This year, Florida Atlantic University took an unprecedented step into the arena of networking for justice, human rights and nonviolence at the first United States Social Forum hosted in Atlanta, Georgia.
The U.S. Social Forum (USSF) branched out of the World Social Forum first celebrated in Porto Alegre, Brazil back in 2001 under the banner of “Another World is Possible.” The purpose of this newly formed alliance of thousands of delegates from many countries was to provide an open platform to discuss people’s ideas and strategies to help solve common global and social problems that included the most atrocious human rights’ violations. Shedding light on these issues resulted in a unparalleled conference that set the pace for an ever-changing and progressive world.
In June of 2003, the WSF International Council launched a project to begin planning what we call today the first United States Social Forum. The most important objective of this conference was to provide a space where people could discuss issues of national importance in a nonviolent manner. The next priority was to arrive at a consensus that would assist in reaching national goals that often involve solutions to some of the world’s most tragic human rights’ violations. Under the banner of “Another World is Possible, a New U.S. is Necessary,” the dates for the conference were set by the Council and registration opened to each and every person who wished to attend either as a community or an individual.
This was when FAU jumped in to form its own Social Forum with the goal of educating and networking within the University’s seven campuses, as well as different schools and colleges across the United States. With our own fund-raising efforts and 10 students willing to travel to Atlanta for this paramount event, the FAU Social Forum put forth all of its energy and effort to create a workshop in which youth could learn about involvement in activism. And so the workshop was named, “Is Youth Activism Still Alive?” a title certain to attract young people! Without a doubt our faculty advisor and all FAU’s Social Forum members assembled an engaging and fun workshop that all attendees clearly enjoyed.
Many lessons were learned. The FAU Social Forum workshop was just one of the many meeting places where people heard about the hard work of activists from different age groups and parts of the world, but most importantly this experience showed that despite our differing convictions, beliefs and values our basic human desire to help others in need called thousands of people to be at this one place and time, where all were heard despite a disability, language barrier, origin, ethnicity or race.
Please inspire us and let us know if you would like to be part of the FAU Social Forum. You may contact this group through:
Myspace.com/fausocialforum
