Alternatives - International

Saturday 25 December 2004 by Alternatives international

We are living in an era in which the assault from neoliberal capitalism is becoming brutal and barbaric, in the background of a lack of a check which was earlier provided by the soviet system of socialism, where the UNO is vetoed and ignored by the aggressive imperialistic actions of the USA, where pre-emptive actions are being carried on with impunity. The new empire building has accelerated its moves since September 11.

On the other hand it is also clear that the so-called unipolar world is a myth in the light of the growing resistance from the people of this is world. The struggles against the international financial institutions carried out in many major centers around the world, the gaining momentum of the anti-war movement are an indication that the battle of ideologies is far from being over. A concrete expression of this resistance to the neo-liberal world order is the world social forum. This process has started building a new value system in political discourse, is providing space to alternative models of development and at the same time is providing healthy critique of the traditional left discourse.

We represent the diversity which forms the basis of our unity. As clearly stated in the World Social Forum (WSF) declaration "… will always be a forum open to pluralism and to the diversity of activities and ways of engaging of the organizations and movements that decide to participate in it, as well as the diversity of genders, ethnicities, cultures, generations and physical capacities... It upholds respect for Human Rights, the practices of real democracy, participatory democracy, peaceful relations, in equality and solidarity, among people, ethnicities, genders and peoples, and condemns all forms of domination and all subjection of one person by another."

In the face of these challenges and in an effort to strengthen our participation we are forming this Alternatives-International as a coalition of like-minded organizations and movements all over the world. We are:

A coalition of social movements actively participating in the struggle for social and political transformations
A coalition which promotes international solidarity for democracy, social justice, human rights and sustainable democratic development against imperialism, militarization and racism.