climate crisis

Multilateralism & Multi-stakeholderism: Where does accountability for the corporate sector fit in?

Join this UNGA76 side event exploring corporate influence across the United Nations System, and identifying ways in which civil society and all actors can resist corporate influence with a view to build a more accountable and equitable system that operates in the interests of people and planet, rather than profit.

Register: bit.ly/AccountabilityForCorporateSector

Speakers will include:

Moderator: Barbara Adams, Global Policy Forum
Cai Yiping, Development Alternatives for Women (DAWN)
Emilia Reyes, Campaign of Campaigns/Equidad de Genero
Debbie Stothard, ALTSEAN / Steering Committee of Corporate Accountability Working Group at ESCR-Net

Some guiding questions:

How can pushes for inclusivity have unintended consequences for enhancing corporate influence across the United Nations system?
How do states and governments use PPPs and the idea of multistakeholderism to obfuscate responsibilities to their populations?
How can corporations be held accountable to Human Rights mechanisms and international law?
What changes are needed to transform the way in which the UN System is funded to reduce or combat corporate capture of decision-making?

This event will be recorded and uploaded to the Women’s Major Group YouTube Channel. Interpretation will be available in French and Spanish.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Major Group, please visit ngomg.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com.

International Day of Non-Violence

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.

According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”. The resolution reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”.

Introducing the resolution in the General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Anand Sharma, said that the wide and diverse sponsorship of the resolution was a reflection of the universal respect for Mahatma Gandhi and of the enduring relevance of his philosophy. Quoting the late leader’s own words, he said: “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.”

To learn more about how and why the UN commemorates this observance, including definitions and principles of non-violence, please visit un.org/en/observances/non-violence-day.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com.

Second UN Global Sustainable Transport Conference

The Second United Nations Global Sustainable Transport Conference will take place from 14 to 16 October 2021, in Beijing, China. It will bring together representatives of Governments, UN system and other international organizations, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities, challenges and solutions towards achieving sustainable transport worldwide and indicate a way forward for sustainable transport to help achieve the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change in the Decade of Action.

The Conference programme, link to registration, related concept notes and other background documentation are available on the Conference website: un.org/en/conferences/transport2021

Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, the Conference will be held in a “hybrid format” with virtual and in-person participation. The in-person participation will be limited to delegations and other participants who are already in Beijing. Registration for in-person participation is open from 1 September to 1 October 2021 at the link above.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Migration, please visit ngo-migration.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit congocsd.wordpress.com.

2021 Geneva Peace Talks: Recovering better for an equitable & sustainable world

We are pleased to invite you and your staff to attend the 9th edition of the Geneva Peace Talks. Marking the International Day of Peace, the Geneva Peace Talks will take place on Tuesday, 21 September 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. in Room XVIII at the Palais des Nations and online.

The 2021 edition is organized under the theme “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. In 2021, as we heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are inspired to think creatively and collectively about how to help everyone recover better. People around the world are facing not only a global health crisis, but also other imminent crises: climate change, poverty, inequalities, stigma and discrimination. We must transform our world into one that is more equal, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier. We must make peace with one another.

The event will feature speakers from a wide range of backgrounds, from health equity to environmental action. We will hear from the former Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross Mr. Yves Daccord, the Head of the Secretariat of the Principles for Peace Initiative Ms. Hiba Qasas, Senegalese singer and champion for climate action Mr. Baaba Maal, Chief Executive Officer of the World Health Organization Foundation Mr. Anil Soni in an interview, three high school students from the first-ever Peace Talks club, a choreographer from South Africa; as well as two film makers creating a documentary on climate refugees.

Due to COVID-19 preventive measures, only a limited number of seats will be available in Room XVIII. Early registration for in-person participation is required as it will be closed once the maximum capacity is reached.

To follow the event online or to register, please use the following link: peacetalks.net.

This year’s Geneva Peace Talks are co-organized, once again, by the United Nations Office at Geneva, Interpeace and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to other international organizations in Geneva.

The Geneva Peace Talks are an annual highlight of International Geneva. We look forward to your participation, which will send a strong signal of support and demonstrate our collective commitment to peace across the world.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Social Development, please visit ngosocdev.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org.

Covid, Conflict & Climate: Food Insecurity Today and the Way Forward

Food insecurity is at the core of the many challenges facing the world today. It overlaps with the “three Cs” shaping international politics in the new decade—Covid, conflict, and climate—in complex and profound ways.

This event aims to discuss the report, Peace Through Food: Ending the Hunger-Instability Nexus, which is the outcome of a working group series led by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. The report analyzes the relationship between hunger and conflict, and proposes ways to establish food security as a means to promote stability and end conflict.

RSVP here!

