CoNGO

CoNGO 75th Anniversary Commemoration in Geneva and the Sixth Global Thematic Webinar
2023-12-15 13:30 - 17:30 (Atlantic/Azores)
The Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in
Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO)
and co-organizer

with co-sponsors

invite you to the
CoNGO 75th Anniversary Commemoration in Geneva
and the
Sixth Global Thematic Webinar
CoNGO and UDHR: Celebrating 75 Years
December 15, 2023
Geneva 13:30 – 17:45 CET | New York 7:30 – 11:45 EDT | Nairobi 15:30-19:45 EAT
Bangkok 1:30-5:45 ICT Dec. 16 | Fiji 00:30-4:45 FJT Dec. 16
Rio de Janeiro 9:30-12:45 BRT | Beirut 14:30 – 18:45 BRT
Time Zone Calculator
Venue: In-person (Main Hall, Ecumenical Centre, Geneva) and Online (Zoom)
This event will also be live-streamed on YouTube.
Language interpretation in English, Arabic, French and Spanish
Register for In-Person Participation
Register for Online Participation
Concept Note Ver. 7.0
A. In commemoration of its 75th Anniversary in 2023, the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) has organized three Commemorative Events (chronologically Vienna, Bangkok, and New York) and five Global Thematic Webinars generating engagement, cooperation, and action on global issues that constitute the core of ongoing programs of non-governmental and civil society organizations. These sessions have been conceived in the spirit of CoNGO’s commemorative motto, “Defining the Present, Shaping the Future, Making the Change Now.”
B. The Civil Society Summit on Substantive Issues, “Shaping the Future: The UN We Need for the World We Want,” held by CoNGO on 8 October 2021, highlighted global justice among all humanity’s significant global critical concerns. The Summit brought together over 1,000 participants worldwide to contribute experience and competencies, share doubts about our current world, and collectively articulate aspirations and proposals we must achieve for the world we want. The Civil Society Summit was rich in outlining concepts and actions needed to shape the future. As a direct outcome, the CoNGO General Assembly resolved to use the outcome of the Summit—the Synthesis Report—as a substantive basis for CoNGO’s programmatic direction, especially highlighting it in 2023, CoNGO’s 75th-anniversary year. The assembly agreed to convene a series of six high-level global thematic webinars throughout 2023 to engage a global constituency on the critical themes articulated at the Summit and to elaborate on the agenda, responses, and actions necessary to implement the anniversary theme.
C. The first webinar (March 2, 2023) focused on social justice, particularly migration, racial, and health justice. The second webinar (June 5, 2023) focused on pursuing global justice and solidarity, particularly realizing Agenda 2030, sustainable development and humanitarian action. The third webinar (August 31, 2023) focused on gender justice, youth and intra- and intergenerational justice and solidarity for future generations. The fourth webinar (September 7) focused on peace, human security and the threats to the security and sustainability of people and the planet, continuing what previous webinars had explored—engaging CoNGO’s constituency in a deeper dive into the UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s “Our Common Agenda,” including the proposed convening in 2024 of a Summit of the Future, which was projected to offer what was being called the “Pact for the Future.” The webinar also examined the UN SG’s Policy Brief on A New Agenda for Peace. The policy brief included recommendations “to achieve more effective multilateral action for peace and security, based on international law, for a world in transition.” The “A New Agenda for Peace” was framed around the core principles of trust, solidarity, and universality that were the foundations of the UN Charter and a stable world. It presented twelve concrete sets of proposals for action in five priority areas.” The fifth webinar (October 27) focused on cooperation with the United Nations System, built into the purposes and operations of numerous NGOs/CSOs. The UN and NGOs struggle individually and collectively, every day and every year, to meet the needs, sufferings, and aspirations of people and the planet in a time when global inequities are widening, human rights are under renewed threat, a climate emergency time bomb is ticking, and millions affected by ongoing or new catastrophes are off the public screen. Debt crises, inequalities, wars and conflicts have prevented many governments from providing their citizens with adequate health, education, social protection and other human rights. All these topics are the elements of ongoing UN-NGO interaction, both in conference halls and in rural and urban settings worldwide. The sixth and final webinar will be focused on human rights, allowing for a double commemoration of the 75th anniversaries of both CoNGO and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
D. The Fourth Anniversary Event and the Sixth Thematic Webinar will be held in Geneva on December 15, 2023, honoring and sharing in the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10 is Human Rights Day). It is also relevant that 2023 is the 75th Anniversary of the World Health Organization, UN Peacekeeping Operations, and the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize. It is also the 75th Anniversary of the CoNGO Member Organization, the World Council of Churches, based in Geneva, which will host the sessions. The first director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, Dr. O. Frederick Nolde, is credited for drafting Article 18 of the UDHR, dealing with, among others, freedom of religion. WCC was a founding member of CoNGO in 1948. The World Federation for Mental Health, a long-serving CoNGO member who will join us on December 15, also celebrates its 75th Anniversary this year.

E. It is foreseen that Items 4-7 in Section F below will be based on presentations of the present and desired future of human rights commitments, obligations and aspirations in each sub-thematic area. It will also consider the strides in developing a right to development and the right of future generations and the intersections between human rights and planetary justice in the age of the Anthropocene. Among the categories to be referenced will be women’s rights, older persons’ rights, migrants’ rights, labor/worker’s rights, the actions and safety of human rights defenders and environmental rights defenders, and lawyers and journalists engaged in protecting and promoting human rights, closing the gaps in the implementation of United Nations Conventions and Covenants; and more. Much like the previous five, the discussions in this last webinar aim to engage the UN 2020 General Assembly Declaration on the commemoration of the UN 75th anniversary and to produce NGO contributions to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Our Common Agenda, the UN Summit of the Future and related Pact for the Future and the 11 Policy Briefs.

