[fse-esf] Athens - hungarian position

[Simó Endre]

Position of the Hungarian Social Forum cwg on the ESF held in Athens


   The Coordination Working Group of the Hungarian Social Forum 
considers successful   the 4th European Social Forum held in Athens, 
from 4 to 7 May 2006. We thanks to the activists of the social 
organisations, trade unions, movements co-operating in the frame of 
the Greek Social Forum, to have guaranteed the success of this event 
by their self-sacrificing job, their readness to help and their hospitality. 
We felt quite weel in Athens, and we have contributed to the success 
of the ESF.
   The HSF cwg has participated at the Athens ESF with a delagation of 
27 members and more six interpreters. Ten of the participants have 
played an active role as speakers at 16 seminars and assemblies. They 
were:
1.	Dr. Gábor Jánosi, vice president of the Longway Program for 
the Defense of Health Association (HEP) presenting a new healthcare 
model based on the participatory democracy method.
2.	Miklós Várhalmi, expert in Defense and Security speaking 
about the Collective System of Defense of the future Social Europe we 
want.
3.	Imre Gajda, co-president of the Source of Life Foundation for 
the Defense of young people (Létforrás) on the Evictions and Poverty in 
Hungary.
4.	Mrs. Szilágyi Jánosné has illustrated the situation of Womens 
Rights in Central and Eastern Europe.
5.	Mrs. Dr Czugler, Judit Ivány, has exposed how her 
Confederation of the Workers Councils (MOSZ) imagine the planned 
Social Europe.
6.	Dr. József Sipos, representative of the Social Political Sector 
of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP-TPT) has presented a report on 
the National Minorities Rights in Central and Eastern Europe, in a 
seminar on the Rigths to the Self-determination of Stateless Nations, 
human and social rights.
7.	Béla Fekete, of the Movement of Democracy in Society (TDM) 
has indicated the resources of Energy of the Social Europe to build up.
8.	József Márton Gold, President of Civic Parliament Federation 
has expressed our minds about the Democratic Refoundation of Europe 
taking part at the seminar on „Rethinking Europe”.
9.	Vera Volentics, President of the Longway Program for the 
Defense of Health Association (HEP), has resumed the hungarian 
experiences in the seminar organised about The Violence against 
Womens.
10.	Endre Simó, representing the HSF cwg and the Association of 
Peoples living below the Social Minimum (LAÉT) has presented a report 
on the Poverty in Eastern Europe. In  the Charter Assembly he has 
introduced the hungarian proposals concerning  the Charter of the 
planned Social Europe of Peoples. In the seminar about Permanent 
War and Terrorism,  he has also exposed the position of the HSF cwg 
about both international problems.

   The representative of th HSF cwg took part at the redaction group for 
the Declaration of the Assembly of the Movements, approved on 7th 
May. It was on hungarian initiative, the final text of the Declaration 
includes among others: „We emerge from the ESF in Athens (
) with a 
common determination to fight for Peace, Jobs and Secure Exuistence”. 
Parts regarding „unacceptable violence, barbarisms”, and minorities 
rights.
   
   The Hungarian Social Forum cwg agrees with the final Declaration of 
the Movements, because it resumes our common goals and 
alternatives against Wars, Neoliberalism and Racism, by impelling us to 
further fights.
  
   We consider wonderful the Demonstration on 6th May albeit Black 
Block has troubled the peaceful march. At our opinion the extremist 
provocators have tried to bring about the failure our demonstration. 
They have tried to present their own agressivity, destroying and 
shattering attitude as it was caracterising the peacefuly demonstrating 
mass. They tried to merge us with themselves. The HSF cwg energically 
demarcates itself from the extremists. Our pisiton is, that Black Block 
has nothing to see with the social and human values guiding us. The 
European Social Movement must defend itself phisically and 
intellectually against the tendencies of extremism, it is not permitted to 
make concessions.

  Some seminars of the 4th ESF has been caracterized by interesting, 
high level, deep debates. But generally the analysis of the different 
situations has yet prevailed on the necessary solutions, the seeking for 
common ways, alternatives and conclusions  pointing ahead. We see in 
this a sign of weakness, because it limitates the possibility of joining of 
social forces and a more efficient political behaviour.

   During the evaluation debate of 16th May held in Budapest about the 
ESF of Athens opinion was expressed that „it had been better to have 
less seminars with deeper and more fruitful debate”. We have been 
unable to achieve our purpose to have one hour of presentations and 
two hours of debate, dialogues, questions and answers. Because of 
this, the spirit of democracity and common act of will have been 
wounded. In some seminars there were 10-15 speakers wanting to 
speak, but there was no time for all of them. Not always moderators 
have been equals to the task: in some cases they did not understood 
the theme they had to moderate. Seminars have been troubled by 
many many technical problems. More interpreters were unable to 
satisfy their tasks, because unprepared or/and without experiences. 
Because of the lack of a central information desk, it was very difficult to 
find some rooms. Some seminars have begun one hour, one hour and a 
half later. At the opinion of our participants the catering was very 
complicated and involving a waste of time. They propose to introduce 
the self-sevice system in the next ESF.
   Because of the mentioned problems regarding contents and technics, 
we propose to the movements and organisations co-operating in the 
frame of the European Social Forum to organize the next ESF with new 
methods, by boldly cutting with  unefficient methods, in order to go 
forward in our actions more efficiently. (HSF cwg organisations will 
present concrete proposals to the EPA of September, about how to go 
forward.)

   The organisations co-operating in the HSF cwg have decided to make 
efforts to directly integrate themselves into the european networks. 
They propose to have concertation meetings during the period 
between two ESF-s, in order to concretize the common goals and tasks 
for the a more efficient fight.


Budapest, 20th May 2006-05-21

                                                                                HSF CWG


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