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Thousands of people from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe have converged in the Senegalese capital with a watchword, "another world is possible".

Building, Wood Workers International (BWI) reports that this year, the WSF is working on "the crisis of the system and civilizations."

It is with anti-globalization march which brought together nearly 10 000 people descended on the streets of Dakar, from the house of the RTS to the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar festivities Forum 2011 have started.

ITUC-Africa with the Global Union Federations BWI, UNI, IMF, ITF and European trade unions including BWI affiliates in Belgium as the CSC and the FGTB succeeded in mobilizing thousands of trade unionists for this event to demand decent jobs and more freedom and trade union rights.

The rhythm of the djembe and the sound of whistles Senegalese Mamadou Ndiaye a worker at Jean Lefevre said: "I came here because our company is laying-off many workers because of restructuring after the financial crisis. I think there is enough wealth in this world for everyone to have their right to decent work. It is time that people say no to capitalism, no to injustice and to fight to defend their rights."

Arriving at the University Cheikh Anta Diop, participants were greeted by several anti-globalization leaders including the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, a former trade unionist who used fiery rhetoric against capitalism and what he calls U.S. imperialism.

Evo Morales was not up to his reputation, while emphasising the need to protect the planet: "In this new millennium we have an obligation to defend the rights of 'Mother Earth' to defend human rights. "



"With the results obtained by the Heads of State and Government at the Cancun summit in Copenhagen we will only continue to warm the planet the same way ..." says the Bolivian leader, who called the leaders of the South to rally together for the next summit of heads of state on climate change.



"To cool the planet,” says he, “they must change their business model and development model, it must end with capitalism. Powers must stop destroying the planet and the environment."

The African trade union movement will hold panels throughout the forum on topics related to the role of trade unions in building a progressive social world where democracy and human rights are respected.