Opening Remarks:

Brian Finlay, President and CEO, Stimson Center

Speakers:

Kelly McFarland, Director of Programs and Research, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University
Chase Sova, Senior Director of Public Policy and Research, World Food Program USA
Adriana Abdenur, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Plataforma CIPÓ
Ron Schoonover, Founder and Principal, Ecological Futures Group
Devry Boughner Vorwerk, Founder and CEO, DevryBV Sustainable Strategies
Barbara Bodine, Director, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University
Johanna Mendelson Forman, Distinguished Fellow, Food Security Program, Stimson Center (Moderator)

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace, and Security, please visit ngocdps.wordpress.com.

FORUM2021 Sacred Food ~ Blessed Earth

In solidarity with other NGO’s offering a strong critique of the fall UN Food Summit, FORUM2021 explores the potential of local regenerative agriculture, highlights the growing organic farming movement and offers an interfaith moral call to redressing the harm caused by agribusiness, the industrialization of the world’s food production system.

FORUM2021 explores the ancient, respectful and regenerative ways of farming practices and our spiritual relationship to food by focusing on the Earth as an interconnected web of life. A moral and spiritual voice is essential in the transition away from the industrialized, fossil fuel and chemical intensive, global agriculture system which is degrading our Earth, contributing to the climate crisis and to the extinction of species, as well as creating severe health issues for all living beings. FORUM2021 is a call to all spiritual and religious leaders and activists for a return to local, biodiverse organic food systems which regenerate soil, water and biodiversity while providing healthy sustenance for all. Learn more & register here!

Opening Prayer & Welcome

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle for the Great Sioux Nation

Welcome from the Temple of Understanding

Chris Wang, Temple of Understanding Board Member

Chief Oren Lyons Keynote Address

Chief Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, Member Chief of the Onondaga Council of Chiefs and the Grand Council of the Iroquois Confederacy, the Haudenosaunee Peoples

Dr. Vandana Shiva Keynote Address: Reclaiming Ancient Wisdom to Protect Our Future

Dr. Vandana Shiva, Founder, Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (India) and President of Navdanya International, world-renowned environmental thinker, activist, feminist, philosopher of science, writer and science policy advocate

International Activists on Regenerative Farming Panel

Darcy Neill, (Moderator), Temple of Understanding Board Member
Kathryn Manga, Project Coordinator, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines, Philippines
Adelita San Vicente Tello, Director of Primary Sector & Renewable Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, Mexico
Daniel Wanjama, Coordinator, Seed Saver Network, Kenya

Scientists on the Impact of Industrialized Agriculture Dialogue

Tyrone Hayes, Professor of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Faith-Based Farming in the United States Panel

Rev. Susan Hendershot, (Moderator), Interfaith Power & Light, USA
Edgar Hayes & Anne Rader, Freedom Farm Community NY
Clayton Harvey, Ndée Bikíyaa (Peoples’ Farm), AZ
Shani Mink, Jewish Farmer Network, NC
Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farm, NY

Sacred Food from an Interfaith Perspective

Rev. Jim Antal, denominational leader, climate activist, author and public theologian, special advisor on Climate Justice to the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ
Mary Evelyn Tucker, Senior Lecturer & Research Scholar, Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Divinity School, Department of Religious Studies

Global Interfaith Prayer Service + Prayers and Offerings

Rev. Dr. Michael Bos
Imam Saffet Catovic
Samir Chatterjee & Steve Gorn
Rabbi Ephraim Isaac
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
Grandmother Mona Polacca
Rev. John Vaughn and more to be announced!

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

World Water Week 2021: Building Resilience Faster

World Water Week is the annual focal point for the globe’s water issues. Organized by SIWI, this year’s event will be held entirely online, in a new, digital format designed to ensure that people across the world can collaborate to find solutions to the most pressing water-related challenges.

Under the theme “Building Resilience Faster,” World Water Week 2021 will address such issues as the climate crisis, water scarcity, food security, health, biodiversity, and impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the event is usually held in Stockholm, hosting 4,000 people from more than 135 countries, the 2021 conference will be fully digital to ensure that this important forum can take place despite the ongoing pandemic.

The World Bank Group will convene and participate in over 50 sessions of World Water Week 2021 taking place from August 23-27. Please click on the “Sessions” tab for a list of World Bank Group (co)-convened sessions and sessions with World Bank Group participating speakers.

You can also follow our sessions along via @WorldBankWater using #wwweek.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, please visit facebook.com/NGOCoRIP.

76th Session of the UN General Assembly

The 76th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 76) will open on Tuesday, 14 September 2021. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, 21 September 2021.

As more information becomes available, it will be posted here: sdg.iisd.org/events/76th-session-of-the-un-general-assembly-unga-76

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CoNGO Notes: For information about the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN (CoNGO), and its commitment to the ideals and objectives of the United Nations, see www.ngocongo.org.

