OFM-Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) at the World Social Forum (WSF) "Another World Is Possible"

 

The JPIC Animation Commission of the Order, Francisco O'Conaire ofm,

Deputy Director, Rome, Bobby Vadakkal ofm, India, Alejandro Castillo ofm, Mexico, Joe Rozansky ofm, USA and Larry Bernard ofm, a member of the English Speaking-JPIC Council, along with representatives from Franciscans International, participated in the third WSF in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 23-28 of January, 2003.

 

Irineo Gassen ofm, provincial of St. Francis of Assisi Province and Luciano Bruxel ofm, JPIC Animator and the rest of the brothers warmly welcomed the visitors and provided them with logistical support.

 

One of the eight members of the organizing committee of the WSF describes the WSF "as an initiative designed to overcome neoliberal globalization and bring about a globalization based on solidarity, democracy, and sustainability."

 

The Forum, attended by more than 100,000 people, offered ll conferences, 30 panels, 50 personal testimonies, 4 dialog and controversy round tables and more than 1000 workshops. They were organized under five headings: (1) Sustainable Democratic Development, (2) Principles and Values, Human Rights, Diversity and Equality, (3) Media, Culture and Alternatives to Mercantilization and Homogenization, (4) Political Power, Civil Society and Democracy, (5) The Democratic World Order, The Struggle Against Militarization and the Promotion of Peace.

 

The friars chose different events to attend, reflect upon and share about later. During the Forum they had one gathering with Brazilian friars to evaluate Franciscan participation and to consider future participation, especially in India in 2004 and in Porto Alegre, 2005.

Some of the lasting impressions were: huge numbers of young people; the presence of many religious men and women, including some one hundred Franciscans from Brazil and the world; an inter-Franciscan celebration for peace; popularity of conferences with a spiritual focus; deep dissatisfaction with the current neoliberal model of globalization; a general consensus for peace and against war, particularly the impending war against Iraq; and hope for the future manifested in the ever increasing networking capacity among NGOs and civil society.

 

The brothers expressed their commitment to share with the brothers of the Provinces what was learned, to connect what happened at WSF with our evangelization work, to promote Franciscan values, and to promote and participate in local, area and world events of this kind.