17.07.2002

November 6-10 2002, Florence

Up to 30,000 people will be meeting between November 6 and 10 in Florence to discuss a wide range of political issues

The three main topics are 'Anti-imperialism', 'Anti-war' and 'For citizen's rights/anti-racism', but there will be plenty of meetings on other subjects. The big plenary sessions in the mornings and the smaller seminars in the evenings will be organised under the authority of the ESF - ie, the ESF as a whole decides who speaks on what subject. However, the smaller workshops in the afternoon will be autonomous and political parties, social movements and NGOs can organise those under their own initiative. The city council of Florence and the region of Tuscany, both under local PDS administrations, have offered to pay some of the expenses. The region of Tuscany will cover the use of the semi-privatised fortress of Florence, where the meetings will take place - at a cost of over €300,000 (�200,000). The city council has offered €100,000 for the hiring of translators, and will fund the accommodation of 5,000 people. It will provide free (or subsidised) public transport for all participants. "November is the worst month with regard to tourism,"� explains Stefano from Rifondazione Comunista. "They hope that the ESF will bring a lot of positive media attention and paying tourists."� No doubt the former Eurocommunist party will also benefit from the political influence all this will buy it in the Italian anti-capitalist movement.