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Author Topic: Street kids steal World Social Forum lunches
Doug
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 44

posted 25 January 2007 12:15 PM      Profile for Doug   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Dozens of street children have invaded a five-star hotel food tent and feasted on meals meant for sale at the World Social Forum in Kenya's capital.

The hungry urchins were joined by other participants who complained that the food was too expensive at the annual anti-capitalist get together.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6295633.stm

I bet they weren't planning to face up to the problem of poverty in Kenya THAT directly.


From: Toronto, Canada | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560

posted 25 January 2007 12:24 PM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Actually, I'll bet a lot of them were. It said that WSF participants joined them. I doubt you'll find too many WSF participants, at least not the ones I know, criticizing them for this, or unwilling to associate with people in Africa who are impoverished.

Also, I think it's kind of scandalous that the WSF fee was three and a half days' salary for Africans. It costs $100 for Canadians, not even an day's average wages.

BUT...the amazing thing about the WSF, which is pretty anarchic in structure, is that they realized the problem and corrected it then and there by making it free, as it said in the article.

I'm very much looking forward to hearing all about it when everyone gets back.

[ 25 January 2007: Message edited by: Michelle ]


From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
NorthReport
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15337

posted 14 August 2008 11:51 PM      Profile for NorthReport     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Maybe they are still there.

I have been reading a fascinating book entitled

"The Bridge at the Edge of the World
Capitalism, the Environment, and Crossing from Cris to Sustainability" by James Gustave Speth, Dean of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University, who is an ultimate insider.

By-the-way he talks about the World Social Forum which is usually held in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Gus Speth writes about the environmental movement but basically suggests that the environmental movement has failed, that something has gone terribly wrong, and that a more in depth analysis is required.

'Speth contends that this critique leads to a severe indictment of today's economic and political system - capitalism as it now operates. Our vital task is to change the operating instructions for the modern economy before it is too late.'

I like a lot of what Speth says and perhaps my main beef is that he thinks capitalists by changing drastically will provide the solutions. What he is actually talking about is socialism, but I don't care how a system is labeled, if it helps to save the planet, from our current destructive roller-coaster downhill course.


From: From sea to sea to sea | Registered: Jul 2008  |  IP: Logged

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