Socialist International meetings at the World Social Forum,
26 - 31 January 2005

The Socialist International held a series of events in the context of the World Social Forum which took place in Porto Alegre from 26 to 31 January.

The SI Committee on Local Authorities convened on Wednesday 26 January at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS. The discussions of the Committee, chaired by Elio Di Rupo, Leader of the Socialist Party in Belgium, Mayor of Mons and Chair of the Committee, examined the issue of globalisation in the context of local and municipal government, under the theme "What local alternatives to globalisation?", and included the participation of mayors, guests and representatives from SI member parties.

On 27 January in the evening, delegations from the Socialist International and the Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT, held a common dinner for discussions within the framework of the WSF.

With a view to supporting the efforts of the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva, against hunger and poverty, a delegation of the Socialist International held a meeting on Friday 28 January with the coordinator of the Working Group on Hunger and Poverty of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, and Georgio Romano, Special Advisor for International Affairs at the General Secretariat of the Presidency.

On the afternoon of Friday 28 January, a debate on the reform of the United Nations, led by a panel, was co-hosted by the Socialist International and the Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT, at the Faculty of Law, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, where the first version of a position paper prepared by a special SI Working Group on UN Reform was presented.

SI members equally participated in many of the debates held by civil society organisations, parliamentarians, local authorities and NGOs in the context of the Forum. Parliamentarians from member parties of the Socialist International worldwide also took part in the Fifth World Parliamentary Forum on 29 and 30 January, to continue the dynamics of international solidarity and further dialogue with social organisations on common themes.