ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MONTREAL, CANADA 7-8 DECEMBER
Press Release
SG/T/2212
ACTIVITIES OF SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MONTREAL, CANADA 7-8 DECEMBER
19991208The Secretary-General departed New York on Tuesday, 7 December, for Montreal, where he was due to participate in the World Civil Society Conference, which was organized by a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
On Tuesday evening, he attended a reception sponsored by the Conference organizers and then a gala dinner hosted by the United Nations Association of Canada under the Chairmanship of Yves Fortier, the former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. He spoke at the dinner about Canadas strong contribution to the United Nations and paid tribute to Daniel Rowan, a Canadian official who died en route to Pristina, Kosovo, where he was to have taken up a post to help rebuild Kosovos prison system (see SG/SM/7248).
On Wednesday morning, the Secretary-General addressed the World Civil Society Conference. In his speech, he focused on globalization and the role of NGOs in giving globalization a human face.
He referred to the protests he had witnessed in Seattle the previous week over the World Trade Organization meetings, saying that people were voicing their fears about globalization. The challenge before civil society, he said, is to manage globalization to benefit the greatest number of people and nations. (See SG/SM/7249). A question and answer session ensued, when the Secretary-General answered, among other topics, questions on the Northern Caucasus, Kosovo and lessons learned from peacekeeping.
He then departed for New York, where he arrived at midday.
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