20.01.2005 WSF: The theory and practice of Solidarity Economy
Protagonists of rendering services, solidarity entrepreneurs concentrate workshops about sovereign economies.
The fifth edition of WSF – from 26th to 31st January in Porto Alegre will provide an unique opportunity between theory and practice for the workers of the Solidarity/Popular Economy. With 90 debates and workshops, the solidarity enterprises represent almost one third of the 281 thematic space activities. Sovereign economies by and for the people – against neoliberal Capitalism. At the same time, more than 1500 workers joined with SPE are acting to serve the organization’s demands, products and rendering services for the WSF2005 attendance.
Among the involved segments, are food, clothes, art crafts, security and recycling. The cotton bags and WSF 2005 t-shirts, for example , were made by 500 workers part of the 35 projects in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná. Another demand served is the electric-electronic, with the production and adaptation of transmitters and mixers besides translation booths which will be used by interpreters and translators. At the four previous editions , the SPE ranked a periphery position at the economy activities held during the Forum. Now, they will have a major role.
“In Brazil, the SPE was consolidated since the WSF, that in the very first edition fomented the debate and allowed international organizations articulation”, says Ary Moraes who is a member of the Work Group of the Forum 2005 SEP. Created by the most different associated practices, community, art craft, individuals, family or associated, in the country side or the city, SEP is one of the pillars to build a humanizing globalization and a sustainable and socially fair development. Besides it represents a powerful instrument to struggle against social exclusion.
Movement involves millions of workers in the planet
In Brazil there are no official records about the number of enterprises and workers involved with ESP. The Secretaria Nacional de Economia Solidária (National Solidarity Economy Agency) that is linked to the Work Ministery and was created in 2003, is providing a map of the sector which will be done next July. In Rio Grande do Sul, the estimate is that 550 enterprises make a movement of more than 30 thousand people, most of them women. The monthly income of each entrepreneur is around R$300,00.
Around the world the official data are also rare. “ The Solidarity Economy has a lack of maps and inventory of the situation and its member, either by sector or geographic zones”, says Carola Reintjes, chairwoman of Cooperativa De Comércio Justo Ideas – Iniciativas de Economia Alternativa e Solidária,(Trade Association), headquarted in Spain. At the international board of WSF, Carola represents three nets of Solidarity Economy (FCTC,XARXA, and REAS) and IFAT (International Fair Trade Association).
It is known that today there are 43 great international nets related with Solidarity Economy, each one composed of hundreds of organizations – the IFAT, for instance has more than 200 entities. However, there are hundreds more that are not articulated with global work coordination. “We can presume that we are facing a map with thousands of organizations which involve millions of workers in the planet”, says Carola.
Boycott to the multinationals and incentive of a conscious consuming
The WSF 2005 agenda of the Solidarity Economy, previews a great plenary with all movements, organizations and nets involved in the theme. “As far as I know, it will be the second major event of the Forum, what may answer the growing social demand about the solidarity enterprises thematic. “In my opinion, they constitute the only strategic and real alternative for the macro or micro economic field”, says Carola.
Besides the major plenary, also will be carried seminaries, workshops and synthesis sessions, approaching themes such as Solidarity Economy to serve people, social and solidarity market, ethical financial, social currency, food security, self management initiatives, public politics, reality and myths of social responsibility, etc… The actions proposals will derive from the debates established during the WSF. Ary Moraes informs that the solidarity entrepreneurs will be preparing a campaign to boycott the multinationals company and will make a public act in favor of conscientious consume during the Forum.
“We want also to improve our articulation capacity. One urgent task is mapping the real organizations situation on the international and sectorial plans” anticipates Carola.
According to the chairwoman of IDEAS, the activities held in Porto Alegre will serve as collective memory in order that WSF doesn’t be an event that depletes on its own but a process which open new ways. “We have a lot of work ahead”, concludes Carola.
Recommended sources:
Ary Moraes – WSF wg of Solidarity Economy 2005 phone number: (51) 32891704
Carola Reintjes – Chairwoman of IDEAS – International Fair Trade Association. Phone number: (00xx34) 9574 29080 creintjes@ideas.coop
WSF office in Porto Alegre (51) 3227 8622 fmspoa@forumsocialmundial.org.br
WSF office in São Paulo (11) 3258 8914 fsmimprensa@forumsocialmundia.org.br
www.forumsocialmundial.org.br
updated on 07/31/2010
