According to police estimates, more than 200,000 people participated in the January 26 rally to mark the beginning of the fifth World Social Forum. Finishing on January 31, the WSF brought together 150,000 activists from more than 100 countries, joining in over 2000 conferences, events, debates and cultural activities. The forum returned to its birthplace, Porto Alegre, Brazil, after having moved to Mumbai, India for its 2004 meeting. For the first time the forum was held with the leftist Workers Party out of government in the municipality of Porto Alegre. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was invited to speak by the Brazilian Movement of Landless Peasants, MST, on his country’s ongoing agrarian reform programme, was a highly anticipated guest. Once again, Brazilian President “Lula” da Silva’s decision to attend both the WSF and the World Economic Forum held at the same time in Switzerland was controversial. (There will be a full report on the forum in next week’s GLW.)

From Green Left Weekly, February 2, 2005.
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