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What is the Quebec Social Forum?
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The FSQ follows from the World Social Forum movement and global quest for alternatives. The FSQ, however, undoubtedly has its own personality due to the continual evolution of Quebec’s social, cultural, economic and political environment. In past few decades, the prioritization of growth, competitiveness and national debt reduction has fostered a one-way hegemonic paradigm in order to justify the measures undertaken to create a society that primordially reacts to market conditions.

Our social and cultural context has been shaped regardless of our communal social responsibility towards the environment, to workers, women, students, aboriginal communities, marginalized groups, individuals, civil society organizations and future generations.

So what should we do when faced with the deterioration of our living conditions, and with the omnipresence of neo-liberal thinking? our solidarity, our determination and our creativity alone will enable us to find solutions that would renew our will to live together and help us towards a model of society that is able to recognize the dignity of every person and to respect life in general. That is why we believed it was time to create an open meeting place -- a place for strategizing, reflection, where together we could build the future of Quebec: This is the Quebec Social Forum.

The FSQ is an open meeting place that aims to gather all those who believe in a fairer society, and all who disagree with all forms of oppression, whether in Quebec or in the world. The FSQ intends to be a place for speaking out, exchange, dialogue, public engagement, citizenship, networking and the development of co-constructed action plans, in order to build -- together -- a united, democratic, fair and sustainable society here in Quebec.

The FSQ is first and foremost a public space that is critical, participatory and inclusive. It enables all citizens, social movements and organizations to connect, speak out, discuss, and exchange views on issues facing our society. The FSQ is a catalyst for the emergence of a new citizenship culture that encourages active engagement and participation of everyone in public decision-making, including young people.

The FSQ is a space for meeting and exchange between social movements: in a context where neoliberal capitalism rampant in many forms and in all spheres of social activity, it is necessary to withhold comprehensive analysis and response. The FSQ is therefore necessary to facilitate convergence of claims and strategies of resistance of social movements to achieve the construction of a society or human nature would pass before the profit.

The FSQ is also an area dedicated to education, promoting the practice of citizenship, to raise awareness and reflection on popular Quebec society and its future. Open to the general public, this event sees the awareness and involvement of everyone as a necessary condition for change, and a source of personal and collective invaluable.