Press statement

 

The Uganda Social Forum: Building Uganda, Our responsibility!

 

World leaders meet annually at the World Economic Forum to conspire on how to exploit the poor, rape the earth in order to enrich a few. To extend the grip of multilateral corporations, the agents of this process of impoverishment, globalization was invented in the last decade. Since 2001, Civil Society has been engaged in the creation of an alternative World through the World Social Forum whose theme is: Another World is possible – a world of justice, equity and peace. 

Since its inauguration in Brazil, World Social Forums have fast become a popular way to organize worldwide as evidenced by the increasing number of people who participate in them. From a paltry 15,000 in Porto Alegre in 2001 to about 120,000 in the Indian city of Mumbai in 2004, the Social Forum has become a popular mechanism which is  that is being replicated in different countries of the developing world, because it gives real hope that an alternative and better world, situation, etc is possible.  As a matter of fact, the 2007 World Social Forum will be hosted by East Africa. 

In that same spirit, we civil society representatives hereby today announce our resolve to launch the Uganda Social Forum on November 10^th 2005 at Nambole National Stadium, under the theme, “building Uganda - our responsibility”. For we too strongly believe that another Uganda is possible. 

at the Social Forum, we reject the current conventional means of getting people’s voices through seminars, workshops and conferences which inherently exclude the vast majority of those who either can not afford to be consulted or do not have the “skills” to operate in a restricted environment that prevails in workshops and conferences. A Social Forum will mean getting the voices of those groups amplified to higher levels with no intermediaries.  At the Social Forum, the people will speak for themselves, in their own language with no interpretation and their message will ring out.  

The Social Forum philosophy presents an avenue for a unique and energizing experience that is based on self selection as opposed to identification; independent representation as opposed to formal representation and, a natural festive spirit as opposed to artificially created manipulated and predictable environments and outcomes. 

Therefore, when the Uganda Social forum is launched on 10th November 2005 at Namboole Stadium, something new will unfold. Hundreds and possibly thousands of ordinary Ugandans, women, men, children, ethnic minorities will gather to strategise on how to build our Uganda.  For long there has been talk of playing fields not being equal - be it in politics, commerce, international negotiations and the like. At the Social Forum we shall demonstrate how playing fields can be leveled. Because at Namboole the hierarchies will be collapsed and the so-called powerful and the powerless operate at the same level; there will be no high tables, no special VIP treatment; no nothing. 

The space will be provided to all Ugandans to show the best practices in building the country. Different forums of communication will be employed – music, dance, drama, miming, art, Ebitontome/embevugo; mweso, sports – each under a theme and each with a message. Broad themes include Gender and Women empowerment; Health and HIV/AIDS; Democracy and Good Governance; Media and development; Conflict resolution and Peace Building; Trade; Environment; Human Rights; Regional Integration; Ethnic  minorities  and development, to name but a few. 

The Social Forum will demonstrate to a high degree that it is possible to respect diversity and to be tolerant of each other’s views and ways of life. However, while everyone will be included, there will be some exceptions: those who advocate the use of force and those who display socially undesirable practices and tendencies will find no room at the Forum. Likewise, politicking will be discouraged. 

We invite you to follow the preparatory process and be there to cover this historic event that is beginning a revolution in the way people organize to get their voices ringing out and a better Uganda emerging. I thank you for your attention and interest.   

Warren Nyamugasira 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Uganda National NGO Forum

On behalf of the Uganda Social Forum Coordinating Committee  

27^th September 2005 

 

List of Civil Society Organisations Involved in the preparation for the launch of Uganda Social Forum

 

1. Uganda National NGO Forum
2. Development Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations (DENIVA)
3. ActionAid International Uganda
4. Netherlands Development Organisation - SNV
5. Human Rights Network Uganda (HURINET)
6. Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC)
7. Uganda Land Alliance (ULA)
8. Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN)
9. Civil Society Organizations for Peace in Northern Uganda (CSOPNU)
10. African Women's Economic Policy Network (AWEPON)
11. CARE International in Uganda
12. Concern Worldwide
13. Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE)
14. Council for Economic Empowerment of Women of Africa (CEEWA)
15. Action for Development (ACFODE)
16. Development Research and Training (DRT)
17. Kabalore Research and Resource Centre (KRC)
18. National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU)
19. Uganda National Health Consumers Organisation (UNHCO)
20. Caritas Uganda

21.  Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)

22. Centre for Development Initiatives

23.  Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN)

24. Harvest Leadership Consultancy
25. National Union of Disabled Persons in Uganda (NUDIPU)
26. Pan African Movement
27. Anticorruption Coalition of Uganda (ACCU)
28. SEATINI