FIFTIETH ANNUAL DPI/NGO CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS, 10-12 SEPTEMBER

8 September 1997

Press Release
NGO/292
PI/1025

FIFTIETH ANNUAL DPI/NGO CONFERENCE TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS, 10-12 SEPTEMBER

19970908 To Discuss 'Building Partnerships', Celebrating 50 Years of United Nations/NGOs Relationship

The fiftieth annual NGO Conference, organized by the Department of Public Information (DPI) in cooperation with the Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations associated with DPI, will be held at Headquarters from 10 to 12 September. Celebrating half a century of partnership between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the theme of this year's Conference is "Building Partnerships".

During the three-day conference, representatives from governments, NGOs, other actors in civil society and United Nations officials will share ideas on how to make a difference in their own communities by networking with each other in innovative partnerships.

The President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), and Secretary-General Kofi Annan will address the opening session on Wednesday, 10 September, at 10 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall. Ruth Cardoso, President of the Council of Comunidade Solidaria, a Brazilian NGO, and First Lady of Brazil, will deliver the keynote address.

Speakers are expected to tackle the various aspects of what partnership entails. Becky Cain, President of the League of Women Voters, an NGO which was present in 1945 in San Francisco when the United Nations Charter was adopted, will be among the panellists reviewing "Milestones in United Nations/NGO Relationship".

Special focus will be given to new initiatives and trends. Raghida Dergham, President of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) and correspondent of Al-Hayat, and Omar Wasow, Founder of New York Online, will examine how new communications technologies impact the process of global cooperation at a speed that has previously been impossible. The Conference will also focus on United Nations/NGO cooperation in human rights and development issues.

The Conference will conclude with a panel on the theme "Looking to the Future", which focuses on United Nations reform as seen from the outside.

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Participants will include Clovis Maksoud, Director of the Center for the Global South at American University, José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Laureate from East Timor, and Sir Brian Urquhart, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General.

For the first time, informal dialogues will be held during lunch breaks, allowing all representatives to participate in a stimulating exchange of ideas.

Over 2,300 individuals representing 637 NGOs in 61 countries, from all regions of the world, have pre-registered for the Conference. Of that total, 275 are United States organizations. This record number reflects the strong support of the NGO community for the work of the United Nations.

For copies of the Conference programme and further information, contact the NGO Section of DPI at (212) 963-6842.

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