F. Programme
See Speaker Bios
SEGMENT I: Moderated by CoNGO President Liberato Bautista
13:30-14:19
1. Introduction and Message by Liberato Bautista (CoNGO President)
2. Welcome and Keynote Address by Jerry Pillay, General Secretary, World Council of Churches (Delivered by Kenneth Mtata, WCC Programme Director for Public Witness and Diakonia)
3. Keynote Addresses from the UN System
a. Director General Tatiana Valovaya (Delivered by Sophie Torelli-Chironi, NGO Liaison Unit, United Nations Office at Geneva)
b. Written Communication from Volker Turk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
c. Ibrahim Salama (Chief, Human Rights Treaties Division, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)
d. Lina Nykanen-Rettaroli (Senior Technical Lead for Human Rights, World Health Organization)

SEGMENT II: Moderated by Cyril Ritchie (CoNGO First Vice President)
14:20-15:31
e. Ruth Marlyn Grace Sidabutar (World Summit on the Information Society | International Telecommunication Union) (human rights and ICTs)
f. Barbara Reynolds (Chair, UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent) (human rights and racism)
4. Human Rights, women and gender justice:
a. Jane Aeberhard-Hodges (Former Director, Gender Bureau, ILO) (human rights in the context of the 75th anniversaries of the UDHR and the Freedom of Association as a fundamental human right
b. Carolyn Handschin (Chair, NGO Committee on Status of Women Geneva)
c. Casey Harden (General Secretary, World YWCA)
5. Human Rights in the Age of the Anthropocene
a. Human Rights and the Right to Development (Shyami Puvimanasinghe, Human Rights Officer, Right to Development Section, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
b. Human Rights and Economic and Environmental Justice (Budi Tjahjono, International Advocacy Director, Franciscans International and Geneva Interfaith Forum on Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights)

BREAK FOR 10 MINUTES
15:32-15:42

SEGMENT III: Moderated by Manjit Dosanjh (International Cancer Expert Corps, CoNGO Board Member)
15:43-16:45
6. Human Rights and Specific Populations and Concerns
a. Human rights and health (Manjit Dosanjh, International Cancer Expert Corps)
b. UDHR and Freedom of religion or belief (Ganoune Diop, Seventh-Day Adventist | International Religious Liberty Association)
c. Migration and human rights of migrants (Torsten Moritz, Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe)
d. Human rights, minorities and indigenous peoples (Antine Sonde, Associate Human Rights Officer, UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
e. Human rights, food sovereignty and human security (Manoj Kurian, Coordinator, Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance)
f. Human Rights and Ethics (Fadi Daou, Globethics.net)
g. Human rights education and learning (Elisa Gazzotti, Soka Gakkai International)
h. Intergenerational Justice and Solidarity (Alejandro Bonilla, NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva | Greycells)

SEGMENT IV: Moderated by CoNGO President Liberato Bautista
16:46-17:05
7. Navigating the Future
a. Human Rights and the Building of a New Eco-Social World: Navigating Future Directions (Joan Davis-Whelan, Vice President, International Federation of Social Workers)
b. Towards the UN Summit of the Future (2024): Strengthening the UN System, Reinforcing Human Rights (Jan Lonn, Secretary-General, International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations)
8. Concluding remarks by Liberato C. Bautista (CoNGO President)

G. Reception
17:06 to 17:45
A reception at the Ecumenical Center will follow after the programme.
For inquiries, contact:

Liberato C. Bautista Cyril Ritchie
CoNGO President CoNGO First Vice President president@ngocongo.org firstvp@ngocongo.org

13 December 2023 (Version 7.0)

Informal meeting of the plenary to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Awards Ceremony for the 2023 UN Prizes in the field of Human Rights
2023-12-15 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Informal meeting of the plenary to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to hold the awards ceremony for the United Nations Prizes in the field of Human Rights for 2023
Friday, 15 December 2023, 10:00 to 13:00
United Nations Headquarters, General Assembly Hall
The Award Ceremony for the 2023 United Nations Human Rights Prize will serve as an occasion to mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This event will take place on 15 December 2023 at 10.00 a.m., in the General Assembly Hall at United Nations Headquarters.
Interested NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC are invited to attend.
Letters announcing this event from the President of the UN General Assembly are available to view at: PGA Letter of 25 October 2023 and PGA Letter & Programme of 4 December 2023

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Contacts for specific information:

NGO Committee on Human Rights
Co-Chair: Bruce Knotts | Unitarian Universalist Association | bknotts@uua.org

NGO Committee on Human Rights (Geneva)
Co-President: Léonie de Piccioto | International Council of Jewish Women | aldep777@gmail.com

Identifying the Vital Role that Civil Society Plays in Advocating for Realizing Human Rights In observance of 75th Anniversary of UDHR and Human Rights Day
2023-12-13 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The NGO Committee on Ageing and NGO Committee on Human Rights Invite you to join us to the upcoming event:
Identifying the Vital Role that Civil Society Plays in Advocating for Realizing Human Rights
In observance of
75th Anniversary of UDHR and Human Rights Day
Wednesday 13 December 1-3pm EST (In Person only)
Church Center of the UN
777 United Nations Plaza, NY, NY
Civil society ensures that the voices of all people are heard while bringing their lived experience throughout the lifespan. Not all persons are protected equally. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Right (UDHR), two NGOs, OHCHR and US will address important role of NGOs.
Speakers
NGO Committee on Ageing/NY Chair, William Smith, Moderator.
Frances Zainoeddin and Bethany Brown, co-chairs of Human Rights subcommittee and a speaker from the US Task Force on Human Rights of older persons(Invited).
NGO Committee on Human Rights Co-chair Bobbi Nassar Moderator.
Renzo Pomi, UN Representative, Amnesty International
Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Officer -Evidence and Engagement, CIVICUS
OHCHR 75th anniversary outcomes and path forward.
Christian Courtis, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
Perspective from a Member State: Edwin Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary, US Administration for Community Living, HHS
To learn more about the event please refer to the Concept Note : https://www.ngocoa-ny.org/ngos-program-13-dec-2023.pdf
Please RSVP: Cynthia.stuen@gmail.com
Discussion followed by refreshments.

