World Social Forum
时间：2018-12-07 作者：英语课 分类：VOA2003（上）-国际经纬
Broadcast: March 3, 2003
By Onka Dekker
This is Robert Colen the VOA Special English Development Report
Organizers of the World Social Forum 1 have chosen India as the meeting place in two-thousand-four. The conference has taken place in Brazil1 since it began three years ago. Last year, Indian activists 2 organized a South Asian Social Forum in Gujarat state.
The number of delegates, observers, and reporters at the World Social Forum has increased each year. Organizers said more than one-hundred-thousand people gathered in Porto Alegre this year.
The meeting took place in Brazil at the end of January at the same time as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. That is a yearly meeting of international business and political leaders.
Activists organized the social forum because they wanted an international gathering 3 of anti-poverty campaigners. They also wanted a better way to protest than to march outside the World Economic Forum.
Supporters of free trade argue that such economic policies could help all nations. But the social activists say the rules of international trade and finance do not do enough to help the poor.
This year, Brazil's new president Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva spoke 4 to both gatherings 5. In Porto Alegre, the former labor 6 organizer spoke of hungry children and his promise to feed everyone in Brazil. In Davos, Mister Da Silva asked the leaders to help end severe2 poverty in the southern part of the world.
Organizers of the social forum say it is designed to build friendships among activists. Delegates discussed ideas and projects in small groups. They could hear speakers translated into French, English, Portuguese 7 and Spanish.
Organizers chose as the central idea for this year's meeting, "Another World is Possible." For six days people discussed everything from ways to increase women's rights to methods to protect water quality.
Ethnic3 minorities called for an end to racism 8 and for protection of native languages and cultures. Israeli and Palestinian activists met to develop a joint 9 peace declaration.
On the last day, there was a protest march against war in Iraq and against the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Some say the World Social Forum is less an event than a process. Organizers say the desired result is free and open debate of ideas, not choosing a leader or approving a final declaration.
1． Brazil [br[5zIl] n. 巴西
2． severe [sI5vi[] adj. 严厉的，严峻的
3． ethnic [5eWnIk] adj. 人种的，种族的，异教徒的
- They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
- The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。
- His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
- Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
- He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。
- They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
- The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
- His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
- During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。
- We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
- He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
- They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
- Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。