The first ever World Social Forum that took place place in Africa was launched on 19 January with a large demonstration that weaved through the streets of Bamako, Mali. For the Malian delegates and community organizers, the forum was a high-profile event that drew international attention to issues such as housing, food security, health, education, self-determination and womens` rights. And while debt, privatization, structural adjustment and resource exploitation are often treated as vague and distant concepts in North America, they spell th e reality of millions of Malians who struggle to meet their most basic needs. Hot on the Forum