Information about WSF 2009 in Belem

From: "OpenSpace" <use.info@gmail.com>
Date: August 6, 2008

*Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the WSF 2009
More info at http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br/index.php

Where and when will the WSF 2009 will happen?

*The WSF 2009 will happen in Brazil, in the city of Belem, in the state of Para, from January 27th until February 1st.

*In what spaces will the WSF 2009 happen?

*The WSF 2009's territory defined until now includes the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia) UFRA, the Federal University of Para (Universidade Federal do Pará) - UFPA and the NPI as a space for camping and activities.

*How do I participate?

*There will be registrations for organizations and its members, individuals, medias, volunteers and self-organizing activities. The registration process for WSF 2009 starts in mid-August and will be made only in the website *
www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br*<http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br > <http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br>.
The first moment will be dedicated to register self-managed activities.
Regarding the WSF Charter of Principles, activities can only be proposed by organizations. The second stage of registration process will attend individual participants and media.

*Lodging

*The Facilitation Group in Belem is taking a series of initiatives to attend the several requests that are already coming concerning participants accommodation during the World Social Forum 2009.

A form to request solidarity accommodation family and alternative will be available in August in the website www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br.

The alternative accommodation consists on schools, gymnasiums, religious and other organizations that will offer their spaces to WSF participants. The other modality of solidarity accommodation consists in local family's houses.

The solidarity accommodation costs can vary from zero to R$25,00 (about 15 US dollars). More details about accommodation options and how to request solidarity accommodation will be sent soon.

Concerning the standard accommodation, the Facilitation Group would like to inform that due to the reduced number of beds, Belem hotels are charging abusive prices around 4 or 5 times more than the usual.

The Facilitation Group also would like to inform that there's no official travel agency for the WSF. Standard accommodation should be discussed directly by the participants organizations and the hotels in Belem, or using the travel agencies that the organizations are used to work with.

*Which are the WSF 2009 Organization Committee contacts?

WSF 2009 Office
*Website: *www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br
*
<http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/http://www.fsm2009amazonia.org.br Phone:
<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = SKYPE / +55-91-3222-8530
E-mails: escritorio@fsm2009amazonia.org.br /
comunicacao@fsm2009amazonia.org.br

*10 "objectives" (thematic axes) for WSF 2009

*The local Facilitation Group and members of Methodology Commission met in Belem from July 10th to 12th to evaluate the answers to the consultation process and define the action objectives for WSF 2009 participants.

The Consultation about the WSF objectives was called by the WSF International Council in order to expand or adjust the current action objectives for 2009 event. All the activities (conferences, panels, seminars, workshops and others) will be organized related to those objectives. See bellow the list of 10 action objectives for activities that will happen in Belem 2009 territory. In bold characters there are the additions made to the objectives defined to WSF 2007 in Nairobi (Kenya):

For the construction of a world of peace, justice, ethics and respect for different spiritualities, free of weapons, especially nuclear ones;
For the release of the world domain *by capital*, multinationals corporations, imperialist, *patriarchal, colonial and neo-colonial*domination and unequal systems of commerce, *by canceling the impoverish countries debt*;
For universal and sustainable access to the common property of mankind and nature, for the preservation of our planet and its resources, particularly water, forests *and renewable energy sources*;
For the democratization *and independence*of knowledge, *culture and communication* and for the creation of a system of shared knowledge *and
For the dignity, diversity, ensuring the equality of gender, race, *ethnicity, generation, sexual orientation* and elimination of all forms of discrimination and caste (discrimination based on descent);
For ensurance (during the lifetime use of all people) of the economic, social, human, cultural and environmental rights, particularly the rights to food, health, education, housing, employment and decent work, *communication and food security and sovereignty*;
For the construction of a world order based on sovereignty, self-determination and on people's rights, *including minorities and migrants*;
For the construction of a democratic, emancipator, sustainable and solidary economy, focused on *every *people and *based on ethical and fair trade*.
For the construction and expansion of truly *local, national and global*democratic political *and economic* structures and institutions, with the participation of people in decisions and control of public affairs and resources.
*For the defense of the environment (amazonic and others ecosystems) as source of life for the planet Earth and for the originary peoples of the world (indigenous, afro-descendent, tribal and riverine), that demand their territories, languages, cultures, identities, environmental justice, spiritually and right to live*.