I went to an "organising" meeting for the UK or GB or English (it hadn't even been decided!) delegation to the ESF. I only found out about it because of thinking it a wise idea to check out ALL websites (including GR!) in the run-up to an interesting time.

Anyway, usual shite. Pre-fabricated adn pre-decided agendas even to the the point where they 'ackowledged' Italy as being at the forefront of the Social Centre movement, but tried to refuse an Italian from speaking! Anyway, i had better things to do with my time so i left. Best thing to suggest is that we all get behind the european version of the PGA (not sure what it's called but someone told me about it recently. Email and i will get details for you)

Good luck!

MedicineMan

Where did you read of meeting? Where was it? Any more leads?

Is this linked to the
World Social Forum
that one used to find at:

 http://www.worldsocialforum.com

but no DNS entry for at moment but when I looked a while back it seemed rather liberal but quite good as liberals stuff goes.

They also have info still up at:
 http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/eng/index.asp

opps I should have looked before posting above but have now seen article reffered to or atleast on the ESF.

 http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=29432&group=webcast

Though I assumed it was an article outside IMC else above would have been put as comment to it, or ref.

The People's Global Action, European Conference will be from 31st August to 4th September 2002, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Details at  http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/pgaeurope/leiden/index.htm.

Peoples Global Action (PGA) Europe Questionnaire

FROM WHO:

The PGA-Europe Global Contacts Working Group

FOR WHO:

For all those groups, movements, networks and collectives in Europe that participate in PGA, identify with the PGA, have an interest in PGA and/or who agree with the basic PGA organizational principles and hallmarks (See:  http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/en/)

OBJECTIVES

The main goal is to get to know each other better in order to facilitate our communication, coordination and organizing. A secondary goal will be to help facilitate the participation of collectives and movements that identify with PGA-Europe in the European Social Consulta process.

There are several concrete objectives that can help us achieve this:

· Learn about the state of the PGA network in Europe. Make an up-to-date list and description of collectives that participate or are interested in the European PGA process.
· Solicit the opinion of people in the network with respect to the current organization and functioning of the PGA network in Europe, particularly with respect to the European-wide PGA working groups that came out of the last convenor and technical support meeting this past December 17 to 19 in Leiden (Netherlands). We are particularly interested in the following issues: a) Convenor tasks and structure (or lack thereof) of the PGA in Europe, b) Support groups and the need to widen the level of collaboration in the technical work to support the network, c) Sustained PGA campaigns and how to implement them in Europe, d) Form and contents of the next European PGA Gathering.
· Learn about the perspectives, projects and future priorities of the groups affiliated with PGA so that we as convenors can best facilitate the process of convergence through the PGA network around the most high priority issues and themes.
· Determine the level of interest and knowledge in the European Social Consulta process on the part of groups that identify with PGA Europe.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We realize that some people and collectives might not feel comfortable with sharing information publicly in this way, or with the project of compiling a public database of this sort. We respect everyone's wishes not to participate, and will make sure to check with everyone before publishing anything publicly. However, we want to point out that we only intend to include information that is ALREADY available publicly. We feel that this can be an extremely important and useful tool in order to help build and improve the PGA network in Europe, which we can only do effectively if we know who we are and what kinds of open and public grassroots organizing we do.

PROCEDURE FOR THE QUESTIONNAIRE:

· Please send your responses to the following e-mail address:  mrginternacional@gmx.net.
· We would appreciate any responses, from an individual, affinity group or organization, but please specify who signs the response.
· It would be interesting to publish information, opinions and proposals on the European section of the PGA website, so we ask that if you do not want your response published, or a part of your response, let us know so we can respect your wishes.
· The Questionnaire is comprised of 5 parts and several questions in each part, in addition to information about you. You can answer the questions you wish, any or all of them, especially all of those which you think are important to express your opinion about.

THE QUESTIONNAIRE

1) About You:

Explain everything that you feel is of interest about your collective, including how to get in touch with you (e-mail, telephone, web), relation to the PGA process, current areas of work, projects and future priorities.

