Sydney Social Forum News

23-09-02

Over 400 attended the SSF over the course of the weekend, and over 70 workshops were held on a very broad range of topics. In the coming weeks, audio and video of various thematic forums and other events will be made available at this website, so stay tuned!

17-09-02

54 workshops and counting! There will be ample opportunity for participants to put on a workshop, so have a think and why not put one on? The SSF is designed to allow maximum participation. If you decide to put on a talk, facilitate a discussion or informal chat, head along to one of the SSF volunteers and get it happening.

29-08-02

A call for volunteers has gone out for people who are able to assist with the running of the SSF in various ways.

If you can help out, please email Sean: sean@sydneysocialforum.org.

It's going to be an action packed weekend, so please consider donating your time.

26-08-02

In light of the WTO Ministerial Meeting being held in Sydney, there will now be a plenary session on the WTO on the Saturday afternoon.

There will also be a "spokes" meeting at 6:00pm on the Saturday for all those who wish to organise for WTO protests, meetings and other actions in November.

21-08-02

The SSF Middle East Working Group is holding a fundraising dinner to assist us in getting an academic from Birzeit University in Palestine to speak in Sydney for the Social Forum.

Come along for a night of Arabic food and music at Tony's Restaurant in Dulwich Hill on August 31 at 8:30pm.

Tickets are $40. For bookings, phone Rihab on 0404 186 553 or email Soraya at sssoraya@hotmail.com.

16-08-02

Last night's (15/8) Sydney Social Forum launch was a great success with 90 people attending, Sholto McPherson (2SER), Don Sutherland (AMWU and ACTU rep to the last World Social Forum) and Pat Ranald (AFTINET) all spoke about their experiences of the World Social Forum. There was a good broad range of people, groupings from just about every key NGO and environmental group, the CFMEU was also representated and a there great buzz from all participants about the Sydney Social Forum.

Now we have a big challenge with the announcement that the next WTO mini-ministerial meeting will be in Sydney Nov 14-15. A response to the WTO meeting as well as organising to make the SSF event Sept 21-22 as big and successful as possible, will be discussed at the next SSF organising meeting next Wednesday 6pm at the The Wilderness Society Offices, 64-72 Kippax St Surry Hills, everyone is welcome.

08-Aug-02

Support for the SSF continues to grow. Registrations have now been received from a variety of organisations. See the Participants section of this site.

Adam Spencer from JJJ has agreed to participate in a debate: "Another World is Possible". In addition, a number of big name DJs have agreed to perform at the SSF party on the Saturday night. Keep watching for more.

31-Jul-02

After discussions with organisations campaigning against the new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, it has been agreed that the SSF assist with a planned rally on September 22 at Town Hall.

The discovery of two fault lines underneath the proposed site of the new reactor does not bode well.

SSF participants will be asked to march as a contingent to the rally at lunch time on the Sunday to join what will be an important action for local activists.

25-Jul-02

On-line discussion forums have been added to the site to provide an opportunity to maximise pre-SSF discussion.

18-Jul-02

The Sydney Information Night has been confirmed for 6:30pm, Thursday, August 15 at the AMWU's Tom Mann Theatre (136 Chalmers St, Surry Hills).

Footage from the World Social Forum will be shown, courtesy of Actively Radical TV, as well as a short film from the US entitled "Another World is Possible".

There will also be plenty of time for discussion and personal report-backs from the WSF, what we can hope to achieve here in Sydney, and how people can get more involved.

Entry is suggested at $3/$5 to help out with cost of venue hire.

16-Jul-02

Due to venue and speaker booking complications, the date of the Forum has been put back. The SSF organising team has set the new date for September 21 and 22.

The planned information nights will also be put back a couple of weeks.

The upside is that it will allow more time to seek greater involvement of interested groups and individuals in the event.

08-Jul-02

The AMWU's Tom Mann theatre has been booked for a SSF information night in late July to discuss the World Social Forum and what we can do here in Sydney. Other regional info nights are planned for Wollongong, Newcastle, Blue Mountains and Canberra in early August.

24-Jun-02

Around 30 people attended a brainstorming meeting for the Sydney Social Forum, the idea being to help us come up with topics for plenaries, and to guage what people think we can achieve through the forum.

The turnout was great, with people from CFMEU, Greens, Aid/Watch, Socialist Worker, Mineral Policy Institute, The Wilderness Society, SEAN, Save Sandon Point campaign (Wollongong), Green Left Weekly, Alfalfa House Co-op and others.

Also, John Hepburn - who helped organise the Brisbane Social Forum - filled us in on some of the experiences of organising in Brisbane.