This year, the meeting bring artists and governmental representatives from around the world to the Brazilian state of Rio Grande del Sur in a themed edition: Capitalist crisis, social and environmental justice.

As well as Porto Alegre, the cities of San Leopoldo, Nueva Hamburgo and Canoas will play host to the activities from 24th-29th January. The Themed Social Forum 2012 aims to be a meeting point of people from social movements who want to present alternatives to the current global political and economic systems.

The call of the Forum highlights the seriousness of the crisis in the richest economies and the anger against the growing inequalities that have not found responses other than “more privatizations” or the defence of “those privileged by the government or international businesses”.

Additionally, the fight of the people is currently given new life by vast expressions against financial capitalism and its corporations. The document points that the world is living in a “unique moment”, where it is necessary to save the total of the World Social Forum, started in 2001.

The theme of the 2012 Forum is linked to upcoming debates for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio + 20. This event will take place in Rio de Janeiro, next June.

Between the themes presented by the UN, the so-called “green economy” proposal stands out.

The UN defines it as “an economy that results in an improved well-being for humanity and social equality, at the same time as significantly reducing the environmental risks and ecological scarcity”.

Also called the “low carbon economy”, its defenders signal that it is “efficient in the use of natural resources and socially inclusive”.

Mauri Cruz, one of the organisers of the Themed Social Forum, expressed that the event in Puerto Alegre would present different visions of the theme. She assured that there are sectors that think that from inside the green economy debate there could be a process of confrontation to the capitalist model.

However, Cruz explained that is not the majority position inside the Forum. Social movements, environmentalists and environmental investigators question the emptying of the concept of “sustainability”.

Miguel de Borba, of the Jubilee South Network, affirmed that the so-called “green economy implies greater devastation of nature and greater worker exploitation. In counterpart, the wealth will still be concentrated in just a few hands”.

De Borba assured that the current model of development “privileged big capital, big industrial investment”. And signalled that this takes place “with public funds whilst education, health and social cuts are undertaken”.

Twenty years after the Eco ‘92, also in Rio de Janeiro, humanity consumes 30% more than the planet is able to support each year, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

For the organisers of the Forum, the meeting is an opportunity to construct reflections to be presented as much in the official Rio + 20 Summit, as in the parallel Summit of the People.

The Forum is expected to receive between 30 and 40 thousand people. More than 900 self-managed activities will enrich the programming of the meeting of social organizations. (PÚLSAR)