movement, it has to be said free newspaper that was massively distributed, and by IN SPITE of widespread apprehension beforehand in the global justice movement, the Athens forum did not show that the process of the European Social Forum (ESF) was running out of steam. The ESF, which took place from the 3rd to the 7th of May, was a success both for the Greek organizers and for the European global justice movement
With all due respect to Liberation or Le Monde (French daily newspapers), who are always prompt to proclaim the death of the social forums and the global justice that the reality and the expenence ol lne millants who came to participate in the European Social Forum (ESF) in Athens flatly contradicted them.
Betore the forum we were insisting on the need to "find a second wind" and admitting some difficulties and fears. This Greek edition of the ESF dissipated many of them.
In announcing that more than 35,000 had registered (as against 25,000 in London in 2004) the Greek organizers themselves admitted that they were astonished by the numbers.
Equally, the massive afternoon showed that there was a contact between the global justice activists and the population of Athens. On Saturday evening the media February 15, 2003. related to the struggles that are taking place in various European countries.
Ihe victories won in France against the European Constitutional Treaty and against the CPE were at Ccuue slard. This time, unlike in London, the European and social questions were at the heart of the discussions. Of in the demonstration on Saturday dimension was not absent,
whether it was the risk of imperialist war in Iran or the political situation in Latin America. In addition, many debates were announcing 80,000 dealt with the strategy of the ESF The Fourth International's visibility was ensured by a a significant presence on the demonstration demonstrators, a record since global justice movement on the anti-war mobilisation on the European and world scale. absolutely has to continue,
Finally, and this is perhaps
The debates were directly one of the essential aspects of central meeting of the whole
its success, the Athens ESF make significant progress offensives step by step. from the point of view both of working out policies and of building solidarity and joint
This was the case in particular for public services, for the solidarity that needs to be built between trade unionists
Eastern and Western Europe and for the fight against job insecurity.
Feminists were also able to renew the links of European cooperation that were initiated at Bobigny in 2003 during the Paris Saint Denis
On all these questions work without waiting for the next of the movement, in order to enabled different networks to be able to resist the liberal