The Americas Hemispheric Council for the Forum met this past March in Guatemala where it was ratified that the 3rd Americas Social Forum 2008 will take place in Guatemala. Guatemalan organizations have now confirmed the date and location for October 7th to 12th in Guatemala City.
The date is symbolic to social struggles in the region and in particular to indigenous peoples. October 12th symbolizes the resistance of indigenous peoples as it marks the beginning of the Spanish conquest. It is also the annual date chosen for the continent-wide “Cry of the Excluded” (“Grito de los Excluidos”) amongst other popular demonstrations.
This edition of the Forum will allow for greater ties to be formed with Central America as part of the Forum process. Concurrently, it will be characterized by the presence of a wide range of social organizations from the host country, as well as by the strong presence of indigenous peoples within Guatemala and the important history there of struggle against dictatorships and repressive regimes.
To ensure this breadth of participation, a consultation process is taking place in Guatemala in order to involve a range of organizations in the process of establishing the space for the Americas Social Forum in Guatemala. By early May, fifty nine Guatemalan organizations had already committed their involvement. A work plan is also being developed. Once this phase is completed, a Guatemalan Facilitating Group will be struck, composed of around ten representatives, that will work in collaboration with the Hemispheric Council (HC) to organize the Forum.
The Facilitating Group will include representatives of Guatemalan groups and organizations involved in the Forum process, as well as delegates from networks and member groups of the HC with a presence in Guatemala, with the aim to establish ethnic, gender, regional and sectoral balance.
Working groups will also be created that will collaborate with respective committees of the HC, which will shortly resume their activities. In particular the Methodology and Content and the Communication groups will soon begin with a view to working on “innovations” for this upcoming Forum, taking into consideration the accumulated experience up until now, in order to advance the process.
Furthermore, in order to reinforce the Forum building process at the Mesoamerican level, discussions and agreements are being fostered with organizations and networks throughout the region.
HC secretariat, Quito
consejo@forosocialamericas.org
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 5:06 AM