A proposal for organizing the upcoming session..of the World Forum for Alternatives Assembly
In accordance with the experiences of last session, I would like to offer the following comments that might be helpful for the coming session
1-The following parties might be invited:
- Activists in the field.
- Prominent intellectuals in different countries.
2-The coming session has to be acquainted with the situation on the ground through the following ways:
- A committee of 10 members (and 2 reserve members) might be formed.
* Members could be divided in groups, each should focus on a particular region, and each would be assigned to investigate the situation in the area and the problems that face people there. Each group has to write a report on the issue.
* Part of the committee should be assigned with following the writings in relation to poverty and democracy in the region in concern.
It seems relevant in this context to stress that the reasons behind the absence of many of those invited by the World Forum for Alternative (Caracas 2008) Assembly were the following:
a- Many of those invited were non-activists.
b- Or they had no strong link with the issues related to the Forum.
c- Or because the forum coincided with other conferences.
c- Or because they were not able to communicate in the languages used in the forum, particularly as many of them are peasants or workers from developing countries.
The committee will be assigned to make sure that invitations will target the participants in light of what has been said.
The forum’s agenda: should be set in accordance with the vision of the committee
The forum’s time and place: should be decided upon the following considerations:
- Dates of other conferences and forums. There should be 3-8 weeks separating the time of the forum and other conferences. The peasants conference organized in Maboto, Mozambique on 19 – 23 October attracted many activists and prevented them from attending the forum.
- The place should be decided in accordance with costs and level of participation as well as the will of the host country.
Managing the forum:
1- Form:
- Inaugural ceremonies: they could be followed by offering an outline on the forum’s purpose and main questions that would be tackled.
- Groups of discussions: they could start with determining the main point of discussion and the questions that concern each group.
Each group should offer its recommendations in two formulas, a preliminary and briefed one and a final and detailed one.
2- Management:
- Group’s management: the members of the committee will be divided on the discussions groups, each according to his or her field of interest
Those in charge of groups could be chosen in light of the field of specialization, capabilities in terms of holding discussions and their connection with facts on the ground.
- Papers: they will be offered to the committee two months before the start of the forum. They will be sent via e-mail to participants one month before the forum. Each paper might have a maximum of 1250 words, so that it would be easy to read it and discuss it.
- Translation: Arabic and (Italian or Portuguese) should be added to the three languages used in the forum (English, French and Spanish). The cost of translation could be met by lowering costs of residency (four-star hotels could substitute five-star ones).
- Concluding session: should include a presentation of the forum’s preliminary report and the remakes that could be resulted from discussions. The final report should be finalized in two weeks after the end of the forum. It could be sent via e-mail to participants and international organizations concerned about the forum’s issues. An e-mail address might be available to receive readers’ remarks. The committee might transfer these remarks to next year’s committee.
Basheer Sakr  
; 28 October 2008
; 28 October 2008
SOLIDARITY PEASANT COMMITTEE – EGYPT
P.S.C
My e.mail:
sakrbash@yahoo.com And:
our committee e.mail :
our committee website:
tadamon.katib.org