Now is the time for Food Sovereignty!

The International Steering Committee, organisers of Nyéléni 2007 – Forum for Food Sovereignty, have been delighted but overwhelmed by the amount of interest in Nyéléni 2007 and wants to inform you that the Forum cannot receive more delegates than those that have been invited. Delegates have been selected in the regions on the basis of regional, sectoral and gender balance as representatives of social movements and organisations that have endorsed the call to action and are already participating in activities relevant to food sovereignty at local, national or regional levels.

The organisers hope, though, that this interest and energy can be channelled into the actions that emerge from Nyéléni 2007, as well as into future forums and events. The immense interest indicates that now is the time for Food Sovereignty and that people are ready to mobilise.

A special village, which will remain for future conferences and training workshops, is being constructed near Sélingué in the countryside outside Bamako, the capital of Mali, to house the Forum. There is very limited space for delegates. For this reason, and because of the general character of the Forum, it is not an open forum, such as are the World Social Forums where everyone can freely register to participate.

Therefore, please DO NOT come to Sélingué if you have not been invited by the International Steering Committee or regional organisers, as we cannot facilitate your participation in the Forum process and there is no capacity in the village to host you.

Nyéléni 2007 is only one venue to globalise the struggle for food sovereignty. It aims to deepen collective understanding, to strengthen dialogue between social movements and to formulate joint strategies and an action agenda. But this action agenda must be implemented with broader participation. Many more individuals and organisations will be able to take part in the follow-up than in the Forum itself. The fight for food sovereignty is a long-term struggle, to change the balance of power worldwide in favour of food sovereignty, in which it is essential to involve all committed people, organisations, institutions and governments.

Relevant documents and the action agenda will be available on the Nyéléni 2007 website, (www.nyeleni2007.org) as will other information to ensure broader participation after the Nyéléni forum. In addition, the International Steering Committee asks that you contact the regional contact points, listed below, if you are interested in participating in this global effort to realise food sovereignty.

Your participation in the coming days, months and years is essential – as your future actions will help us achieve food sovereignty for the long-run.

Regional Coordinators:

Europe
Aksel Naerstad, Paul Nicholson
aksel@u-fondet.no, pnicholson@ehne.org

North America (incl Mexico)
Andrianna Natsoulas anatsoulas@fwwatch.org

Latin America and Caribbean (without Mexico)
Alberto Villareal, Miriam Nobre comercioredes@GMAIL.COM, minobre@marchemondiale.org

Africa
Ibrahim Coulibaly, Diamantino Nhampossa i_ibracoul@yahoo.fr, unacexecutiva@tvcabo.co.mz

Southeast-East Asia
Henry Saragih hsaragih@viacampesina.org

South Asia
Henry Saragih hsaragih@viacampesina.org

West-Central Asia
Maryam Rahmanian maryam.rahm@gmail.com