Porto Alegre, Brazil: The World Social Territory

Action
From January 26 - 31 Josh and I attended the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. This was the fifth World Social Forum, a congregation of people involved in social movements around the world meeting under the theme, “Another world is possible” and strategizing against neo-liberalism and for social justice.

Though there were around 150,000 participants, the organizers tried to create the feel of more intimate communities. The sessions were divided into eleven thematic groups. The physical layout of the site was divided into 11 parts as well, so I ended up spending much of my time in the tents where sessions grouped under the theme “Human rights and dignity for a just and egalitarian world.” In addition to tents where sessions were held, the cluster of tents for each theme included internet tents, art exhibits and a space where various groups offered brochures and information about their organizations. Most importantly, every cluster of tents included a line of Port-A-Potties, which to the best of my knowledge were always fairly clean.

Sign marking the human rights section, where I spent most of my time.	Tents from another section. This was taken the last day when the site was the most empty. Usually there were more people out.

As a participant, I received a tote bag made by a local cooperative. On the third day of the forum, the strap to my bag broke. I had remembered seeing some sewing machines by a food tent the day before, so I decided to head over there. After a friendly Spanish/Portuguese conversation, two women from a sewing cooperative repaired my bag free of charge.

In fact, all the services, from the construction of site to food services were provided by cooperatives. Even the computer software in the internet tents throughout the site used open source software instead of Microsoft products.

Reflection
During my time at the World Social Forum, I was most impressed with the infrastructure of the site. From basic things to easy access to bathrooms (as I was recuperating from an intestinal infection, this was important to me) to the attempt to make a gigantic event feel more friendly and navigable, I felt like the organizers succeeded in creating a comfortable temporary community. The infrastructure was even more meaningful to me, because behind the physical plan, was the ideological goal of presenting a viable alternative to capitalism. For six days I participated in a world where services were provided by people who also take part in the management of their businesses, and if something broke, it was repaired free of charge. The attention to an infrastructure based on an equitable economy also legitimized the event for me, because the organizers had the integrity to create a microcosm of the world they were fighting for.

Question
When have you been in an environment that resembles the world you want to live in?