2001
Porto Alegre, Brazil
The World Social Forum (WSF), launches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in 2001 as a counter-space to the Davos World Economic Forum, quickly grows into a global arena for resistance—replicated in local, regional, and thematic forums worldwide. Defined by horizontal, self-managed organising, it becomes a crucible for movements challenging neoliberalism and imperialism.
From the outset, DAWN plays a critical role: confronting neoliberal orthodoxies, exposing the persistence of patriarchal power, even within progressive movements, and carving out autonomous spaces for feminist debate. By forging cross-movement alliances, DAWN ensures that Southern feminist critiques of globalisation, justice, and democracy shape the heart of the WSF agenda.
