The Sheffield Social Forum opened to the global resistance sounds of Manu Chao. Sheffield Indymedia had a number of computers set up on the main stage complete with a wireless Internet node and help on hand for anyone who needed it - yet the basic human skill of putting pen to to paper was also encouraged by the copious amounts of sheets around the hall where you could write a poem, highlight a campaign, or just doodle! People were encouraged to brainstorm creative direct action, upload reports to indymedia, or even something as simple as putting graffiti on the rolls of paper on the walls. In the same way that the preperations for the launch were documented on the wiki the Sheffield Social Forum is documenting a report of the launch on their wiki site.
Reports: On SSF Launch | On article "Struggle NOT submission" | Social Forum Launch - a view from London
Photos: Sheffield Social Forum Launch [ 1 | 2 | 3 ] | [ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ]
Listening to speakers
The room was arranged not in the usual rows of regimented lines, but in clusters of chairs so as to facilate the smooth running of the workshops.
About one hundred people attended throughout the day, including many school students, some cool folk from WDM in London, SF folk from Manchester and Nottingham, Leeds ARC and others who had come to politics and social change through the anti-war movement. Others turned up from long ago struggles and campaigns but who had stopped for various reasons being 'active' as it were...
The day was definitely more than the sum of its parts: occasionally chaotic, sometimes amazing and sometimes completely stupid - something good happened. Whether good things continue to happen depends on us...
New ideas and new ways of working together are emerging, slowly. The workshops and networking spilled over into the pub as the sun set on the last dark evening of winter. This was just the beginning...
This article was originally part of a racical weekend article.
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Tired of waiting for the end of all authorities, alienations, ideologies and mo
01.04.2004 10:33
just a front to publish collectableanorak. what was
collectableanorak? ..it was a punk anarchist
surrealist zine. that worked like this. we started out
using apple macs at sheffield uni. we came across this
free-access when former tenants of the now demolished
kelvin flats used the same computers to write and
publish life is wonderful on kelvin flats - a book of
poems self written, printed and published by three
former residents of what was the largest europe
housing estate of its kind: 4 decks covering over 3
miles from end to end. from there grew
collectableanorak which we used the apple macs for the
words. then we photocopied the words, changed them
about a little. then with pritt stick / tearing effect
and nicked images from other publications..
collectableanorak was born. we come to end in 2000
with the re publishing of
well we hope you get some idea of where we are coming
from and we do not organise. there are no meetings no
membership because urbanparanoia like image does not
exist.
we only exist for the moment and this is how i feel
about the events of the weekend was there a point to
it all? people have said we have found new paths of
working toghther. lets ask the question here shall we?
i watched the events on saturday and the dialectics of
the power amongst the people there. the sad truth we
might like to delude ourselves all is well. there has
been born a new resistance.
in one of the workshops it was asked who has the real
power. the person with no name said drug dealers. it
is drug dealers who hold the real power in this city.
the drug delers who i visted on the sunday of the
lantern parade in their rented council home on the
arbourthorne estate, gun in lap. they admitted to me
thay sell upto 3 grand of smack a day. the drug
dealers who openly took over claywood
the 12th floor of the blue block while we was
squatting the 4th floor. the drug dealers who placed
the last of the tenants in fear. meanwhile the
authorities just left them to it. it was only the
direct action of the squatters that got extra security
on the estate. of which has done those involved no
favours with sheffield city council. two years on
theyre hassled, still homeless. we like like to delude
ourself the weekend was a new start. a new start for
whome. i'll end with this
Tired of waiting for authentic community, love and
adventure...
Tired of waiting for the end of money and forced
work...
Tired of looking for new pastimes to pass the time...
Tired of waiting for a lush, rich existence... Tired
of waiting for a situation in which you can realise
all your desires...
Tired of waiting for the end of all authorities,
alienations, ideologies and moralities...
freak peace
for image
freak peace