Tribes join global call for change

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

By Gabriel Elizondo in Brazil

About 24 hours before the beginning of the World Social Forum in Brazil eight major global companies announced they were cutting another 75,000 jobs - the latest victims of the deepening global economic crisis.

But the mood at the event this year is likely to be: 'We told you so.'

The themes of the event have changed over the past nine years, since the first World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

But what has not changed is the belief among many participants that the global economic system is in danger of collapse after years of excessive greed and corruption.

This year over 100,000 people, from more than 150 non-governmental organisations and social movements around the world, have descended on the Amazonian city of Belem in northwest Brazil.

The event is held as an alternative to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where global business and political leaders gather to discuss the world economy.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/01/2009127224359240168.html

---

Activists gather for World Social Forum

By BRADLEY BROOKS

BELEM, Brazil (AP) — Some 100,000 activists of all stripes converged on this steamy Amazon city Tuesday, opening the World Social Forum with a rambunctious march to the beat of samba drums.

An afternoon jungle downpour could not drown the spirits of those who came from all corners of the globe to participate: Socialists, environmentalists, anarchists, Indians, communists and even a fellow dressed as a pirate.

The massive meeting — coming amid the worst global economic crisis in decades — was held for the first time in the Amazon region, an especially poignant fact for attendees.

"During a financial crisis, the environment is the first thing to be pushed off the agenda of most governments," said Andrew Riplinger, 22, of Chicago. "I think having the social forum here in Belem, surrounded by the rain forest — it's keeping environmentalism on the table."

The streets of Belem were overflowed — by both water and the activists, who came wearing homemade shirts extolling every social cause under the sun. Massive banners were unfurled, trumpets blared a chaotic chorus as Indians from across the Amazon performed traditional dances, barefoot, bodies ornately painted and heads adorned with the feathers of exotic birds.

Read More: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i4H7iUakuekLJ9vn_w0ZBNbTLcSQD95VPGFG1



This year's World Social Forum is expected to focus on the struggles of indigenous peoples

(Edit to add AP story)

[greyl]

1. "We told you so".

Given the realities of our situation, going back to the hunting-gathering life is as silly an idea as sprouting wings and flying off to heaven. We can walk away from the pyramid, but we can't melt away into the jungle. The Mayan solution is utterly gone for us, for the simple reason that the jungle itself is gone and there are six billion of us. Forget about going back. There is no back. Back is gone.

But we can still walk away from the pyramid.

Beyond Civilization - Daniel Quinn