Yesterday’s attacks in Tunis motivate us even more to come together at the World Social Forum, that will take place in Tunis next week; in the spirit of solidarity and to take a firm stand against terrorism.

In the light of yesterday’s attack at the Museum of Bardo in Tunis where 20 people were killed and 44 wounded, SOLIDAR calls for participation to the World Social Forum as the appropriate answer from all pacifist and democratic forces for a better, more fair and free world based on peaceful co-existence.

Through this attack, terrorist groups attempted to undermine the democratic transition taking place in Tunisia, while creating a climate of fear amongst citizens who aspire freedom, democracy and peaceful participation in establishing democracy.

SOLIDAR supports progressive social movements and democratic forces in Tunisia and in the wider Middle East and North Africa to oppose violence and terrorism, whilst promoting human rights, fundamental freedoms, freedom of association, peace, democracy and social justice.

From the 24th till 28th March 2015 SOLIDAR together with a delegation of members and partner organisations will participate at the World Social Forum in Tunis to mobilise for social justice in the Middle East and North Africa region and strengthen strategic alliances with regional partners, independent trade unions and progressive political forces.

Throughout these four days, we are hosting a wide variety of workshops that will take place at the at the El Manar University Campus with the support of over 30 NGOs, Trade Unions and Civil Society Organisations, all aiming to design alternative policies, in which decent work, social protection for all, human rights and social economy take the lead role. The main objective remains to bring solidarity back at the heart of decision making.

On the occasion of the World Social Forum, on the 24th of March SOLIDAR will launch a four-year European Commission-funded program to promote Decent Work, Social Protection and Freedom of Association in the Middle East and North Africa.

This program, that involves 21 partner organisations across seven Southern Neighborhood Countries and Europe, wants build a strong and reliable platform to interface the European Institutions in building an inclusive dialogue on the revision of the European Neighborhood Policy around the thematic of decent work and social protection, and freedom of association.

With this objective, during the World Social Forum, on the 25th of March SOLIDAR will organise a Workshop on Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa region, that will see the participation of Isabelle Ortiz, from the ILO, members of the European Parliament and representatives from the Trade Unions, and civil society organizations from both shores of the Mediterranean. This roundtable will be the occasion to launch a joint communication on the future of the European Neighborhood Policy, together with SOLIDAR’s strategic partner in the region, the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), to showcase SOLIDAR leading role in mobilizing for social justice across the MENA region and in Europe.

You can find the planned activities of SOLIDAR, SOLIDAR members partners and allies during the World Social Forum here.