Friends,

It's an honour to be here. The World Social Forum is an extraordinary - and necessary - event.

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I am a firm believer in close partnership between labour parties, trade unions and civil society.

In Sweden our movements developed alongside each other - the Social Democratic Labour Party and the workers trade union movement. Gradually we became organizationally separate, but tightly bound - ideologically and politically.

In this civil society also played a vital role. The Social Democrats and the trade union movement were merely two sides of the same lower class movement.

And this isn't an outdated or dusty relationship. We are growing and developing together and standing strong still today!

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Swedish labour movement always knew global co-operation is crucial and we still do. The challenges of globalization needs a strong labour movement. Ready to use both union and political tools to reach our goal:

That of: "Freedom and Justice for all"

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Globalisation also has a positive force. The distance between people and events in the world is shrinking. This meeting is a proof of that.

I don't believe that "things were better before" as some say. I don't think we should try to turn the clock back.

Because there are achievements.

No. I don't want to turn the clock back. I want democratic politics to regain the ground that we've lost to the market. The market has simply been quicker to take advantage of what globalization has to offer.

It is time to change that. It is time to make globalization work in the interest of people. And a united labour movement can make all the difference!

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Cooperation Zindabad!