from Johanne, one of the four members of the LEVIER delegation to the Forum

Here in Belem, little by little, we are feeling the effects the thousands of people arriving to take part in this World Social Forum, as the event returns to Brazil where it first began… only this time with the prominent participation of the Amazonian indigenous peoples. As it is written in the Forum program, the WSF 2009 is taking place in a context of several world crises indicating that we are perhaps facing a crossroads of civilization… The WSF program furthermore states that more than ever, it is about time we changed our heading… What an objective!

One of the characteristics of the WSF Forum is that it invites the emergence of alternative ways of being together on this planet, beginning with the ways in making things happen. Activities are self-directed with a deliberate respect for diversity of actions (from simple gestures to international activism - this respect not being easy to get so far in the last forums), and the avoidance of any form of hierarchy. Each individual is expected to be responsible for her or his own participation and the general flow of the Forum.

Instead of aiming for common proposals, the emphasis is on creating dynamic opportunities for exchange and alliance-building between individuals and groups who share certain affinities. This is what I am looking for here, another LEVIER (lever), an organization that does elsewhere the same type of work that we do in Montreal.

Good luck to me!

Meanwhile, we immerse ourselves here (in the hostel where we are staying), in the economies of solidarity, because all the current residents work in this field — whether they be French, Spanish, Venezuelan, Catalans; from Luxembourg, Belgium, or Peru.

The photos document the ambiance that is slowly installing itself on the university campuses where the majority of the activities will take place. Note particularly the mixtures of cultures; the enormous voluntary effort to gather the documents which are being given to the participants (notice the amount of piled up bags, on standby, waiting to be filled, one of those documents being with the monstrous program compiling the more than 2000 registered activities); the gymnasium where registration will take place; an (extremely limited) view of the Youth campsite, with its colored tents (which as of yesterday still had no sanitary facilities on the spot, only showers!); and  one of the means of transport used to go to Belem…

The Forum opens officially today, with the traditional walk bringing together all the participants.

To be continued…

Engrenage Noir / LEVIER will take part in the upcoming World Social Forum to will be held in Belem (Brazil) from January 27 through February 1, 2009 by offering a workshop entitled COMMUNITY ART AS A TOOL TO FIGHT POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION. Four individuals will participate in facilitating this workshop including participants from LEVIER sponsored projects:

Johanne Chagnon will present the work of LEVIER and in particular our most recent initiative entitled IN OUR LIFETIME. Johanne will also present the collaborative video created to document the community art project she participated in (hosted by the non-profit organization LE CARRÉ in the Hochelaga Maisonneuve neighborhood of Montreal);

Maria, one of participants of the community art project hosted by Herstreet will present the collaborative video created to document the project she took part in and will talk about the art project and the video documentation process;

Laea Morris, one of participants of the community art project hosted by Head and Hands will present the collaborative video created to document the project she took part in and will talk about the art project and the video documentation process;

Aleks Zajko, of the Société Elizabeth Fry du Québec – co-organizer (with LEVIER) of the three-year pilot project entitled Agir par l’imAGinaIRe – will present some of the work that has been created to date by the criminalized and incarcerated women involved in the project aimed at challenging the systemic forces leading to the criminalization of poverty and the impoverishment of the women who get caught up in the criminal justice system.

LEVIER’s participation in the World Social Forum extends the work of speech/action explored and strengthened during the different LEVIER-sponsored projects to be presented. The fact that two of the participants (rather than the facilitating artists involved in the different projects) will be presenting in the Forum deserves to be underscored.

LEVIER’s presence in the World Social Forum is intended to further strengthen our connections with organizations outside of Quebec working with art in the struggle against impoverishment. At the same time we envision that our participation in the World Social Forum will have direct repercussions back home in the Quebec community art network.