Imphal, January 11: A strong 21-member team of the state would take part in the Fourth World Social Forum which is being held in Mumbai from January 16 to 21.This was disclosed by the office bearers of the World Social Forum, Manipur Chapter in a press conference at the Manipur Press Club this afternoon.

The team of 21 persons who have been chosen to represent the views of the people to the forum belong to different walks of life.

Giving a brief note on the background of the forum, the spokesperson of the World Social Forum, Manipur Chapter said that it is the coming of together of individual and organizations committed to a World that can be different, free from the growing inequalities and other problems that are intensified by globalization.

It is an effort to search for alternatives to the system that marginalizes the early powerless groups.

The World Social Forum was conceived to as an international forum built upon the slogan, "Another World is Possible".

It seeks to provide a space for discussing alternatives for exchanging experiences and for strengthening alliances between social movements, unions of working people and NGOs as well as an opportunity for cross social dialogues, he said.

He disclosed that about 75 thousand persons from all over the world are expected to attend the World Social Forum in Mumbai.

Briefing the media, he said that the North East tends to get left out of these efforts in the past.

This time, a few persons and organizations have come together with the determination that this region should be well represented at the World Social Forum.

Four delegations from Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Manipur will be participating in the conference.

Ours is to facilitate coming together of all NE states to raise four important issues concerning our states.

The World Social Forum will also enable the whole North east states to come together to exercise their thoughts to solve these important issues concerning the region, he said.

The forum will focus on four major issues which would be represented by resource persons from the states.

Indra Kumar Singh of AMUCO will deliver on the topic 'Militarization and Human Rights in the North East with emphasis on Manipur'.

Social activists and scholars will delve into the 'Water Resource Management' with emphasis on Loktak Project and Tipaimukh.

Rose Mangshi Haokip Lecturer GP Women's College will deliver on 'Gender Issue in the North East focusing on Manipur.

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