OPINION

Published Monday, March 08, 2004
The World Social Forum in Mumbai
One Student's Reflections on the Experience of a Lifetime
By Sharmi Surianarain

Amidst the din of the drums, the clashing cymbals, the sloganeering marches for Dalit rights, and the off-the-cuff skits on loan sharks—activists, academics, and affected communities from all over the world came together at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Mumbai, India. Each gave eloquent testimony to their vision for “another world” and the struggles they faced in striving towards that vision.

From the very moment I stepped into the venue—I felt the rush of being among (100,000!) people that were passionate about pressing issues of social concern around the world. Groups organized around every imaginable theme, from a Free Tibet delegation and anti-war movements to disability rights activists and commercial sex workers unions, vied for your audio-visual attention.

I had initially decided to attend the WSF this past January mostly because I was really excited that the Forum was being held in my home country, India. But more frankly, after reading and writing about the efforts of policymakers worldwide to effect educational change and development, I was disheartened and desperately craved inspiration. I began to believe the need for other ways of organizing, other ways of shaping change—change that is responsive to people’s needs; change that arises of out of a shared vision.

On the surface—and to many members of the press—the Forum seemed like an annual hippie conference-cum-carnival for like-minded “progressives.” But it was not your average anti-globalization, anti-capitalist, parade of international activists. If anyone ventured into one of the many white canvas tents to listen to people speak of their experiences, their work, their commitment to social issues spanning five continents—it was guaranteed to impress.

Some 800 panels were held daily, making it impossible to choose from the tempting array—I found myself having to decide between Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize winner 2003; Transformative Education with the Paulo Freire Institute; and Vandana Shiva, noted activist of biodiversity conservation and farmer’s rights. It was a real test of my allegiances!

At a panel on “The effects of Western education in the developing world,” I witnessed an ideological brawl on different theories of education. Representing India was Mrs. Shanta Sinha of the MV Foundation and winner of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 2003. Mrs. Sinha talked about her organization’s resolute commitment to ending child labor, and to transitioning formerly indentured children into formal government schools. She stated vehemently the MV Foundation’s belief that neither non-formal education nor part-time education were viable alternatives for working children.

However, a member of the audience took issue with this unquestioned endorsement of schooling, calling for a closer look at the process of schooling in the context of public schools in India, referring to the restrictive environment, rigid textbooks, and rote-memorization as enslavement of a different sort—no better than the inhuman conditions from which children were supposedly redeemed.

The atmosphere was tense, and the heated discussion had to be steered by a skilled moderator. The debate brought to attention the many schools of thought within the progressive movement itself, an issue that was replayed at other panels across the breadth Forum’s menu.

At other venues, I heard people speak of their experiences—or lack thereof—with schooling. Particularly moving was the story of a landless and illiterate woman, whose daughter had now completed high school and was helping her mother understand and sign deeds to obtain property.

There was also the story of a young man from a forest tribe in South India, who—feeling that his own educational experiences in public schools were so alienating—set up a school among his tribal community that responded to his tribe’s educational and livelihood needs. I was inspired by not only his faith in schooling but also his ability to challenge it and construct a version that would work for his people.

I cherished these stories for making connections between my print-heavy world on Appian Way and the world of lived experiences.

While at the Forum, I was stimulated by the many debates and discussions on issues I care about, which reinforced my commitment to “another world.” I was inspired by the many people around the world who similarly believed in making change happen, yet also in questioning and challenging the kinds of changes that are made.

I came back to Appian Way with a renewed energy to maintain a realist perspective on everything I would learn in school, and to connect it with real people and real lives—to the real stories that are the very essence of my learning experience here.

Sharmi Surianarain is an Ed.M. candidate in International Education Policy.