As we emerge into the 21st century, it is clear that the people of this planet face enormous challenges, in the area of ecology, climate, equitable development, human rights, peace, and maintaining cultural diversity. Neo-liberal globalisation and the commodification of every aspect of life (culture, biology, public space, relationships, services) is compounding the problems we face, through favouring the short term interests of multi-national corporations and the super rich over the interests of ordinary people, the world’s desperate poor, marginalised, future generations, and the Earth’s ecosystems.

The Melbourne Social Forum (MSF) inherits it’s origins from the World Social Forum which was initiated in 2001. The World Social Forum is a meta-collaboration between groups in the Alternative Globalisation Movement – thousands of NGOs, community grassroots groups, and civil society to dialogue, reflect and act in increasingly effective ways toward the acknowledgment that ‘another world is possible’.