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information:
NGO Committee on Ageing
NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna
NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva.

NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva Meeting
2023-12-12 13:30 - 15:00 (Europe/Paris)
Dear colleagues-

On Tuesday, 12 December from 13:30-15:00, we will have our next NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva meeting. The draft agenda with the Zoom link is attached, as well as, the minutes from our last meeting. I hope to have a guest speaker with us for part of the meeting (timing may be adjusted) and should have that confirmed in the next few days. Also, please note I identified people to speak to specific points in the agenda based on their activities. If there is something you would like to discuss, please mention it at the beginning of our meeting when we are approving the agenda. In the meantime, I wanted to send this reminder about the meeting with the meeting materials.

Look forward to seeing you on Zoom next week!

NGO Committee on Ageing, Geneva, Switzerland
Chair: Kelly G. Fitzgerald, representative of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA)

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information:
NGO Committee on Ageing
NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna
NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva.

Gender-related Killings of Women and Girls (Femicide/Feminicide) Briefing for Civil Society on the UNODC Global Estimates
2023-12-05 15:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Paris)
Gender-related Killings of Women
and Girls (Femicide/Feminicide)
Briefing for Civil Society on the UNODC Global Estimates
5 December 2023, 3:00 – 4:00pm CET

Hybrid event
VENUE:
Vienna International Center (VIC),
CR-6 (7th floor, C-building).
In person attendance is limited to
people with access to the VIC.
ONLINE:
https://shorturl.at/fpxAY
The newly released estimates on femicide by UNODC refer to all types of gender-related killings of women and girls. They reveal that more than half of all female homicides are committed by family members or intimate partners. This briefing for civil society will allow for discussion on how to engage to end impunity and increase prevention of gender-
based violence.

FACILITATOR:
Anna Alvazzi del Frate, Vice-Chair, Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
SPEAKERS:
Angela Me, Chief Research and Trend Analysis Branch, UNODC
Maurice Dunaiski, Associate Expert, UNODC
DISCUSSANTS:
Myrna Dawson, University of Guelph
Saide Mobayed, University of Cambridge
Co-editors of The Routledge International Handbook on Femicide and Feminicide

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit these links for more specific information about the NGO Committee on Status of Women/New York, NGO Committee on Status of Women Vienna, NGO Committee on Status of Women Geneva.

Young people, Mental Health, and Addictions / World Children's Day for a virtual round table hosted by DIANOVA.
2023-11-23 14:30 (America/New_York)
A virtual roundtable
On the occasion of the annual International Children’s Day on 20 November, Dianova will organize a virtual roundtable to discuss the complex situation of youth in relation to social changes, as well as their impact on young people’s mental health and relationship with substance and non-substance addictions.
The event will take place next Thursday 23 November from 14:30 to 16:00 pm CET. The roundtable will be held in Spanish.

This roundtable will explore the challenges faced by young people with mental health problems in relation to substance and non-substance addictions, identifying gaps and actions that need to be addressed. Experts will speak from different perspectives and from various regions of the world:
Moderation by Dr. Gisela Hansen – Dianova

Celia Prat – Youth programmes Coordinator, Fundación de Ayuda contra la Drogadicción (FAD)
Patricia Puigdevall – Coordinator of Novasalud and the training area of Dianova Uruguay
Simon Tavera – President, Federación Mexicana de Comunidades Terapeúticas (Mexican Federation of Therapeutic Communities)
Xochitl Mejia – Founder and Therapeutic Director of the Centro de Desarrollo Humano Tonalli

Date: Thursday, 23 November 14.30 H-16:00 H pm CET
Dive deeper into the discussion by reading our introduction article.
Unlock insights and get ready for an engaging conversation! You can access the WEBINAR directly through this link.
Article: https://dianova.org/news/event-young-people-mental-health-and-addictions/
We look forward to seeing you!

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the New York NGO Committee on Drugs and *Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs .

CoNGO 75th Anniversary Commemoration in New York and the Fifth CoNGO Global Thematic Webinar on "UN-NGO Relations: Enhancing Multilateralism, Protecting NGO Access, Civic Space, and Democratic Discourse"
2023-10-27 13:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York)
Online Participation
In-Person Participation
In-person venue: Horizon Condominium | 44th Floor | 415 E 37th St., Manhattan, New York City
(close to the corner of First Avenue and 37th Street)

LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, ARABIC, FRENCH AND SPANISH

YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM

As part of the commemoration of its 75th Anniversary, CoNGO is organizing four Commemorative Events (chronologically Vienna, Bangkok, New York, and Geneva) plus six Global Thematic Webinars to generate engagement, cooperation and urgent action on global issues that form the daily concerns of the broadest range of NGOs/CSOs. They are conceived in the spirit of CoNGO’s commemorative motto, “Defining the Present, Shaping the Future, Making the Change Now”.
This advance notice is to invite and encourage you to reserve the day of Friday, October 27 (1:30 pm – 6:30 pm EDT / 19.30-00.30 CEST) when the third Commemorative Event will be held, leading into the Fifth Global Thematic Webinar. The above theme of UN-NGO RELATIONS will inspire the sessions. An outline structure of the commemorative event and the webinar will be issued shortly.
The Concept of the October 27 event is based upon the following: Cooperation with the United Nations System is built into the purposes and operations of immense numbers of NGOs/CSOs. The UN and NGOs struggle individually and collectively, every day and every year, to meet the needs, the suffering, the aspirations of people and the planet in a time when global inequities are widening, human rights are under renewed threat, a climate emergency time bomb is ticking, and millions affected by ongoing or new catastrophes are off the public screen. Debt crises and inequalities, along with wars and conflicts, have made many governments unable to provide adequate health, education, social protection and other human rights to their citizens. All these topics are the elements of ongoing UN-NGO interaction, both in conference halls and in rural and urban settings worldwide.
Based on Article 71 of the UN Charter and successive ECOSOC Resolutions (1996/31 being the most recent) that provide the framework for UN consultative arrangements with NGOs, innumerable texts, statements, and declarations — by Heads of State and Government by UN Conferences, by the UN Secretary-General and multiple other governmental and intergovernmental forums and dignitaries – have underlined Resolution 1996/31’s acknowledgment of the breadth of NGOs’ expertise and the capacity of NGOs to support the work of the UN. It was the Heads of State and Government themselves who, in the UN Millennium Summit (UN Document A/RES/55/2), ‘resolved…to give greater opportunities to…NGOs and civil society, in general, contribute to realizing the UN’s goals and programmes’. Moreover, the Declaration of Heads of State and Government at the September 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit states, “We commit to enhancing global, regional, national and local partnerships for sustainable development, engaging all relevant stakeholders, including civil society…recognizing the important contribution they can make towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, and the localization of the SDGs.”
It is also well known that several UN bodies would have significant difficulties in implementing their mandates if they were not able to rely on day-to-day cooperation with a wide range of NGO/CSO partners and field operators. Examples include the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF, UN Women, and the World Food Program. A list of fruitful UN-NGO advocacy and working relations would include examples from the International Criminal Court, the International Telecommunication Union, UNDP and UNESCO, and, of course, the Secretariats charged with advancing the implementation of multiple UN Conventions and Agreements.
The path of UN-NGO consultation and interaction has not been and could be smoother. For example: a) The UN is chronically underfunded, and the many NGO Liaison Offices are at the “back of the queue.” b) Governments do not universally implement their own declarations and decisions, and the examples in the sphere of UN-NGO contacts are legion. c) Many authoritarian governments find ‘excuses’ to inhibit, even proscribe, NGOs at the national level and in their relations with the UN. d) Many human and environmental rights defenders have been targeted for persecution and physical attack, as have their media and legal contacts. e) NGO access to UN events and venues is subject to many constraints and interdictions, overt and covert. f) “Multistakeholderism,” which has gained much ground in UN circles, is welcomed as it is also worrying, especially in the context of unequal and unclear natures of roles, relationships and partnerships around conferences and decision-making tables. There are many occasions when multistakeholderism’s extension to NGOs without accreditation within the United Nations System has contributed to undermining the Consultative Status. There are more, and they will be amplified at the webinar.
The CoNGO Anniversary Commemoration and the Thematic Webinar will bring together UN Secretariat officials, NGO leaders and government representatives to explore these issues, with a view to mapping and learning from good and bad practices so that people and the planet can take optimal advantage of the irreplaceable contributions that NGOs/CSOs can, should and must make to a future world of social justice, equity and sustainability. The timing of the Commemoration and Webinar – October 2023 – makes this a venue for advance inputs to the UN Summit of the Future (SOTF) scheduled for 2024.
Stand by for further specific information and be ready to offer your advice, support, and participation. For 75 years, CoNGO has been the prime location for discussing and advancing overall UN-NGO relations. The partnerships established within and through CoNGO are the prime basis for future advances. For the World We Want and for the UN We Want, the United Nations and NGOs NEED each other.

THE CoNGO 75th Anniversary Commemoration
and the Fifth Global Thematic Webinar

1:30 PM – 1:40 PM Musical Prelude | Begona Bilbao, soprano
1.- “Si mi chiamano Mimi..”. Aria from the Opera “La Boheme” by G. PUCCINI….4:20
2.- “O mío babbino caro …” Aria from the Opera “Gianni Schicchi” by G. PUCCINI…. 2:09
3.- “Vissi d’arte…” Aria from the Opera “Tosca”. by G. PUCCINI… 3:15
1:40 PM – 2:30 PM: SEGMENT 1
75th Anniversary Commemoration
“Defining the Present, Shaping the Future, making the Change, Now”

Greetings from the 75th Anniversary Honorary Co-Chairs a. Ms. Gillian Sorensen (Former UN Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations | International Rescue Committee)
b. BGen. John T. Digilio, Jr. (for BGen. Patrick Rea (OSMTH)

Introduction by CoNGO President Liberato Bautista (References to the totality of the 75th Anniversary Year; to the uniqueness of CoNGO in relating to the entire United Nations System; to CoNGO’s sharing of the values and goals set out in the UN Charter, while remaining critical when those values are so often neglected or overturned by governments; the related need for prolonging meaningful multilateralism; the forward link to the 2024 UN Summit of the Future…
Statements by High-Level UN officials (CoNGO and the UN over the last 75 years. How do – and should – UN-NGO relations look from the UN perspective?)

H. E. Linda Thomas-Greenfield | US Ambassador to the United Nations (invited)
Dennis Francis | President of UN 78th General Assembly (tbc)
Tatiana Valovaya | Director-General of UN Office at Geneva
Ghada Fathi Waly | Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna and of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Achim Steiner | Administrator, UNDP (invited)
Volker Turk | UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (invited)
Nikhil Seth | ASG and Executive Director | UNITAR
Cynthia Samuel Olonjuwon | Director of the ILO Office for the United Nations, New York (tbc)
Maher Nasser | Director, Outreach Division, Department of Global Communications

2:30 PM – 2:40 PM (Musical Interlude I)
New Asia Chamber Music Society presents
Rose Hsien & Jaram Kim, violins
Andy Lin, viola / Nan-Cheng Chen, cello
W.A. Mozart: Divertimento in D Major, K.136
I and III movements

