PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
High profile personalities exptected at Dakar World Social Forum
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) – Several high profile personalities are expected at the 11th edition of the World Social Forum (WSF) planned from 6 to 11 February in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, according to the chairman of the organising committee, Mr. Mamadou Mignane Diouf.
In an interview with the Senegalese private radio Sud FM in Dakar, Mr. Diouf said organisers were expecting former Brazilian President, Lula Ignacio da Silva, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, President Evo Morales of Bolivia and President Alpha Condé of Guinea.
Other personalities expected are the former president of Mali, Alpha Omar Konaré, the chairman of the African Union Commission, Mr. Jean Ping and several members of the French Socialist Party, including Ségolène Royal and Martine Aubry.
Mr. Diouf said WSF was a forum for knowledge sharing and alternative proposals to make a better world. The first WSF was organised in Porto Allègre in Brazil in 2001.
He said the organisers were still struggling to balance their budget as only 48 per cent of the money had been obtained.
"We have a problem balancing the initial budget estimated at 1.8 billion FCFA (about US$3.6 million)."
Mr. Diouf said the deficit was due to difficulties facing organisations supporting the Forum because of the world financial crisis. He added that the organising committee relied on the support of international NGOs, registration fees from participants and "silent partners".
Nevertheless, he said, the Forum, which brings together 50,000 people on the theme, "The crisis of the system and civilizations" would take place.
-0- PANA SIL/JSG/MSA/MA 5Feb2011
In an interview with the Senegalese private radio Sud FM in Dakar, Mr. Diouf said organisers were expecting former Brazilian President, Lula Ignacio da Silva, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, President Evo Morales of Bolivia and President Alpha Condé of Guinea.
Other personalities expected are the former president of Mali, Alpha Omar Konaré, the chairman of the African Union Commission, Mr. Jean Ping and several members of the French Socialist Party, including Ségolène Royal and Martine Aubry.
Mr. Diouf said WSF was a forum for knowledge sharing and alternative proposals to make a better world. The first WSF was organised in Porto Allègre in Brazil in 2001.
He said the organisers were still struggling to balance their budget as only 48 per cent of the money had been obtained.
"We have a problem balancing the initial budget estimated at 1.8 billion FCFA (about US$3.6 million)."
Mr. Diouf said the deficit was due to difficulties facing organisations supporting the Forum because of the world financial crisis. He added that the organising committee relied on the support of international NGOs, registration fees from participants and "silent partners".
Nevertheless, he said, the Forum, which brings together 50,000 people on the theme, "The crisis of the system and civilizations" would take place.
-0- PANA SIL/JSG/MSA/MA 5Feb2011
