London Social Forum people meet Dublin/Irish Social Forum people. When do we want 2nd ISF to happen?

Opportunity to learn from LSF. For us to realistically decide if a June '04 2nd ISF is possible.

re:
1. Decide: Move 2nd ISF from June to October 2004? and updates.
2. London Social Forum (LSF) people to share their experiences in public meeting, Thur. 29th 2004, Dublin, with short film.

Dear all,

The next meeting of the Dublin Social Forum will take place on Thursday April 29th in the Indymedia Centre, in the OCS Building on Charles Street Great, Dublin 1, at 7pm. [Charles Street Great, runs from the corner of East and South Mountjoy Square down to the North Circular Road.]

The meeting will serve three purposes:
1. To show an Italian made 24 minute documentary film -Whats Global, A New Movement- consisting of -What People Said; What They Were Thinking About; and Why They Felt Compelled To Come- to the 1st European Social Forum (ESF) Nov. 2002.

2. To listen to and share experiences in the setting up, running and purposes of Social Fora under the World Social Forum (WSF) Charter of Principles with people who have been involved with the LSF and also involved with the preparations of putting on the 3rd ESF in London this coming November. This will give us the opportunity to review once again the 1st ISF and to see how its done at a London and European level.

3. To review the practicalities of the decision to hold the 2nd ISF during the EU Presidency. It was decided at a public meeting called by DSF last November to, for various reasons, hold the 2nd ISF in Dublin during Irelands EU Presidency. The North East, Cork and South East Social Fora Working Groups on the island were contacted for their views and we decided to go ahead with April 2004.

The people on the ground organising it in Dublin then delayed it to June 19th/20th 2004. Attendance for the past good few Thursday night meetings has been very low so a ring-around was done amongst many of you by Mark O'Connor and Mary Kinane to find out how people felt about the ISF and the timing of the 2nd ISF which, as a theme would focus on the staggering ramifications of the Draft EU Constitution. When we got together in early January to get craicin on the 2nd ISF about 25 hard working activists turned up. However, it seems pretty much everyone is up to their eyes at the moment and theres not a lot of people around with time left on their hands due to:

- upcoming EU and local elections,
- development groups focused on EU finance ministers gathering in relation to debt relief and other issues surround the EU Presidency,
- activism related to Mayday Celebrations: RTS, Another Europe Is Possible Carnival and March, Grassroots Bring The Noise,
- the racist referendum,
- the Bush visit,
- plus campaigns that came out of the last ISF such as DAPSE,
- and I am sure I left some new campaigns out.

Anyway, there has been no clear consensus on whether we should still go for a 2nd ISF this June given the timing and the lack of people available to organise it. Many of you are still interested in having June event (but do not have time to come to weekly meeting so as to organise it), while others would prefer to see another October event (where many of you have said you will have more time).

This Thursdays meeting on the 29th is a chance to discuss this again.

Hope to see lots of people there,
If you cannot make it and wish to air your views, do mail me before lunchtime on Thursday and I will read them out at meeting,
all the best everyone,
solidarity,
Barry Finnegan
- on behalf of DSF and the ISF Comms Working Group.
085-1423454