Ten years ago the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre burst onto the world stage giving social movements and civil society the space to challenge the orthodoxies symbolised by the World Economic Forum. IPS global news agency was there, and now in 2010 is launching a year of coverage as World Social Forum 2010 promotes more than 35 global, regional and thematic events during the year, on every continent.

The “IPS TerraViva World Social Forum 2010” online site will provide independent, professional reporting in many languages from as many of the events as possible, along with comment and analysis on the challenges that drive social movements. Will the WSF stay relevant and innovative? Read IPS TerraViva to find out.

Prominent civil society activists like Walden Bello, Kumi Naidoo, Kerry Kennedy and Candido Grzybowski are already contributing op-eds you can read at the IPS TerraViva site.

Coverage of the events will gather momentum at the Greater Porto Alegre 10 Years Social Forum, 25 – 29 January, in Porto Alegre, that meets to debate on the theme: “10 years later: challenges and proposals for another possible world”. Continuing coverage will come from the Bahia Thematic Social Forum, 29 – 31 January, in Salvador, Bahia, which has as its main theme: “Dialogue, cultural diversity and civilizational crisis”.

Teaming up with multi-media partners AMARC, WSF TV and the Ciranda news pool will increase audio, video and independent reporting linked to the site.

IPS TerraViva has been involved and has reported on the WSF process from the 2001 outset in Porto Alegre. The complete online IPS TerraViva newspaper archive available at IPS TerraViva WSF 2010 provides a unique contribution to understanding the history and achievements of this hugely influential global social process.

Inter Press Service (IPS) is a communications institution with a global news agency at its core. IPS raises the voices of the South and civil society and brings a fresh perspective on globalisation and development.

For more information visit our website or write to media@ips.org