21.11.2002

Call of the European social movements

This statement was presented at the last day of the ESF on November 10. While the anodyne formulations are essentially unobjectionable, the way it was produced leaves much to be desired. The draft was never presented to any of the international preparatory meetings of the ESF, despite the urging of a number of organisations. The Italian comrades instead insisted on discussing it in front of at least 4,000 people who attended a meeting in an old, disused railway station. However, it was hard to follow the discussion in the dark, windowless hall, as translation devices ran out at an early stage. Speaker after speaker attacked neoliberalism and privatisation, but, as in the other big conferences, real debate was just not possible

We have come together from the social and citizens movements from all the regions of Europe, east and west, north and south. We have come together through a long process: the demonstrations of Amsterdam, Seattle, Prague, Nice, Genoa, Brussels, Barcelona, the big mobilisations against neoliberalism, as well as the general strikes for the defence of social rights and all the mobilisations against war, show the will to build another Europe. At the global level we recognise the 'Charter of principles' of the World Social Forum and the call of social movements of Porto Alegre. We have gathered in Florence to express our opposition to a European order based on corporate power and neoliberalism. This market model leads to constant attacks on the conditions and rights of workers, social inequalities and oppression of women and ethnic minorities, and social exclusion of the unemployed and migrants. It leads to environmental degradation, privatisation and job insecurity. It drives powerful countries to try and dominate the economies of weaker countries, often to deny them real self-determination. Once more it is leading to war. We have come together to strengthen and enlarge our alliances because the construction of another Europe and another world is now urgent. We seek to create a world of equality, social rights and respect for diversity, a world in which education, fair jobs, healthcare and housing are rights for all, with the right to consume safe foods produced by farmers and peasants, a world without poverty, without sexism, without racism, and without homophobia. A world that puts people before profits. A world without war. We have come together to discuss alternatives, but we must continue to enlarge our networks and to plan the campaigns and struggles that together can make this different future possible. Great movements and struggles have begun across Europe: the European social movements are representing a new and concrete possibility to build up another Europe for another world. We commit ourselves to enlarge our networks for the next year in the following mobilisations and campaigns: * Against neoliberalism * Against war * Against racism * Against sexism and homophobia * For rights and 'another Europe' * Glimpse of what is possible * Symbols * Which way for PRC? * Towards a European party * Bitter taste of SWP arrogance sours day