The peoples of Central and Eeastern Europe have not received either what they expected from the system change or what they were promised. These dissapointments and the specificities of the region stimulated the initiators of the CEESF to organize a regional social forum. This article is about the brief history, the main goals and the programme of the Preparatory Assembly of the CEESF to be held in Budapest between 14 and 16 October 2005.
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM (CEESF)
„Deceived Central-Eastern Europe”
Preliminaries, brief history of the Initiative for CEESF
The peoples of Central and Eeastern Europe have not received either what they expected from the system change or what they were promised. These dissapointments and the specificities of the region stimulated the original initiators of the CEESF, i.e. the Bulgarian, the Polish, the Hungarian and the Romanian ATTAC organisations (in Budapest on 12th February 2005) to make a proposal to organize a regional social forum. We came to the conclusion that while the previous European Social Forums (Florence-2002, Paris-2003, London-2004) provided opportunities for tens of thousands of people opposing the destructive consequences of globalisation to participate in debates, to look for alternatives as well as to organize common actions and in order to strenghten the movement to build networks on regional, continental and global level, in the meantime - for financial and other reasons – only rather few people could be involved in the social forum process.
In our region the nationalisms stirred up by the élite try to turn the peoples of similar fate against each other. Such a forum could demonstrate clearly that the peoples of the region refuse the policy of „divide and rule” and take their common fate consciously. They are aware that their condition can be improved by international collaboration.
The specific development of the Central and Eastern European countries, the grave social consequences of the globalisation experienced in the last one and a half decades (e.g. the dramatic rise of poverty and umenployment, the dissemination of extreme right ideas, the support of the Iraqi war against the will of the majority of the peoples, the food secutity scandals, etc.) make it necessary that the relatively weak social movements of this part of Europe join forces, analyse the situation, elaborate alternatives, establish effective networks and realize closer cooperation.
At the same time we deem it absolutely necessary to strenghten our relations with the developing countries facing more or less similar situation.
For the above reasons we will launch the preparatory work in Budapest between 14th and 16th October 2005 in the frame of a meeting, which is a Conference, a Preparatory Assembly of CEESF and a Seminar Meeting of European Attacs at the same time.
Main goals of CEESF
1. To demonstrate that the peoples of the region oppose the nationalist propaganda instigating the inhabitants and nationalities of different countries against each other;
2. To rouse the social movements of the region, to open up a new prospect to their collaboration in order to put an end to the advancing neoliberal globalisation by joining wide forces (including the developing countries);
3. To make a report on the economic, political and cultural situation of peoples of the region;
4. To make proposals for improving the conditions of the great masses of the people as well as for the way of international cooperation necessary for safeguarding their interests.
In harmony with the basic principles of the WSF (i.e. the Porto Alegre Charter) the initiators of the CEESF stand in opposition to a process of globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the governments and international institutions at the service of those corporations interests, with the complicity of national governments. We uphold respect for Human Rights, the practices of real democracy, participatory democracy, peaceful relations, in equality and solidarity, among people, ethnicities, genders and peoples, and condemn all forms of domination and all subjection of one person by another. Our goal is to establish a global society based on solidarity between the peoples and their equal rights.
CEESF target groups
The CEESF wants to offer a space for the organisations and movements of the civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society. Mainly the civil society of the ex-socialist countries is to be involved, but it is open towards the developing countries as well. Neither party representations nor military organizations nor government institutions shall participate in the CEESF.
Measures taken upto now for the realization of CEESF
1. In the letter dated of 26th April 2005 addressed to the International Secretariat of the World Social Forum we requested to support our Initiative emphasizing its close linkage to the social forum movements as well as to the Porto Alegre Charter of Principles. The Initiative was hailed by the WSF as well as by several organisations and individuals working together in the frame of the European Social Forum.
2. Our Initiative was declared at the Prague European Preparatory Assembly (held between 20-22 May 2005)of the 4th ESF, which will take place in Athens in April 2006.
3. We started organizing the CEESF in April 2005.
4. Venue and date of the Meeting of the International Organizing Committe (International Working Group) are proposed to be in Bucharest/Romania in the first half of July 2005.
(not yet confirmed)
5. The Central and Eastern European Social Forum is expected to be held in automn 2006 or in
2007.
Draft Programme
Time Event
14 October 2005 (Friday)
Morning session: Conference of ESZMELET: lectures of well-known left-wing national and foreign intellectuals on the globalisation and its impacts
Afternoon session: Plenary of Initiative for CEESF: “What hurts Central and Eastern Europe?” – opening speech, introductory discussion highlighting the similarities of problems of the developing world and our region (poverty, unemployment, inequality, indebtedness, etc.) The idea of joining forces of the region, opposing to the nationalist instigation as well as demonstrating it by the peoples’ readiness for collaboration are to be put into the focal point.
Evening: Party
15 October 2005 (Saturday)
Morning (before noon): Working Groups*, in which participants give information about the situation of their own countries concerning the given subject and make proposal how to coordinate their international activities in the future. Then each WG formulates a brief statement, which could be part of a final declaration and can be presented at the next ESF.
Afternoon: Closing Plenary: reports of WGs, debate, formulating of the final declaration, debate , what to be done in the future.
Evening: Spectacular demonstration followed by closing party.
16 October 2005 (Sunday)
Meeting of European Attacs (Seminar)
*Planned Working Groups (Seminaries)
The position of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the world, its relation to the world
Poverty (in the region and in the developing world)
Nationalism-racism-fascism
Possibilities for trade unions’ collaboration
Environment protection
Women’s position
Position of Education
Role of the Media
„Another world is possible” – What is it like?
