The afternoon sessions consisted of workshops offered by various entities. Because of the great diversity in people and topics, it is difficult to try to summarize the content of the Forum. The status quo is no longer acceptable. The representatives from the poorer nations gave strong testimony to the havoc the current trade and monetary system wreaks in their nations. Due to the policies the multilateral lending institutions are imposing on nations, citizens, especially the poor, no longer have access to such basics as sanitation, health and education.
Power needs to be democratized.
In other words, decisions which affect the common good in a significant way need to be brought before the people. So often, such decisions are made by politicians and the elites behind closed doors without any consultation of the people who will be affected by these decisions. Nations must have sovereignty. Today, multinational corporations and rich nations control the economic and political policies of poorer nations. Even when poorer nations do want to act in a way that benefits their citizens they cannot do so because of the rules others have imposed upon them.