ASIA/INDIA - MORE THAN 1,300 JESUITS TO ATTEND BOMBAY SOCIAL FORUM IN JANUARY TO DISCUSS GLOBALISATION AND EXCLUSION, TAKING SIDES WITH THE POOR

Bombay (Fides Service ) – More than 1.300 Jesuits from all over the world will take part in the 4th World Social Forum WSF in Bombay 16 - 21 January 2004, Father Joe Xavier S J, head the organising committee told Fides.
The WSF is a major world meeting to reflect on the problems and challenges of globalisation and their impact on the world at the social level. According to the organisers some 100,000 participants will come from all over the world to discuss ways to build a more just world. The six day event will consist of public meetings, seminars, debates on subjects such as, globalisation, peace, ethnic and religious violence, racism, caste or sexual discrimination social exclusion.
“The distinguishing character of the Jesuit participants – Father Joe Xavier told Fides – is that they will side with the people, the poor, the excluded. With the approval of Father Lisbert D’Souza, President of the South Asia Jesuit Conference Jesuits from all over the world committed at different social levels will attend the World Social Forum ”.
Indian Jesuits will illustrate the main problems and challenges in the different states: in Gujarat, fundamentalism and secularism; in Tamil Nadu and Bihar, the question of the untouchables ; Delhi, challenges of migration, finance, trade. Delegates from Europe, Latin America, United States, Asia and Australia will illustrate the universal dimension of the problems.
(PA) (Fides Service 12/11/2003 lines 28 words 266)