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The
Swiss and Geneva authorities will organize and host a parallel
Forum during the Special Session of the General Assembly to review
the follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, to be
held in Geneva (June 26-30, 2000). The UN General Assembly Special
Session (UNGASS) and this Forum are entitled: Geneva 2000: the
next step in social development. The Geneva 2000 Forum is an opportunity
to create a platform for debate and dialogue on social development
in the context of increasing globalization and the search for
sustainable development. It will be a place where all actors in
social development can reflect on ways and mechanisms of cooperation
in the implementation of the Copenhagen Declaration and Program
of Action. In so doing, the Swiss authorities hope to contribute
to a new form of cooperation between states and civil society
at large.
This Forum will be open to delegates
from all stakeholders in social development at national, regional
and international level: NGOs, citizen interest groups, professional
organizations, employers and business organizations, individual
business leaders, trade unions, employee organizations, academics,
parliamentarians as well as intergovernmental organizations and
governments. The program of the Geneva 2000 Forum will be established
on the proposals for organizing events and activities made by
all interested parties. There will be a registration fee of 50
Swiss Francs (approximately US$35) and a room-booking fee (amount
will depend on the type of event or activity proposed).
All participants should register
in advance; the registration form will be available soon on our
website. Those eligible to register are:
- persons accredited
to UNGASS;
- representatives
with an accreditation of their organization which must be an
entity at national, regional or international level, (copy of
the constitution and/or by-laws of the organization, and/or
a list of members of the governing body will be requested),
and who must have been involved in the field of social development
(annual or other reports of the organization, and/or information
identifying the programs and activities in this field will be
requested);
- persons coming in
a personal capacity who are involved in social development and
have experience and expertise in this field (each case will
be examined individually).
All those wishing to organize an event or an activity are invited
to contact the Geneva 2000 Forum with a detailed proposal. The
proposed event or activity must be related to the theme of social
development, especially to one of the 10 Commitments of the Copenhagen
Declaration. The events or activities may take various forms:
panel discussions, stands, exhibitions, movie or video presentations,
and cultural events. Proposals for events organized jointly by,
or involving various kinds of actors on social development are
welcome. In order to propose a balanced and structured program
and to avoid duplication, a draft program will be posted and regularly
updated on the Geneva 2000 website. The secretariat will try to
put in contact the persons responsible for each event proposed
on the same topic or on the same country or region, to envisage,
where possible, the organization of joint events. All those interested
in organizing an event are invited to look at this list before
proposing an event, with a view to exploring possibilities for
collaboration with others working on the same topic or on the
same country or region. It will not be possible for organizers
to request additional fees from participants for events or activities
held at the Forum. The deadline for proposals is March the
15, 2000.
All Forum activities will be held
in the heart of Geneva, in and around the United Nations Office
(Palais des Nations). The main venue will be the International
Conference Center of Geneva (ICCG). Other meeting facilities will
be within a 5-minute walk from the ICCG and the UN. The Swiss
Authorities will provide some facilities for participants and
for organization of events: rooms for caucuses and meetings, and
space for exhibitions. Technical support for events (preparation
for panels, audiovisual equipment…) can be obtained by the
Geneva 2000 manager: MCI Congress.
The Swiss government is currently
exploring ways to assist NGOs from developing countries to come
to Geneva. Possibilities of securing affordable accommodation
for NGOs from developing countries are also being explored. Efforts
are also being made to establish a pool of interpreters for the
Forum (English, French and Spanish).
Contact: Amb.
Daniel Stauffacher,
P.O. Box 125, CH 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland, Tel: 41-22-749-25-70;
Fax: 41-22-749-25-89,
Email: info2000@geneva2000.admin.ch
website: www.geneva2000.org.
For hotels or technical support for events, contact: Geneva 2000,
c/o MCI Congress,
Fax: 41-22-33-99-621,
Email: Geneva2000@mci-group.com.
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