Anyone interested in the preparation of the CEESF is welcome! Please contact: Matyas BENYIK
Phone/Fax: +36 1 282 70 92, mobile: +36 30 252 43 26, E-mails:
mbenyik@freemail.hu or mbenyik@freestart.hu
„Deceived Central-Eastern Europe”
Preliminaries, brief history of the Initiative for CEESF
The peoples of Central and Eeastern Europe have not received either what they expected from the system change or what they were promised. These dissapointments and the specificities of the region stimulated the original initiators of the CEESF, i.e. the Bulgarian, the Polish, the Hungarian and the Romanian ATTAC organisations (in Budapest on 12th February 2005) to make a proposal to organize a regional social forum. We came to the conclusion that while the previous European Social Forums (Florence-2002, Paris-2003, London-2004) provided opportunities for tens of thousands of people opposing the destructive consequences of globalisation to participate in debates, to look for alternatives as well as to organize common actions and in order to strenghten the movement to build networks on regional, continental and global level, in the meantime - for financial and other reasons – only rather few people could be involved in the social forum process.
In our region the nationalisms stirred up by the élite try to turn the peoples of similar fate against each other. Such a forum could demonstrate clearly that the peoples of the region refuse the policy of „divide and rule” and take their common fate consciously. They are aware that their condition can be improved by international collaboration.
The specific development of the Central and Eastern European countries, the grave social consequences of the globalisation experienced in the last one and a half decades (e.g. the dramatic rise of poverty and umenployment, the dissemination of extreme right ideas, the support of the Iraqi war against the will of the majority of the peoples, the food secutity scandals, etc.) make it necessary that the relatively weak social movements of this part of Europe join forces, analyse the situation, elaborate alternatives, establish effective networks and realize closer cooperation.
At the same time we deem it absolutely necessary to strenghten our relations with the developing countries facing more or less similar situation.
For the above reasons we will launch the preparatory work in Budapest between 14th and 16th October 2005 in the frame of a meeting, which is a Conference, a Preparatory Assembly of CEESF and a Seminar Meeting of European Attacs at the same time.
Main goals of CEESF
1. To demonstrate that the peoples of the region oppose the nationalist propaganda instigating the inhabitants and nationalities of different countries against each other;
2. To rouse the social movements of the region, to open up a new prospect to their collaboration in order to put an end to the advancing neoliberal globalisation by joining wide forces (including the developing countries);
3. To make a report on the economic, political and cultural situation of peoples of the region;
4. To make proposals for improving the conditions of the great masses of the people as well as for the way of international cooperation necessary for safeguarding their interests.
In harmony with the basic principles of the WSF (i.e. the Porto Alegre Charter) the initiators of the CEESF stand in opposition to a process of globalization commanded by the large multinational corporations and by the governments and international institutions at the service of those corporations interests, with the complicity of national governments. We uphold respect for Human Rights, the practices of real democracy, participatory democracy, peaceful relations, in equality and solidarity, among people, ethnicities, genders and peoples, and condemn all forms of domination and all subjection of one person by another. Our goal is to establish a global society based on solidarity between the peoples and their equal rights.
CEESF target groups
The CEESF wants to offer a space for the organisations and movements of the civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society. Mainly the civil society of the ex-socialist countries is to be involved, but it is open towards the developing countries as well. Neither party representations nor military organizations nor government institutions shall participate in the CEESF.
Measures taken upto now for the realization of CEESF
1. In the letter dated of 26th April 2005 addressed to the International Secretariat of the World Social Forum we requested to support our Initiative emphasizing its close linkage to the social forum movements as well as to the Porto Alegre Charter of Principles. The Initiative was hailed by the WSF as well as by several organisations and individuals working together in the frame of the European Social Forum.
2. Our Initiative was declared at the Prague European Preparatory Assembly (held between 20-22 May 2005)of the 4th ESF, which will take place in Athens in April 2006.
3. We started organizing the CEESF in April 2005.
4. Venue and date of the Meeting of the International Organizing Committe (International Working Group) are proposed to be in Bucharest/Romania in the first half of July 2005.
(not yet confirmed)
5. The Central and Eastern European Social Forum is expected to be held in automn 2006 or in
2007.
Draft Programme
Time Event
14 October 2005 (Friday)
Morning session: Conference of ESZMELET: lectures of well-known left-wing national and foreign intellectuals on the globalisation and its impacts
Afternoon session: Plenary of Initiative for CEESF: “What hurts Central and Eastern Europe?” – opening speech, introductory discussion highlighting the similarities of problems of the developing world and our region (poverty, unemployment, inequality, indebtedness, etc.) The idea of joining forces of the region, opposing to the nationalist instigation as well as demonstrating it by the peoples’ readiness for collaboration are to be put into the focal point.
Evening: Party
15 October 2005 (Saturday)
Morning (before noon): Working Groups*, in which participants give information about the situation of their own countries concerning the given subject and make proposal how to coordinate their international activities in the future. Then each WG formulates a brief statement, which could be part of a final declaration and can be presented at the next ESF.
Afternoon: Closing Plenary: reports of WGs, debate, formulating of the final declaration, debate , what to be done in the future.
Evening: Spectacular demonstration followed by closing party.
16 October 2005 (Sunday)
Meeting of European Attacs (Seminar)
*Planned Working Groups (Seminaries)
The position of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in the world, its relation to the world
Poverty (in the region and in the developing world)
Nationalism-racism-fascism
Possibilities for trade unions’ collaboration
Environment protection
Women’s position
Position of Education
Role of the Media
„Another world is possible” – What is it like?
Anyone interested in the preparation of the CEESF is welcome! Please contact: Matyas BENYIK
Phone/Fax: +36 1 282 70 92, mobile: +36 30 252 43 26, E-mails:
mbenyik@freemail.hu or mbenyik@freestart.hu 
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