eoin reported back on the ISF national meeting.

13 people travelled from Belfast to Dublin for the meeting on the 6th July. This meeting included feedback from North West Social Forum (Derry) and South East Social Forum (Dublin).

The ISF working groups that are presently used as interim structures where explained. These are divided into -

Topics and Principles Interim Working group.
Communication Interim Working Group
October Interim Working Group.
Buildings and Finance Interim Working Group.
Outreach Interim Working Group.

Things were left out of the agenda, (how to led open space discussion) due to lengthy discussion and consensus facilitation on the issue of, the ISF endorsing a Blockade of Dublin Castle.

After around 5 hours of discussion consensus was reached - There are to be four working groups to deal with the events of the October 19-21st weekend.

These are to be
Counter Summit Group
Carnival Group
March Group
Blockade Group

All these groups are open for any constituent group of ISF to participate in. In Regards to ISF endorsing any events - consensus reached - ISF will in literature present but not endorse the events of the weekend and place a contact for each working group.

On any flyers or information the ISF will list the groups that are participants alongside a disclaimer that states - That because the groups are named as participating in the ISF they do not necessarily endorse everything that is purposed. (Or something along those lines).

Structures - Proposals for NE ISF

Proposals to mirror the current ISF structures in regard to the Interim Working Groups. The Topics and Principles were by consensus left out of the NE ISF. Working Groups Agreed Upon. These working groups are open to any participant.

Communications Working Group (Eoin, John, Emily, Frances)

Outreach Working Group. (Alisa, Alistair, John. Dessie, Frances, Àine.)

Finance and Buildings Group (Ann, Gerry, Àine)

October Working Group (Gordon, Frances, Nathalie, Krista, Eoin, Dan, Alistair, Ciaran, Umberto, Clem, Padraig, Cristor)

Proposals for working groups.

Finance+ Buildings > compile a resource database. Open a bank account with the Co-operative Bank. Take voluntary contributions at each meeting to make some income.

Outreach > Information about WEF + Neo-Liberalism to distribute to interested groups. Outreach group to focus on different participation - Protestant Churches and Trade Justice Groups, Community Groups etc. Linking Local to Global. Contacting possible future speakers.

October Group> Clarify roles - to work with all interim working groups until October and subsequently mould into other NE ISF structures. Leaflets-flyers-posters- publicising- transport - For the WEF protests in October.

Communication > Transparent postings on Internet agreed to remain general practice.

October date was pointed out to coincide with "International Eradication of Poverty Day" - possibility to tie this into the counter summit arranged for the Friday (18th October) and Saturday 19th.

A proposal was put forward to host the next all Island ISF meeting in Belfast. A sub group was formed to look into putting that forward to the Topics and principles Working Group of the ISF. > (Eoin, Àine, Dessie, Cristor, Clem)

All Working Groups are to meet and report back to the next NESF meeting with proposals/ideas on action.

Next Meeting of NE ISF Tuesday 22nd July (same venue).

The Outreach group are meeting Wednesday 16th July@ 6pm venue to be Unemployed resource Centre.

The October Group are to meet Wednesday 16th July @ 7pm venue same as above