The address of the venue for the Bangalore meeting is :

Karnataka Central Diocese
Church of South India (CSI)
No. 20, 3rd Cross, CSI Compound
(Behind Unity Building, J.C. Road)
Bangalore-560 027

Greetings!

In the meeting of India General Council / India Working Committee / India Organising Committee held on February 28-29, 2004 in Mumbai everybody agreed that WSF 2004 was a great success. We all are energised by the pluralism and diversity that was visible as well as by very impressive presence of grassroot sections, particularly, dalits and women. WSF 2004 has left an indelible mark on content and methodology of WSF. It has led to the deepening of the Charter of Principles with inclusion of 5 foci;namely;imperialist globalisation, war and militarisation,patriarchy,religious fundamentalism and discriminations and exclusions based on
work and descent.The concept of 'open space' was enhanced by having many large events that were self organised.Many new issues were also brought in for the first time,e.g. children's rights , disability, rights of sexual minorities.

All this helped in making WSF 2004 a unique event.

The meeting  discussed ways of consolidating further the WSF process in India and take forward the struggle against the imperialist globalisation.

Several suggestions like holding Indian Social Forum, South Asian Social Forum and Asian social Forum have come up. Some have suggested we needed to take a more active role in the Asian process. Others suggested that we need to strengthen the state processes and also build regional and campaign based processes. Some have suggested rearticulating Activists'Assembly at India level. All these suggestions point to the fact that we need to think more concretely how we want to connect with WSF 2005 and take the WSF process
in India forward.

There were also critical observations that were made. It was felt that while we have  come together in the WSF process in India, we have yet to succeed in bringing the groups together for a larger movement: we have not succeeded in building closer and stronger alliances in spite of coming together. We haven't been able to reach out to many parts within India. We also have not been able to openly discuss our weaknesses and differences and resolve  them.

We have so far not engaged with the issue of competence and efficiency and rigorous work culture though we have commitment and desire to work. We have also to evaluate the event fully as our structures that we had build for WSF2004.

It was thought that a wider consultation is needed to take this discussion further and arrive at a concrete plan.

We invite you to a consultation on Future of WSF process in India?
scheduled to take place on June 18-20, 2004 at Bangalore. The broad objectives of the consultation are to discuss:
 

1.Welcome from the Karnataka Social Forum and report of activities

2.Presentation of the WSF 2004 report- Amit and Nandita, Discussion and
follow up if any for winding up the WSF 2004

3. Report of the IC meeting:
A) How to connect to WSF 2005, specially as IOC and BOC constitute the
joint secretariat of WSF 2005
B) Formation of groups to work with the various Commissions- Content,
Methodology, Expansion, Strategy, Communication, etc
C) Any other follow up

4. Next activity ( Indian Social Forum / South Asian Social Forum )and
formation of groups/distribution of tasks, based on
 decisions taken)
a) venue.
b) Objectives
c) Content/ main themes/
d) other suggestions/inputs and formation of groups /distribution of
tasks,
based on decisions taken

5. Asian Social Forum- report of meeting with Korean representatives
during IC meeting

6. Organisational structure for continuing with the future tasks
 of WSF India

7. Website

Further details of venue and registration costs will be conveyed soon.
You are requested to kindly mark these dates in your diary and proceed with your travel arrangements at the earliest.

 warm regards,

India working Committee

source: thro' email by [anitaandedwin]