Sustainable Ageing in a Digital World

Objectives:

An increasing number of concerns have been raised regarding the risks of leaving vulnerable groups behind in a hyper-digitalised world which includes older and marginalised populations. Therefore, digital inclusion needs to be a top priority in terms of public policy making from a human rights and from an economic productivity point of view. The latter is of particular importance for countries that do not yet have an adequate social safety net for their citizens and also for countries faced with the challenge of older persons soon outnumbering the younger population. Responsive policies could empower the older population who are not yet digitally proficient to reap the potential benefits of the digital technology and support their participation in an increasingly digitalized economy and society.

An ageing workforce poses a known dilemma to companies. Older employees who hold more manual and less highly skilled jobs tend to be less familiar with ICT and less equipped to participate in today’s digitalised workplace. Excluding older workers and employees from acquiring digital literacy and minimal competence to work in an ICT dense workplace would reduce retraining costs but might jeopardize productivity and externalise social costs. For example, in service sector where companies’ productivity might actually increase with age due to accumulation of tacit knowledge and abilities to network across age groups with clients. This will take younger employees more time, emotional intelligence and social capital. Hence productivity might be higher for a socially skillful older staff. While many routine works continue to be necessary within an ICT integrated work environment, older workers, arguably with greater patience, are better equipped to carry out the more routine data processing tasks with less errors and need for rework.

Inclusion of older workers in the development of digital competence would also make sense since many of the customer services and other more routine type of work connected to data platform interactions will continue to require a human touch for all age groups. A later life work pattern will become the norm in many of the ageing societies. Hence, acquiring digital literacy would enable older workers to remain active and productive longer. The aim of this panel is to broaden the public’s understanding about the impact of digital technology on ageing in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) which has accelerated the coverage and depth of digitalization in both public and private domains.

The key note speech will be based on the newly published policy brief on “Ageing in the Digital Era” by the UNECE and highlight the barriers to digital technology adoption and the use of digital tools in later life and suggest action areas for policy makers. Panelists will discuss various policy considerations for governments to adopt.

Learn more and register here: https://hopin.com/events/unisa-iasia-hybrid-conference

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-NY, please visit ngocoa-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Vienna, please visit ngoageingvie.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Ageing-Geneva, please visit ageingcommitteegeneva.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Intergenerational Solidarity, please email the vice chair at susanneseperson@gmail.com.

World Humanitarian Day

Dear NGO Representatives,

Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, UNOG Director-General, is pleased to invite you to take part in the annual observance of World Humanitarian Day at the Palais des Nations, which will take place on Thursday, 19 August 2020 at 3.00 p.m., outside the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room (Room XX).

Designated by the General Assembly to be observed on 19 August – the day when 22 colleagues were killed at the United Nations Office in Baghdad, World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to pay tribute to colleagues who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and to honour the thousands of aid workers who continue to provide much needed support to people suffering from conflicts or disasters across the world. As the world’s humanitarian capital, Geneva plays a central role in bringing together the partners to ensure an effective humanitarian response.

The Geneva World Humanitarian Day commemoration is organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Due to COVID-19, the solemn ceremony will be organized in a hybrid format, with a limited physical presence outside Room XX. Due to the setup, no interpretation will be provided, however the speakers will address the event in either English or French. For any queries, please contact unog.political@un.org.

We also take this opportunity to encourage you to be part of the 2021 World Humanitarian Day global campaign #TheHumanRace, which aims to get the world racing against the climate crisis clock ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November. Together with some famous persons in sport, the United Nations is encouraging people across the world to run, walk, swim, row or cycle for climate action. Learn more at https://www.unocha.org/world-humanitarian-day-2021.

The commemoration of World Humanitarian Day is a highlight in the agenda of International Geneva. Ms. Tatiana Valovaya looks forward to your participation which will send a strong signal of support, demonstrating our collective commitment to the humanitarian cause.

Program:

Wreath laying and candle lighting ceremony with Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva and Ms. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General, United Nations Office at Geneva

Minute of silence

Ms. Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ms. Laura Dolci, Family of the victim of the attacks against the United Nations Office in Baghdad on 19 August 2003
H.E. Mr. Abdul-Karim HASHIM MOSTAFA, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
Ms. Prisca Chaoui, Executive Secretary, UNOG Staff Coordinating Council
Ms. Wafaa Saeed, Acting Director of the Coordination Division, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Laying of floral arrangements by participants

Master of ceremonies: Ms. Alessandra Vellucci, Director, United Nations Information Service

Join the World Humanitarian Day global campaign on the climate crisis. Sign up or pledge your part to the #TheHumanRace now.

To attend in person, register here. The event will also be webcast live at webtv.un.org.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bobbinassar@gmail.com or bknotts@uua.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org.

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