From the 23rd to the 25th of February 1998, peoples' movements from all continents met in Geneva and launched a worldwide co-ordination of resistance against the global market, a new alliance of struggle and mutual support called the Peoples' Global Action against "Free" Trade and the World Trade Organisation (PGA). This new platform will serve as a global instrument for communication and co-ordination for all those fighting against the destruction of humanity and the planet by the global market, building up local alternatives and peoples' power. The first worldwide co-ordination of local struggles during the WTO ministerial conference in Geneva in May 1998 was a huge success: many different demonstrations, actions and Global Street Parties took place on all five continents from the 16th to the 20th of May.
The WTO protests in Seattle were the largest scale left-wing demonstrations in America since the Gulf War. They were also the most successful American political demonstrations of the decade. Success for a demonstration is measured by the degree of congruence between the protesters goals and the effect on public policy issues.
World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations cannot just centre around an automatic dismantling of customs duties and trade barriers. Basic social rights, environmental and health standards, cultural diversity and quality of life are all issues coming more and more to the fore in the discussions. It is precisely these issues that society really wants to see addressed, and if politicians do not answer this call, more and more people will turn their backs on the WTO.