«Public Eye» in Porto Alegre

24. September 2002

Porto Alegre, 24.09.2002 - On Monday, September 23, the World Social Forum 2003 was launched in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Present at the launch ceremony were Olivio Dutra, Governor of the Brasilian state Rio Grande do Sul, and João Verle, Mayor of Porto Alegre. As in previous years, the third edition of the World Social Forum will be held in Porto Alegre, from January 23 - 28, 2003. Some 100,000 delegates, mostly from social movements across the world, are expected to participate.

Also present at Mondays's launch ceremony in Porto Alegre were two delegates of the Berne Declaration. By inviting the Berne Declaration, which hosts the international conference "Public Eye on Davos", the organizers of the World Social Forum underlined the shared purpose of the two organizations as they search for alternatives to a globalization dominated by business interests. "The spirit of Porto Alegre will melt the glacial spirit of Davos", said Andreas Missbach of the Berne Declaration in his message to the Forum¹s organizers.

The fourth "Public Eye" Conference, to be held in Davos from January 23-27, will confront corporate leaders at the World Economic Forum with the demands of civil society. Last year¹s edition of the conference was held in New York, after the World Economic Forum moved its meeting there in a gesture of solidarity with the city after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.