ABSTRACT
Between 13 and 15 October 2008, the Asia-Europe People’s Forum, a bi-regional network of over 500 social movements and civil society organizations, held its seventh international meeting in Beijing. This was just one month after the collapse of Wall Street and the spread of financial crisis across the world. The Forum, under the general theme of “For Social and Ecological Justice,” was deeply concerned with the emerging global economic crisis, and called for a redesign of the global financial system. The Transnational Institute and Focus on the Global South, two eminent international Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), convened informal nightly sessions along with the Forum’s meetings and issued a more radical statement signed by more than 300 intellectuals, social movement and non-governmental organizations. The statement defines itself as an initial proposal for debate on global policy reforms and considers the global crisis as an opportunity for transformation (Transnational Institute et al. 2008). The world is experiencing a multiplicity of crises in relation to the economy, food, climate and energy. This will not leave any excuse for authorities to undervalue the alternatives by simply labeling them as idealistic. The growing coverage of crises, mixed with people’s anger and dissatisfaction, will strengthen the global opposition to neoliberalism. According to the statement from the Transnational Institute et al. (2008):
There is a new openness to alternatives. To capture people’s attention and support, they must be practical and immediately feasible. We have convincing alternatives that are already underway, and we have many other good ideas attempted in the past, but defeated. Our alternatives put the well-being of people and the planet at their centre. For this, democratic control over financial and economic institutions are [sic] required. This is the “red thread” connecting up the proposals.
