Louis Lingg writes: "The Lebanese group 'Platform on the WTO' and the 'Arab NGO Network for Development' are organizing a counter-forum to the WTO meeting in Qatar: the World Forum on the WTO, in Beirut from November 5 thru November 8.

They've posted their 'call for action' to civil society activists around the world: 'Countdown to Qatar!!!...The meeting will be highlighted by corporate lobbying and Northern government attempts
to bully many developing countries into a new round of trade talks...The WTO can run away, but they cannot hide! Activists around the world will plan events in the run up of Qatar to stop a new round of trade talks, to turn trade around and to demonstrate our
peaceful and informed nature of protest.'

The Lebanese paper The Daily Star has posted an article on the World Forum on the WTO, the Arab world's first anti-globalization forum."