DEMOCRACY FORUM VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM, FINLAND

By Thomas Wallgren

On 19 May 2003 a new association was formed in Finland by the name Democracy Forum Vasudhiaba Kutumbakam. VK-Finland has roots in the cooperation between some South Asian and some Nordic NGOs, research organisations and individuals in the democracy and solidarity movements that began towards the end of the 1980s and has continued since then. Active partners have worked with the Delhi-based network node Lokayan and researth institution Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, the Finnish umbrella organisation for Development NGOs Service Centre for Development Cooperation (Kepa), the Finnish activist group Coalition for Environment and Development and other organisations such as Friends of the Earth, Sweden and the Network Institute for Global Democratisation, NIGD.

The cooperation has focussed on practical experiments and theoretical reflections on new forms of solidarity, with a special emphasis on the democratisation of North - South relations. During the last years cooperation with trade union activists and with green, left and centrist party organisations has been a more important and integral part of the activities than before. We are proud also that the network born through these 15 years of activity also contributed in 2001 to 2003 to establishing the political contact between Latin American, African, Nordic and Asian groups that finds expression in the decision to shift the venue of the World Social Forum in 2004 from Porto Alegre, Brazil to Mumbai, India.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Coalition for Comprehensive Democracy has been active in South Asia since 2001 as an informal network of individual activists and independent working groups. In South Asia VK has organised a number of workshops and dialogues on economic democracy, the future of socialism, health politics and other issues. The main contact and coordination unit is in Delhi, with senior activist Vijay Pratap as the convenor.

Plans to found Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam as a registered entity in Finland had been discussed since 2001. By the Spring 2003 clarity was reached on both issues with VK defining itself as an independent forum involving both party and non-party activists from the centre-left, that will contribute to the WSF-work and also keep up independent domestic activities as well as close cooperation with VK South Asia.

The founding meeting of VK-Finland was held on 19 May in Helsinki with some 40 people present. Statutes were accepted and a 17 member board was unanimously elected. The first chairperson is Ms. Satu Hassi, MP, chairperson of the Finnish Green Party and former cabinet minister for environment and development cooperation. There are four co-chairs: Ms. Elena Gorschkow, co-chair of the youth NGO umbrella Allianssi and parliamentary assistant for foreign minister Erkki Tuomioja, Ms. Mirja Ryynanen a former MEP from the centre party, Mr. Esko Seppanen, MEP for the Left League and Thomas Wallgren, a philosopher from the University of Helsinki and long-time activist in the alternative movement sector. The twelve board members, active in a wide range of movement groups, academia and parties are Yrjo Hakanen, Outi Hakkarainen, Ville-Veikko Hirvela, Risto Isomaki, Liisa Jaaskeläinen, Anastasia Laitila, Iivi Masso, Pertti Multanen, Rosa Merilainen, J.P.Roos, Olli Tammilehto and Kai Vaara.

The activity plan for the first year outlines work by independent committees on, initially at least World Social Forum activities and the future of the European Union plus founding activities such as setting up a minimal secretariat and web-pages.

Contact: Thomas Wallgren, vice-chair. thomas.wallgren@helsinki.fi.