2:45 PM – 4:15 PM: SEGMENT 2
Fifth CoNGO Global Thematic Webinar
“UN-NGO relations: enhancing multilateralism; protecting NGO access,
civic space and democratic discourse.”
4. The history of UN-NGO Relations: Overview by CoNGO First Vice President Cyril Ritchie (What has been the status and evolution of UN-NGO relationships over these 75 years: legal, operational, supportive, adversarial—an outline of an extremely variegated picture)
5. Presentation of specific successes and challenges experienced by NGOs, notably through the range of CoNGO Substantive Committees. What (and who) needs to change: when and how?
NGO Speakers: Chairs of specific NGO Substantive Committees (Geneva, New York, and Vienna) and key civil society partners.
a. Ivy Koek | NGO Committee on Status of Women, New York
b. Margo LaZaro | NGO Committee on Sustainable Development, New York
c. Ann Lindsay | NGO Committee on Ageing, Geneva
d. Anita Thomas, NGO Committee on Financing for Development
e. Uwem Robert Otu | President, Global NGO Executive Committee (GNEC)
f. Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo | President, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

UN Speakers: NGO Liaison Officers in New York, Geneva, and Vienna.
a. Wook-jin Chang | UN DESA
b. Hawa Diallo | UN DGC
c. Amel Haffouz | UNCTAD
d. Gitanjali Sah | ITU

4:20 PM – 4:30 PM: Musical Interlude II
New Asia Chamber Music Society presents
Rose Hsien & Jaram Kim, violins
Andy Lin, viola / Nan-Cheng Chen, cello
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings

4:30 PM – 5:20 PM SEGMENT 3
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Possibilities—Another Look at Multilateralism and Multistakeholderism in View of the Summit of the Future (2024)
6. Multilateralism and Multistakeholderism
a. Harris Gleckman (Transnational Institute | Former UNCTAD Representative in New York)
b. Azza Karam (UN Secretary General’s High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism)
c. Peter Prove (Churches Commission for International Affairs | World Council of Churches)
d. Robert Zuber (Global Action to Prevent War and Armed Conflict)
5:25 PM – 5:35 PM: Musical Interlude III
New Asia Chamber Music Society presents
Rose Hsien & Jaram Kim, violins
Andy Lin, viola / Nan-Cheng Chen, cello
Antonín Dvořák: String Quartet No.12 in F Major “American Quartet”
I & IV movements
7. Closing Remarks by the CoNGO President
5:45 PM – 5:55 PM Musical Postlude | Begona Bilbao, soprano1.- “Casta Diva”
Aria from the Opera “Norma” by V. BELLINI……6:00
2.- “Un bel di vedremo…”.
Aria from the Opera “Madame Butterfly” by G. PUCCINI…… 4:16
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM ANNIVERSARY RECEPTION
Join CoNGO in an early evening reception to celebrate 75 years at:
In-person venue: Horizon Condominium | 44th Floor | 415 E 37th St., Manhattan, New York City
FOR INQUIRIES:
Liberato C. Bautista, CoNGO President
president@ngocongo.org

Cyril Ritchie, CoNGO First Vice President
firstvp@ngocongo.org

INVITATION | Virtual Meeting on Girls' Education in Afghanistan With Dr. Sakeena Yacoobi
2023-10-26 13:15 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
You can register for the event here: https://forms.gle/1uUGj6twAQqBusDg8

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information:

NGO Committee on Education, Learning and Literacy
NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning (Reports to the NGO Committee on Human Rights) (Geneva)
Chair: Claire de Lavernette | International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education | OIDEL | cdlavernette@oidel.org.

NGO Committee on Status of Women/New York
NGO Committee on Status of Women Vienna
NGO Committee on Status of Women Geneva

FoRB Event at Bahá'í International Community's United Nations Office
2023-10-25 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Dear Friends,

We extend our warmest greetings and hope you have had a productive fall season. It is with great pleasure that we invite you to a hybrid meeting of the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief on Wednesday, October 25th, from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm EDT. We will be pleased to hear from Dr. Nazila Ghanea, United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, who will discuss her forthcoming semiannual report and answer questions from members of the Committee. To attend this event either in person or virtually, please register in advance at the link below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocOmrrzIqGNJCOwqeFksLpKOOu-Hd7utr

We are also pleased to share with you an invitation to Committee members from our friends at the Bahá’í International Community’s United Nations Office to participate in an event on the same day, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm EDT. For additional information and to register for this event, please click the registration link on the attached flyer. Please indicate your intention to participate in one or both events by registering by Wednesday, October 19th.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. We hope you will be able to join us and look forward to seeing many of you at next week’s meetings.

Warm regards,

Jonathan K. Ammons
President

NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief
ngoforbny@gmail.com
917.288.7707 (mobile)

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief and NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion and Belief (Geneva).

Hybrid meeting of the NGO Committee on Freedom of Religion or Belief
2023-10-25 10:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York)

"Civic Space and Sustainable Peace" - event with Special Rapporteur Clément Voule
2023-10-11 13:15 - 14:45 (America/New_York)
In-Person Registration
Online Registration

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO.

(Vienna Event) Violence and Abuse Affecting Older Persons: Prevention and Intervention (Commemorative Event for 2023 International Day of Older Persons)
2023-10-02 14:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Helsinki)
This is an in-person event. For those persons not able to attend in person,
an event a link will be sent to watch the recording of the presentations.
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CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the NGO Committee on Ageing, New York, NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna, and NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva.

(New York Event) Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations ( Commemorating the United Nations International Day of Older Persons 2023)
2023-10-02 10:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
The celebration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons is coming up on Monday, October 2nd. For those of you who registered to attend in person, we look forward to seeing you. If you will be following the event online Monday morning at 10am EDT, here is the link to UN Web TV:
UNIDOP on UN Web TV

Seventy-five years ago, this year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, a monumental document in the history of human rights. Written by representatives from around the world with different legal, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, it is the first document articulating the fundamental human rights that are meant to be universally protected. In recognition of this milestone, and looking to a future that delivers on the promise to ensure that all persons, including all older persons, fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms, the 33rd commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons will focus on the theme of “Fulfilling the Promises of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for Older Persons: Across Generations”.
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CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the NGO Committee on Ageing, New York, NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna, and NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva.

