Science and Democracy

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Towards a political dialogue between scientists and social movements

Since 2001, world social forums have gradually structured the agendas of thousands of NGOs, medias, unions, social movements, local authorities, institutions and even governments across the planet. Today they are considered as major events to elaborate, share and build social, cultural and economic transformations on global and local levels.

Although the impacts of sciences and techniques on our daily lives, on economic, social and environmental realities are higher than ever, we have been observing, since the origins of the WSF , a chronic deficit of scientific and technical themes in these forums.

The reason for this is neither indifference nor absence of capacity of expertise but a lack of political consideration of the stakes related to the place and future of sciences in our societies, on behalf of both social movements and scientists.

That is why we believe that the building of a space of open cooperation, of wide public and democratic debates between scientists, NGOs and social movements at a world level will open new and exciting opportunities to:

  1. promote and develop the knowledge commons of humanity as public

goods;

  2. debate upon the issues and means in order to support scientists to

fully respond to their social responsibility;

  3. strengthen the autonomy of researchers; defend the public missions

of research and improve the conditions in which scientific activities are led by students, researchers, engineers;

  4. strengthen the capacity of citizens movements to produce knowledge

and to be partners of scientific institutions;

  5. strengthen the capacity of our societies, in the North as in the

South, to take democratic decisions in the field of science and technology;

Scientists and social movements need to share their expertise and conceptions to build societies that better respect human rights, cultural diversity and social and ecological needs.

Therefore, we, members of the scientific community, organisations and citizens, are calling for the organisation of the first World Social forum on science and democracy during the WSF in Belem - Brazil, January 2009

  Para Um Forum Social Mundial Ci�ncia e Democracia
  Appel pour un Forum Social Sciences et D�mocratie
  Call for a WSF science and democracy 

  Firmas - Signatures
  (24 Octobre 2007)

  Socios :
  Partners : 

  - Aitec France
  - Adreca France 
  - All india people's science network India 
  - Alternatives Canada 
  - Associação alternativa terrazul Brazil   
  - Association rhone alpes des petits d�brouillards France 
  - Attac france France 
  - ATTAC VAL D'OISE SUD-EST France 
  - Consorcio para el desarrollo sostenible de la ecoregi�n andina Peru 
  - Crid France 
  - Demos United Kingdom 
  - Etc group United States 
  - F�d�ration mondiale des travailleurs scientifiques (FMTS) France 
  - Fondation Sciences Citoyennes France 
  - GeneWatch UK United Kingdom 
  - Global Chance France
  - Health Action International (coordinator Essential Innovation Campaign) 

BUKO Pharma-Kampagne Germany

  - Ines Germany
  - Les Amis de la Terre du Rh�ne France 
  - Responsibility for the future Yugoslavia Belgrade, Serbia 
  - Science for the people United Kingdom 
  - Scientists for global responsibility (SGR) United Kingdom 
  - Scienza e democrazia -- Science and Democracy Italy 
  - Snesup-fsu France 
  - Transform! France 
  - Vecam France 

  Socios de 10 pa�ses :
           
  Brazil
  Germany
  Canada
  France
  India

  Organisations from 10 countries:

  Italy
  Peru
  Serbia
  UK
  USA
  Individuales de 24 pa�ses :                               Individuals from 

24 countries:

  Algeria
  Austria
  Belgium
  Brazil
  Canada
  Czech Republic
  France
  Germany
  Greece
  India
  Italy
  Korea
  Norway
  Peru
  Poland
  Portugal
  Romania
  Serbia
  Spain
  Sweden
  Switzerland
  UK
  Uruguay
  USA