 April 2004
American Friends Service Committee Peacework Magazine Sara Burke, Managing Editor Sam Diener, Editor Pat Farren, Founding Editor 2161 Massachusetts Ave. Telephone number: Fax number:
pwork@igc.org Peacework has been published monthly since 1972, intended to serve as a source of dependable information to those who strive for peace and justice and are committed to furthering the nonviolent social change necessary to achieve them. Rooted in Quaker values and informed by AFSC experience and initiatives, Peacework offers a forum for organizers, fostering coalition-building and teaching the methods and strategies that work in the global and local community. Peacework seeks to serve as an incubator for social transformation, introducing a younger generation to a deeper analysis of problems and issues, reminding and re-inspiring long-term activists, encouraging the generations to listen to each other, and creating space for the voices of the disenfranchised. Views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of the AFSC. |
Boston Social Forum: Networking Movements Jason Pramas, a long-time Boston labor organizer with the Campaign on Contingent Work, is coordinator of the Boston Social Forum. He is also a member of SEIU Local 888. We're bringing the World Social Forum process to Boston. The Boston Social Forum (BSF) will be held on July 23-25 at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, the weekend just before the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The BSF, like the rest of the World Social Forum process, will provide a space for fragmented social movements in the Northeastern US (and guests from all over) to gather and discuss our visions for a better future for our city, our region, our nation, and our world. The BSF will feature hundreds of workshops, panels, cultural events, and giant convocations of the entire body. Here are some early highlights of what we can expect: Joe Gerson at AFSC has arranged for many peace leaders from around the world to participate in the European Peace Network meeting that will be happening at the BSF. Plus, Walden Bello, one of the most famous thinkers and activists in the global movement against corporate globalization, has tentatively agreed to speak. Mark Solomon and the Committees of Correspondence have arranged for Angela Davis, Manning Marable, and Bill Tabb to join us as well. Critical Breakdown will host the Active Arts political hip-hop conference at the BSF. They will be bringing well-known and outspoken hip-hop artists to our happening, and much energy, excitement, knowledge and, of course, music. Two presidential candidates are interested in leading panels; Dennis Kucinich (Democrat) on the creation of a Department of Peace and David Cobb (Green Party) on Corporate Personhood. A BSF Film Festival will likely take at independent movie theaters in the Boston area the weekend before the BSF, and then throughout the entire BSF in rooms dedicated to that purpose. There has also been a rogue proposal to show Simpsons episodes in one room for the entire BSF weekend.
In late breaking news, UK singing phenom and socialist Billy Bragg
has now confirmed that he'll attend the BSF. We're looking into
having him headline a big concert during the BSF. For more information,
please call 617-338-9966, or see www.bostonsocialforum.org.
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