Brazil wants expanded debate on environment, land reform and hunger combat at forum

15/01/2006 - 9h44

Ana Paula Marra
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – At the 6th World Social Forum's Latin American session, which takes place at the end of the month in Caracas, Venezuela, the objective of the Brazilian government will be to expand the debate on environment protection, land reform and combating hunger and misery. According to Luiz Dulci, the secretary general of the Presidency, those issues are Brasilia's priorities.

'We are going to participate in a spirit of contributing to the social movement and try to learn from the other participants," said Dulci, in an Agencia Brasil interview. He called the decision to split the forum into three separate sessions on three different continents at attempt to make it more participatory and democratic. [The 6th WSF begins in Bamako, Mali, from January 19 to 23; it then moves to Caracas, Venezuela, from January 24 to 29; the third and final session will take place in Karachi, Pakistan, in March].

Brazil will send representatives to all the sessions. In Mali, the head of the Special Secretariat for Racial Equality, Matilde Ribeiro, will participate. In Venezuela, the representation will be greater: President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be present (he has attended four of the past five forums), along with the ministers of Environment, Marina Silva, and Agrarian Development, Miguel Rossetto.

Translation: Allen Bennett