The Philadelphia Social Forum
While the world’s richest men met in New York at the World Economic Forum, thousands of the world’s progressive people met in San Paulo, Brazil, at the World Social Forum. Among them was Dennis Brutus, South African poet and activist. Since then Dennis has been called the Johnny Appleseed of Social Forums, since wherever he visits, he leaves people inspired and wanting to have a social forum of their own. There are now about fifteen local Social Forums around the world.

The idea is for progressive people to get together to: discuss, debate and exchange ideas, or as the World Social Forum Charter of Principles puts it: “ The World Social Forum is an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals, free exchange of experiences and interlinking for effective action, by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to neoliberalism and to domination of the world by capital and any form of imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society directed towards fruitful relationships among Mankind and between it and the Earth.”

The Philadelphia Social Forum has been meeting at Robin’s Book Store, 108 S. 13th Street, the first Sunday of each month at 3PM since March 2002. Our next event is:


February 2, 2003 - Making a Killing: Corporate Responsibility in America



We have had speakers and discussed the following:


January 5, 2003 – Non-Violence for Social Change with George Lakey

November 3, 2002 - No Cause for Alarm:Industry and Public Health
October 6, 2002 - It's a Free Country:Personal Freedom After September 11
September 8, 2002 – (due to Labor Day) film showing of Another World Is Possible with discussion by individuals who attended the World Social Forum and planning for the future of the Philadelphia Social Forum. Organizations and individuals are invited to participate to discuss how we can work together and support each others work.
August 4, 2002 – Arms Control and International Law with Ambassador Thomas Graham
July 2, 2002 – War and Terrorism with Howard Zinn
June 2, 2002 – Sex, Censorship & Your Child with Marjorie Heims and Judith Levine
May 5, 2002 – New Labor Movement with John Lavin
April 7, 2002 - American Drug Policy with Judge James P. Gray
March 3 2002 - report on the world social forum and a discussion of What Is To Be Done?

To subscribe to our mailing list. Please write 'subscribe to social forum' on subject line, thanks.


Back to Main Page