Revolutionary Awareness in the WSF  · Global Voices
Iria Puyosa

Bloggers attending the World Social Forum in Caracas have been speaking out with constructive criticisms on organizational pitfalls. Issues related to transportation, the youth camp facilities, and information problems have been widely addressed by critical bloggers.
A Berkeley student recounts her  journey across Caracas’ city parks and surrounding natural reserve parks in what turned to be a camp on  the move.  Ten Bard College students co-authoring a collective blog coined the word (dis)organization to summarize the event’s pitfalls.
A Muslim blogger points out different opinions among attendees about Venezuelan government intervention in the Forum. The issue is related to the critical debate focused on the WSF's future path of political action agenda-setting, critical debate forum, or civil society meet up.
Latin American bloggers attending the event have been less vocal about criticisms, and more focused on praising the workshops and roundtables they have attended. Bloggers connected to the open source and the free software movements are excited about the Troll Party held in the Forum. Venezuelan blogger Luigino Bracci opines that the government agency in charge of promoting the usage of free software in Venezuela should follow this path, and hold similar events to disseminate the advantages of open source software among common people.
A group of Venezuelan bloggers against state intervention of the economy and welfare policies opened a blog devoted to report “grudgingly” about the deeds of the lefties attending the WSF. Meanwhile, US bloggers who are not attending the Forum are buzzing about Cindy Sheehan’s participation in an anti-war demonstration.
The odd piercings and tattoos that a person can get in Caracas are creating a fun side at the WSF.  Venezuelan bloggers also report on a never-ending series of parties for both Forum goers and protesters.
The tragicomic note is brought by foreign Chávez's supporters wanting their picture to be taken mocking up  the act of firing guns at Puente Llaguno, the place in which more than dozen of Venezuelans were killed when an opposition demonstration attempted to go to the government house to call for president Chávez's resignation on April 2003.
In any case, the Forum attendees appear to be gaining a lot from the discussions going on in Caracas. As one of the  Bard College’s students says, “awareness is a revolution in itself, all else follows directly.”
Tags: Foro Social Mundial | World Social Forum