Peace BAR Festival at Kyung Hee University
2023-09-21 09:00 - 16:30 (Asia/Tokyo)
Peace BAR Festival 2023
Peace or Collapse: Planetary Society at an Inflection Point
You are cordially invited to the Peace BAR Festival (PBF), a celebration to commemorate the UN International Day of Peace.
In celebration of the 42nd UN International Day of Peace, PBF 2023 presents the theme, “Peace or Collapse: Planetary Society at an Inflection Point.” As our global civilization navigates a profound period of transition, human society searches for solutions. Indeed, we stand at the intersection of crisis and opportunity on a level never before experienced.
The palpable climate catastrophes, escalating environmental and ecological crises, growing fear about nuclear conflict, uncertainties surrounding artificial intelligence, potential threats posed by advanced technology, and the recent acknowledgement of unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) after a prolonged period of debates – these represent just some of the global challenges stemming from the volatile synthesis of the earth and the human race, of nature and civilization. As these threats spread at an alarming speed, the survival of the human species, as well as reflection about what that survival would entail, demand our collective attention.
Confronting a tempest of the kind our civilization has never faced before, is it even possible to carve out a sustainable future? Which options must we consider, and which avenues remain unattainable? What should be reinforced, and what abandoned? As humanity grapples with a combination of crises and opportunities unprecedented in our history, it is our duty today to answer these questions, as part of our responsibility for the future.
Along with the global task with which humanity has been entrusted, PBF 2023 aims to formulate new narratives of hope and new types of praxis. We hope you will join us at an event that envisions a sustainable future for the future generation, and a better future for human civilization.

Program of Peace BAR Festival 2023

Peace or Collapse: Planetary Society at an Inflection Point
Date: Thursday, September 21th, 2023

Host
Kyung Hee University System

Organizer
Kyung Hee University Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee Cyber University Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University Healthcare System Global Academy for Medical Science and Civilization

Commemoration for the International Day of Peace
Sept. 21th (Thursday) 09:00-09:30 (Korean Standard Time)
The vastness of the universe and the planet Earth and human society within it, along with climate, AI, nuclear issues, and UAP, compel us to profoundly reflect on the consciousness and politics that have driven human history. Beyond the recognition of the reality full of crisis and the lethargy of politics, what do we need to invent anew? What kind of human history will we rewrite alongside the narratives of Kant’s “neighborly love” and Hans Jonas’s “responsibility to future generations”?
Kyung Hee first proposed and led the creation of the United Nations International Day and Year of Peace. Through PBF 2023, we hope to explore a new paradigm of consciousness and politics for the future of global society. Kyung Hee University’s Miwon Institute of Peace and Chemistry, Kyung Hee University’s Future Civilization Institute, Kyung Hee Cyber University’s Future Civilization Institute, and Kyung Hee University Medical Center’s Medical Science and Civilization Institute will collaborate to find a new path for a transitional civilization.

1. Opening Announcement

Won-soo Kim,Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University

2. Progress Report on the International Day of Peace

Won-soo Kim,Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University

3. Welcoming Remarks

Inwon Choue,Chancellor of the Kyung Hee University System “The Future at a Crossroad, Horizons of Holistic Existence”

4. Commemorative Music

“Magnolia Blossoms”College of Music, Kyung Hee University Je Veux Vivre, Charles-François Gounod

Commemorative Lecture
Sept. 21 (THU) 09:30-10:00 am (Korean Standard Time)
Science and technology, including artificial intelligence and biotechnology, have changed every aspect of human life. They have advanced civilization. The future of civilization as imagined by humans has turned into a threat to human life itself. The uncertain future of superintelligence, the possibility of nuclear war, and the catastrophic climate crisis.
With this in mind, we invited Nick Bostrom, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, UK, to give a talk on the future of artificial intelligence. The topic of the lecture is “Challenges Along Path to AI Utopia”. Dr. Bostrom will discuss how to make science and technology compatible with universal human values and ethics, and how to contribute to the realization of peace in human society beyond specific countries and corporations.

1. Theme

Challenges Along Path to AI Utopia

2. Lecturer

Nick Bostrom,Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford

3. Moderator

Won-soo Kim,Rector of the Global Academy for Future Civilizations, Kyung Hee University

Commemorative Dialogue for the International Day of Peace
Sept. 21 (THU) 10:00-11:30 am (Korean Standard Time)
The universe has endowed us with infinite possibilities, but Earth’s resources are finite. As long as humans continue to face the existential threat of destroying the planet themselves, they will lose their future. Only a consciousness revolution on the planetary level, a major shift in politics, can change the historical civilizational framework. It was not the powerful or the victorious who changed human history. It was the efforts of millions of people. Both universities and citizens must recognize the crisis of the current situation and take action for a better future in their responsibility to the future. In this program, world-renowned scholars such as Inwon Choue, Chancellor of Kyung Hee University System, Nick Bostrom, Professor of Philosophy at Oxford University, and G. John Ikenberry, Eminent Scholar at Kyung Hee University, discuss what they believe is a new paradigm for consciousness and politics.

1. Theme

Peace or Collapse: Consciousness and Politics at an Inflection Point

2. Panel

Inwon Choue, Chancellor of the Kyung Hee University System
Nick Bostrom, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford
G. John Ikenberry, Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton University

3. Moderator

SangJun Kim, Professor in the Graduate School of Public Policy and Civic Engagement, Kyung Hee University

Round Table Discussion Commemorating International Day of Peace
Sept. 21 (THU) 14:00-16:30 pm (Korean Standard Time)
There is an urgent need for a new transition plan to respond to a future society in crisis. The SDGs, which have been aiming for peace in human society along with material and economic prosperity, are being challenged by the urgency of the existential crisis of the global community, and a new direction is being called for. What should global citizens think and do to create a world where all beings living on Earth live together in harmony and peace? We will find the answer in the future vision and action plan for the Post-SDGs.

