Accompanied by thousands of trade unionists who demonstrated in the capital of Mexico on May Day, delegates from numerous countries opened this year's World Social Forum (WSF) with a kick-off event. It included a ceremony by indigenous people from Bolivia, dances from the Cheran region of Mexico and speeches by delegates from different countries. The May Day demonstration also expressed solidarity with various struggles for self-determination, such as Palestine, Western Sahara, indigenous movements from Latin America and Kurdistan.

The forum will take place throughout the week in Santo Domingo, in the historical center of the city, where numerous working groups will meet.

Leo Gabriel, Austrian anthropologist and journalist, member of the Grupo Renovador México del FSM (GR-FSM), reiterated to journalists that the transformation of the WSF into an active entity was the main objective of this event. “We believe the time has come not just to talk but to act," he said.

The general goals of this meeting include the consolidation, promotion and participation in self-organized dialogue processes that strengthen alliances, projects and initiatives for networked actions at national and international levels in which common global strategies are to be developed and implemented.

The program includes discussions on the fight against imperialism, capitalism, state rule, patriarchy and racism, the defense of life, democracy, autonomy and self-determination of peoples. Various topics such as art and culture for life, communication and digital sovereignty, peace building, disarmament and strategies against wars, structural violence and migration will be discussed.

Delegates from the "Kurdish Network" and the "Academy of Democratic Modernity" will also take part in the discussions by bringing their revolutionary experiences of building democratic autonomy in Kurdistan and the perspective of Abdullah Öcalan's democratic world confederalism. There will also be other online events on the topic. For more information, visit the World Social Forum website and digital media.