2) About the role of convenors and technical support work for the network:

The meeting in Cochabamba made clear that the continental networks have the autonomy to determine their own forms of coordination beyond the agreements reached in the global meetings. Because of that and because we think the coordination among our European networks can be greatly improved, we would like to debate the role of the convenors and all of the tasks related to this role (you can learn more about the role of convenors at www.agp.org). In addition, at the last European Convenor and Support Group meeting in Leiden (Netherlands) from December 17 to 19, we established several European-wide Working Groups to help the co-convenors carry out the technical work of supporting the PGA network in Europe.

The Working Groups that are currently operating, include: 1) Communication Tools- website, listserves, etc. ( pga-europe-communications@groenfront.nl) 2) Finances ( pga-europe-finances@groenfront.nl) 3) Global Contacts ( pga-europe-global@groenfront.nl) 4) and the European Gathering ( pga-europe-conference@groenfront.nl). To inquire about participating in these groups, or forming new ones, you can also send a message to:  mrginternacional@gmx.net.

a) What knowledge do you have about the current structure of the European PGA network?
b) What do you think about that structure?
c) What proposals do you have regarding this issue?
d) What do you think are the main tasks that the convenors should could carry out?
e) How do you think the support groups around various specific tasks should function?
f) Do you have any proposals about any of these specific areas mentioned above?


3) About Sustained Campaigns and the Calendar for 2002.

As we suppose you already know, at the conference in Cochabamba, we agreed to carry out three broad sustained campaigns, to be further elaborated in each of the distinct territorial spaces (See:  http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/en/). In defense of water and land, B) Against militarism, paramilitarism and repression, and C) Consultation Processes in regional contexts as a way to advance the debate and collective work form a wide base. In Leiden, we discussed how to implement these campaigns in our networks and coordinate them with the already existing networks working on these issues. This is an important discussion that needs to be continued, particularly at the next European Regional Gathering. With this in mind, we would like to ask:

a) How do you think we should work on these sustained PGA campaigns in Europe?
b) Do you agree with these campaigns that were decided on in Cochabamba? Do you propose any other campaigns for Western Europe?
c) How do you think we can connect the sustained PGA campaigns with the networks that are already working on these issues in Europe?
d) What should be the role of the European convenors in the process of sustained PGA campaigns?
e) What dates and struggles do you think should be priorities in Europe during 2002/2003, especially those we can coordinate at the European level?

4) About the next European PGA Gathering, which is tentatively being scheduled for September in Holland:

a) What should the main objective(s) be?
b) What issues and themes would you discuss at the gathering?
c) What other ideas do you have about the gathering?

5) About the European Social Consulta (see: www.consultaeuropea.org)

a) Do you know about the European Social Consulta Project?
b) Are you interesting in participating in the process?
c) Are your members interested in taking part in a regional Promoter Group?
d) What ideas do you have about the project, and how groups and collective that identify with PGA Europe can best participate?

I also went to the meeting mentioned by the Wombles member above, but as an active participant rather than as someone with a pre-fabricated cynicism (and agenda?). The main aim of the group is to get as many people as possible from Britain to the European Social Forum in Florence in November. Check out the website for details of the mobilisation and for where the next meeting is (it will be 20th May).
There was a discussion as to whether certain contributions were best made in the smaller groups we broke down into in order to discuss individual aspects of the mobilisation, but noone was 'stopped from speaking'. The group is open to anyone who wants to make the ESF a success and already has a range of political and trade union groups and individuals involved. Come along!

It sounds similar in idea to the european encentro (not sure how you spell it) that I've heard about. Anyone know any more about this?

I also went and agree with the womble that it was too set up already. To me a ESF would be a place for me to talk and be open, but all i saw were groups mobilising for vienna or florrence - no attempt to see what sort of forum could exist in london or to think about setting it up, dispite many poeple bringing this up. This is what i mean by set agenda, yes people can be listened to but you will be ignored.

I don't want to slag of the idea of a ESF or a london one - just i have to ask those that organised this meeting to think really what is it about... Is it about people in london / uk having a say or about organising busses to a meeting in europe...

I am sure a forum of sorts will exist in london but it will take time and patience, and not a little trust between the bigger parties and the individuals that come along.

PS someone mentioned above about a european Encuentro, i think you may be refering to the european PGA network and their 'consulta' - i have not heard much about where this is as yet but think it will be worth the look when it comes about - or maybe they are waiting for me to get off my arse and sort it out myself... hmmmmm maybe i should!