1. Theme

Path to Global Citizenship: Toward Post-SDGs

2. Presenters

Liberato C. Bautista, President, Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations(CoNGO)
Atsufumi Yokoi, Vice President, Okayama University | UNESCO Chairholder in Research and Education for Sustainable Development
Yao Yao, Director of China National Agency

2. Discussion

Daeshik Jo, Secretary General, Korea NGO Council for Overseas Development Cooperation
Woo-Kyun Lee, Co-Chair, Sustainable Development Solutions Network Korea
Dong-Ju Choi, President, Korea Academic Council on the United Nations System

3. Moderator

Ryan Song, Professor of law at Kyung Hee University, Graduate School of Legal Affaris/Law School

Download Brochure

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO.

See below for specific information:

NGO Committee on Disarmament, Peace and Security
NGO Committee on Disarmament (Geneva)
Chair: Hayley Ramsay-Jones | Soka Gakkai International | hayley.rj@sgi-ouna.org
NGO Committee on Peace in Vienna
Chair: Maria Riehl | WFWPI | mariariehl@gmx.at

TRILATERAL PARTNERSHIP OF REGIONAL FAITH-BASED NETWORKS FOR THE SDGs: High Level Meeting at the SDG Summit 2023
2023-09-18 13:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
CLICK TO SEE CONCEPT NOTE AND PROGRAM HERE
CLICK REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION HERE.

TRILATERAL PARTNERSHIP OF REGIONAL FAITH-BASED NETWORKS FOR THE SDGs:
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING AT THE SDG SUMMIT 2023

“INSPIRING FAITH, HOPE AND TRANSFORMATIVE ACTION
TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE SDGs”
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

CONCEPT NOTE
Background
The 2023 SDG Summit of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), will serve as a critical platform to review and follow up on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the world grapples with multiple and interlocking crises, such as climate change, conflicts, poverty, inequality, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes imperative to respond with transformative and accelerated actions to achieve the SDGs by the target year 2030.
Eight years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SGDs, most of the world’s low- income countries (LICs) have been struggling to achieve even a single goal, including the two key targets: the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger by 2030. The Sustainable Development Report (SDR), released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) on June 21, 2023, has singled that there is a risk that the gap in SDG outcomes between the LICs and the world’s high-income countries (HICs) will be larger in 2030 than when the goals were universally agreed upon in 2015. Half way to 2030, the SDGs are seriously off track, with the poor and highly vulnerable countries suffering the most.
In the face of this scenario, there is a need to instill faith and hope and embrace moral and spiritual imperatives to advance the SDGs with a sense of purpose and resilience. Recognizing the power of interreligious cooperation, the Trilateral Partnership of Regional Faith-based Networks for the SDGs, from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, has emerged as a catalyst for the faith engagement with the 2030 Agenda. In line with this goal, the Trilateral Partnership is preparing for a high-level meeting to be held during the 2023 SDG Summit. The High-Level Metting aims to leverage the expertise, experiences, and collective strength of these regional networks to inspire faith and hope, promote moral and spiritual imperatives, and provide high-level political advocacy for transformative action.
The 2023 SDG Summit paves the way for the highly anticipated Summit of the Future, scheduled for 2024, which holds the potential to breathe new life into the multilateral system so that it can deliver on the promises of the United Nations Charter and the 2030 Agenda. The Summit of the Future will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including to the SDGs
and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is
better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.
Objectives

Review and Reflection: The High-Level Meeting will offer a space for the Trilateral Partnership to review and reflect on the progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It will also examine the challenges faced, lessons learned, and best practices collected from the regional faith-based networks and their member organizations, highlighting their unique contributions and approaches.

Accelerating Action: It will explore strategies and initiatives that can accelerate the implementation of the SDGs in the face of multiple crises, though actionable recommendations for transformative actions that can be undertaken by religious communities and faith-based and interreligious organizations, including children, youth and women interfaith networks.

Strengthening Collaboration: It will provide a platform for fostering collaboration and synergy among the Trilateral Partnership, regional faith-based networks for the SDGs and their member organizations, United Nations (UN) agencies, governments, and other stakeholders. Participants will identify opportunities for joint initiatives, knowledge sharing, and resource mobilization to enhance the impact of multi-religious cooperation on implementing the SDGs.

Inspiring Resilience, Faith and Hope: It will affirm actions and processes that inspire resilience and empower religious individuals and communities, including children, youth and women, to take action towards the SDGs. It will recognize the need to nurture faith and hope and tap into moral and spiritual imperatives as sources of motivation and strength in the face of challenges. This objective includes providing a platform for sharing stories of resilience, highlighting the transformative power of faith and hope in driving SDGs efforts.

Format and Activities

Opening Remarks: Eminent speakers, including representatives from the Trilateral Partnership, the United Nations, and relevant other organizations, will deliver opening remarks, underscoring the pressing need and significance of inspiring faith and hope and expediting efforts towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda.

Panel Discussions: The High-Level Meeting will feature interactive panel discussions with representatives from the regional faith-based networks for the SDGs and their member organizations, and UN agencies, sharing their experiences, challenges, and success stories in implementing the SDGs. Panelists will explore innovative approaches, partnerships, and strategies that have proven effective in addressing crises and driving sustainable development.

Closing Remarks: The concluding remarks will identify practical actions for transformative change and will summarize the key outcomes and recommendations from the High-Level Meeting, emphasizing the commitment of the Trilateral Partnership, regional faith-based networks for the SDGs and their member organizations, and other faith-based and interreligious organizations to inspire faith and hope, nurture resilience, and to accelerate action towards the 2030 Agenda.

