The 10th edition of World Social Forum (WSF) is kicking off tomorrow – Sunday, February 6 – in Dakar, Senegal. Until February 11, thousands of delegates from various civil society organizations will be meeting together within the context of capitalism in crisis, which calls for novel, global solutions. The Confédération des syndicats nationaux will be there once again this year.
Nine people form the CSN delegation, which includes its vice-president, Louis Roy. On February 9, he will lead a special workshop on the Quality Public Services – Action Now! campaign. This campaign was launched last fall in Geneva by the Council of Global Unions, which brings together large democratic union federations from all countries. One of its objectives is to convince municipalities and public administrations to become involved in promoting and defending public services, particularly by endorsing a global charter.
On February 9 in the afternoon, the CSN representatives will participate in the union forum organized as part of the WSF by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), to which the CSN is affiliated internationally. On February 8, a union staff representative from the CSN research department, Nathalie Guay, will be part of a panel on the social economy and solidarity, organized by the International Labour Office, a United Nations agency.
Delegation
Besides Louis Roy, the members of the CSN delegation to the World Social Forum are:
Daniel Tessier, Conseil central de Lanaudière (CSN);
Marjolaine Côté, Fédération des employé-es de services publics – CSN;
Dominique Daigneault, Gaétan Châteauneuf and Lisa Courtemanche, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN;
Micheline Thibodeau, Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec – CSN;
Nathalie Guay, union staff representative, CSN research department.
The delegation will be accompanied by filmmaker Chloé Germain-Thérien, the winner of the CSN video contest [re: public] held last year.
These delegates will take part in various workshops and seminars among the hundreds of events offered at the 2011 WSF. Workshops on issues involving public finances, economic development, health, education and the status of women will be followed in particular by the CSN.
About the World Social Forum
Created in 2001, the World Social Forum is a citizens’ response to the big economic summits such as the Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which is being held at approximately the same time. Contrary to that forum, the WSF is open to broad-based participation of citizens and civil society organizations. It is intended to be the global point of convergence of all movements engaged in the struggle against neo-liberal ideology. It seeks to develop fair and equitable alternatives to capitalist globalization. The CSN has taken part in every edition of the WSF since it was created in 2001.
About the CSN
Founded in 1921, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux now has more than 300,000 members.
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For information and interviews with members of the CSN delegation to the World Social Forum:
Jean-Pierre Larche, CSN communications department
514 605-0757
