janeiro, 25 2012

WWF-Brazil will be present at the World Social Forum, the principal discussion and mobilization event on the agenda of the global social movement, scheduled to take place from January 24 to 28 in Porto Alegre (capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul). On the 26th at 9 in the morning, in the Legislative Assembly building of Rio Grande do Sul, the Comitê Brasil in Defence of the Forests and Sustainable Development will be promoting a round table on “The Brazilian Forest Law Reform”.

Former senator and environment minister Marina Silva, Via Campesina coordinator João Pedro Stedile, Greenpeace’s Amazon Campaign director, Paulo Adário, director of social movements for the National Students Union, Rodolfo Mohr, and WWF-Brazil CEO Maria Cecília Wey de Brito will all be participating in the debate on behalf of the Comitê, along with representatives of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) and of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops (CNBB).

At the World Social Forum, the Comitê Brasil in Defence of the Forests will present the global public with a series of analyses of the discussions, procedures and voting on the changes being proposed to the Brazilian Forest Law. Invited participants that have confirmed they will attend are Federal Representatives for São Paulo state Ivan Valente (PSOL) for the parliamentary opposition and Paulo Teixeira, the PT’s party leader in the House. Last Friday (Jan. 20), President of the Republic Dilma Rousseff received an invitation to attend but has yet to reply.

WWF-Brazil CEO Maria Cecília Wey de Brito notes that socio-environmental issues will be the centre of attention at this year’s edition of the World Social Forum. “It is of fundamental importance that Brazilian society at large should take up the debate on the proposed alterations to the Forest Law and play an active role in the respective decision making process. Up until now the House of Representatives and the Federal Senate have entirely ignored collective interests and acted only to the benefit of those that have committed deforestation”, she insisted.

The Forum will be officially opened at 3 pm on January 24 with a march starting from the Largo Glênio Peres, in the centre of Porto Alegre.

Another activity of the Comitê Brasil in Defence of the Forests and Sustainable Development at the Forum will be a meeting of members of its state sections for the purpose of aligning action strategies for the various states during 2012.

For further information on the Forum visit www.forumsocialmundial.org.br