A SIX-DAY WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (WSF) BEGAN IN KARACHI FRIDAY UNDER THE SLOGAN 'ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE' WITH DELEGATES URGING TO 'RETHINK AND RECREATE GLOBALIZATION' TO BENEFIT PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, DPA REPORTED. DELEGATES FROM AROUND 58 COUNTRIES ACROSS SOUTH EAST ASIA, CHINA, EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS ARE ATTENDING THE EVENT IN KARACHI. MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE INCLUDING HUMAN AND SOCIAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, POLITICIANS, MEDIA PERSONALITIES AND FOREIGN DELEGATES FLOCKED TO KARACHI'S SPORTS COMPLEX TO ATTEND THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY HOLDING BANNERS READING 'PEACE FOR HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY. WE WANT NUCLEAR FREE SOUTH ASIA. PEOPLE DESIRE FOR PEACE, HARMONY AND FOOD AND NOT ARMS.' 'WE ARE EXPECTING OVER 20,000 DELEGATES BY SATURDAY, WHO WILL ATTEND THE FORUM, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES CONFRONTING THE SOUTH ASIAN REGION,' SAID SHAMIMUR REHMAN TOLD DEUTSCHE PRESSE-AGENTUR DPA. THE WSF WAS FOUNDED IN 2001 BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, TRADE UNIONISTS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ACADEMICS. IT HAS CONVENED EVERY YEAR AT PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL EXCEPT IN 2004, WHEN THE FORUM WAS HELD IN THE INDIAN PORT CITY OF MUMBAI. 'THIS IS AN EXCELLENT FORUM THAT IS EXPANDING EVERY YEAR AND PROMOTING A DIALOGUE AMONG PEOPLE, WHO ASPIRE FOR PEACE, PROSPERITY AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL THE COUNTRIES,' FEROZ MEHDI SAID, WHOSE ORGANIZATION STRIVES TOWARDS REGIONAL PEACE AND THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN SOUTH ASIA. MEHDI, WHO IS AN INDIAN NATIONAL, SAID THE WSF HAS COULD BE MADE MORE EFFECTIVE AND BENEFIT THE DEVELOPING WORLD. WSF'S AGENDA WILL FOCUS MAINLY ON PROBLEMS FACING THE SOUTH ASIAN REGION ESPECIALLY PEACE INITIATIVES BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA, PALESTINE AND ISRAEL, THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, AND THE ONGOING DISPUTE OVER IRAN 'S NUCLEAR PROGRAMME, AN ORGANIZER, EJAZ AHMAD, TOLD DPA. ---SP 22 19 LOCAL TIME 19 19 GMT
