Climate Change Action

Power to the people. (MP3, 56MB)

'We are the millions of women and men, organisations, networks, movements, trade unions from all parts of the world. We come from rural zones and urban centres. We are of all ages, cultures and beliefs, but are united by the strong conviction that another world is possible. With our diversity - which is our strength - we invite all men and women to undertake throughout this week creative actions, activities, events and convergences focusing on the issues and expressing them in the ways they choose.'

This was the call to action made by the organizers of the World Social Forum (WSF). The first year, 20,000 responded to such a call. The next year - 100,000. Now in its eighth year, an estimated million people took part in a Global Day of Action on 26 January 2008. Nicola Bullard, from Thai-based Focus on the Global South, joined Radio New Internationalist's Chris Richards to whip around the world so that we can hear what people were doing and saying out there on the streets.

On the beach at Rio de Janeiro, Moema Miranda from the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analysis (IBASE) remembers back to the conversations around the table at which the WSF was born.
Outside a seminar room in Lahore, Mahar Safdar Ali - the General Secretary of Anjuman Asiaye Awam - explains the connections between nuclear weapons and visas.
Fresh from a rally in Seoul, young organizer Mikyung Ryu explains the Korean issues that are motivating her people to act.

Befitting the diverse energy of the WSF Global Day of Action, African and Colombian beats collide in today's CD - Voodoo Love Inna Champeta-land performed by Colombiafrica: guaranteed to get all ages up from their seats and dancing in the streets.

Labels: wsf