World Social Forum January at the same time as its "great capitalist rival", the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. This date is consciously picked to promote alternative answers to world economic problems in opposition to the World Economic Forum. This Charter was approved and adopted in São Paulo, Brazil on April 9, 2001, by the organizations that make up the World Social Forum Organizing Committee, and approved with modifications by the World Social Forum International Council on June 10, 2001. 1) The World Social Forum is an open meeting place for reflective thinking, democratic debate of ideas, formulation of proposals,
St. Petersburg International Economic Forum totaling 500 billion roubles. The Forum was held on June 17–19, 1998 under the auspices of the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The Forum, held as an annual event for the first time, was attended by some 2,600 people, including leaders of CIS member-states, and representatives of 36 major international organizations, including the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and UNESCO. In addition, the Forum was attended by prominent Russian scholars, as well as heads of Russian and international private financial institutions. During the Forum, 700 investment