Children and Youth’s Visual Presentations: Members from children and youth interfaith networks will be encouraged to create videos to share their perspectives on the SDGs, providing a powerful medium to convey their messages, experiences, and aspirations.

High-Level Political Advocacy: A dedicated segment will focus on generating high-level political advocacy for transformative actions towards the SDGs. Participants will engage in discussions to formulate a statement to be presented to decision-makers and policymakers at the 2023 SDG Summit and beyond.

Networking Opportunities: The High-Level Meeting will provide networking space, allowing participants to connect, share experiences, and explore potential collaborations for advancing the SDGs.

Expected Outcomes

Enhanced Awareness: The High-Level Meeting will increase awareness among decision- makers, policymakers, and stakeholders about the critical role of religious communities and faith-based and interreligious organizations in achieving the SDGs and responding to multiple crises.

Actionable Recommendations: It will produce actionable recommendations and high- level political guidance for transformative actions, providing a roadmap for stakeholders to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

Strengthened Collaboration: It will foster collaboration and partnerships between the Trilateral Partnership and other stakeholders, leading to joint initiatives and resource mobilization to achieve the SDGs.

Policy Influence: It will contribute to the policy discourse at the 2030 SDG Summit, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of religious communities and faith-based and interreligious organizations are integrated into decision-making processes and actions for the SDGs.

Renewed Sense of Resilience, Faith and Hope: By tapping into faith and hope, and moral and spiritual imperatives, it will ignite a collective motivation and strength, ultimately driving impactful and sustainable progress towards the SDGs.

Participants
The High-Level Meeting will bring together representatives from the Trilateral Partnership, regional faith-based networks for the SDGs and their member organizations, religious communities and other faith-based and interreligious organizations, UN agencies, governments, civil society organizations, academia, and other stakeholders engaged in SDGs initiatives.
Date, Time, and Venue
It is scheduled to be held on September 18, 2023, at 1:30-6:00 pm, during the 2023 SDG Summit, at the Baha’i International Community (BIC) New York Office. This shall be preceded by light lunch at 1:00 pm.
Organizing and Cooperating Organizations
The High-Level Meeting is jointly organized by the Trilateral Partnership and regional faith-based networks for the SDGs, from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, in cooperation with Religions for Peace, Arigatou International, the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), ACT Alliance, World Vision International (WVI), the Baha’i International Community (BIC) and the Soka Gakkai International Office for United Nations (SGI).
The Trilateral Partnership brings together regional faith-based networks for the SDGs to build synergy for engagement and advocacy to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). It is composed by the Africa Faith Leaders Initiative on SDGs (AFLI), the Asia-Pacific Faith-Based Coalition for Sustainable Development (APFC), and the Interreligious Alliance for the 2030 Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It provides a platform to: a) Build internetwork synergy to enable effective engagement and stronger coordination to ensure that all voices of faith actors are heard in all stages of follow up and review of the SDGs implementation at the global, regional and national levels; b) Strengthen regional and national partnerships of religious communities and faith-based and interreligious organizations for greater impact in advocacy for the SDGs; and c) Reflect on their engagement in the HLPF and the Regional Forums for Sustainable Development.
The Trilateral Partnership acts to amplify the voices of individuals and communities left behind, and to bring togheter and strengthen the efforts of the regional faith-based networks for the SDGs in pursuit of a fairer, more equitable world where men, women, boys, and girls, regardless of nationality or ethnicity, religion, gender, language or other status, can experience life free from the adversities of deeply running poverty, injustice, inequality, and threats to the environment.

A Life Free from Violence, Abuse and Neglect in Older Age (A Human Rights Council Side Event)
2023-09-15 14:00 - 15:00 (Europe/Helsinki)
Click HERE to join.

Fall Kick-Off meeting | NGO Committee on Ageing / New York
2023-09-15 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
JOIN VIA ZOOM.
REGISTER FOR UNIDOP 2023 HERE
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CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the NGO Committee on Ageing New York, NGO Committee on Ageing Vienna, and NGO Committee on Ageing Geneva.

Call for Registration: Workshop: Leveraging civil society engagement at the CND thematic discussions in October
2023-09-07 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Dear Civil Society Representatives,
The UNODC Civil Society Unit, in cooperation with the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC) is pleased to invite you to participate in the online workshop “The Road Towards 2024 – how to effectively engage in the CND thematic discussions”, which will be held online on 7 September 2023 from 3pm to 4.30pm CET (Vienna time) via Zoom.

The online training is intended for civil society organizations interested in participating in the upcoming thematic discussions of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and will explain how civil society organisations can meaningfully engage. Aimed especially at NGO representatives who haven’t previously participated in CND thematic discussions the workshop will also give guidance on the speaker selection process including tips on submitting relevant abstracts.
Agenda
· Opening remarks by Ms. Mirella Dummar Frahi, Chief, UNODC Civil Society Unit
· Overview of the processes towards the CND mid-term review in 2024 and civil society engagement therein
· Topics of the October thematic discussions & discussion guide: challenges to focus on
· Applying for a speaking slot at the thematic discussions – How To

Simultaneous interpretation will be available in French, Russian and Spanish, and there will be plenty of room for questions & answers throughout the workshop.
Register on Zoom to receive your individual link to join the meeting:
https://bit.ly/3Ky4z1K
We are looking forward to welcoming you at the event.
Kind regards,

The UNODC Civil Society Unit
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Vienna, Austria
T. +43 1 26060-5582 or +43 1 26060-4620
E. unodc-ngounit@un.org

CoNGO Notes: For information about the collaborative work of NGOs on the above issues, visit the substantive committees under the auspices of CoNGO. Visit here for specific information about the Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs.
