Photo: Jess Hurd

One of the most striking things about the WSF was the fact that even though 100,000 delegates had descended on Mumbai (and not a single hotel room was vacant, at any price it seemed!) many of the locals were still unaware the event was taking place until they met delegates around town. We walked around Mumbai with our delegate passes on and people stopped and asked us what we were attending. When we explained about the WSF they asked us how they could attend but they also seemed surprised when we told them about some of the issues being discussed. Many were intrigued to hear that just as there was an Indian group protesting about forced evictions there are people in the UK who face forced eviction too. They had heard that not only was the standard of living much higher in the UK but that many of the problems which faced Indian society were simply not present in the UK. When I explained that many of the people at the WSF were facing similar struggles in their own countries they were totally astounded and were eager to get details of how to register for the following day!
Talking to local people in Mumbai it was apparent that a large percentage of them were aware of the effect globalisation is having on the world, and were also anti-war and pro Socialism. One of the most popular chants amongst the Indian groups at the WSF was “up up Socialism, down down Capitalism”!
There were a vast number of events on at any one time and we needed to be quite organized to try and make the most of our time there. Holding the WSF in Mumbai meant the focus could be broadened to include not only globalisation and the war but other issues like patriarchy, religious fundamentalism, casteism and discrimination. Events on children’s rights and the disabled were also included for the first time.
The WSF ended with a demonstration on 21 Jan. It was very successful and we chanted in Hindi, English and Italian plus a whole host of other languages. I think the final figure was something like 35,000 people at the closing rally in Azad Maidan (apparently the place where the last battle of Indian independence was launched), so we did pretty well. We got plenty of support along the way too. The slogan for the WSF was Another World is Possible and marching together on 21 Jan it truly felt like it! I had a thoroughly brilliant experience and am already saving up for the WSF in Porto Allegre next year!

Hannah Coleman, London, UK