A European Social Forum took place in Florence, Italy the week of 6/10th November billed as ≥an open meeting space for in-depth reflection, democratic debate, free exchange of experiences and planning of effective action among entities and movements of civil society engaged in building a planetary society centred on the human being.≤ It is an offshoot of the World Social Forum that took place in Porto Alegre, Brasil a where 'civil society', Unions, NGO's and activists converged to give a positive counter to the World Economic Forum of business leaders in Davos and later New York.

The official event ran concurrently with a number of other initiatives including: The Euro@ction Hub project [pics | report] - an interconnection tool and space to reflect upon the media, processes of political production, communication between activists and new forms of expression; The Disobedienti No Work No Shop space - an axis of discussion and experimentation researching questions of knowledge and intellectual properties, income and new forms of workplace conflicts, Zapatism and diplomacy from below, Europe and migrants; Additionally the Cobas union and MAT held separate events showing the breadth and limits of such a European social justice movement.

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Reports:
Sat 9th: Up to 1 million people are currently taking the streets of Florence to demonstrate their opposition to the War; see participant's first impressions and overview. Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Photos:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6, videos: 1 | 2 and video streaming.

Fri 8th: Disobedienti occupy Caterpillar factory, meanwhile a Hub Street parade has taken place [Photos 1 | 2 | 3]. Report of a NoSweat seminar. Photos of the critical mass.

Thu 7th: Day One + pics, A Hub report, and explanation. Photos of anti-war demo at US Army base Camp Darby 1 | 2

There have been rumours of the borders being blocked, and reports are coming in of a UK participant being turned back.

ESF website | Indymedia Italy