The upcoming international UN-DPI-NGO conference entitled “Sustainable Societies – Responsive Citizens” will take place in Germany’s United Nations city of Bonn from 3rd to 5th September 2011. For more details about the conference, how to register and the program; please go to the conference website www.undpingoconference.org. Likewise, to join the discussion on sustainability and civil society in the run-up to the conference, go to our NGO website and blog at www.ngo-un-conference-blog.org.
The program
The opening plenary session will offer festive moments and inspiring speeches by charismatic and prominent speakers like UNEP Director Achim Steiner and the Alternative Nobel Prize Laureate Vandana Shiva from India. The plenary speakers at the round tables come from all walks of life and backgrounds and will share their wisdom and visions on a broad range of issues around sustainability and volunteerism. Among the speakers are not only further Laureates of the Alternative Nobel Prize (Abser Kamal from Bangladesh, & Pat Mooney from Canada) and World Food Prize Laureate Hans Herren, but also inspirational leaders of the environmental, peace, volunteer, and social movements including U.K.’s Dr Justin Davis Smith CBE and Professor Grace Aguiling-Dalisay from the Philippines.
Along side the four plenary roundtable sessions, the workshops will be a platform for learning, lively debates, and exchange. We received 67 proposals for workshops, which made selection not an easy task. Luckily, with the support of the City of Bonn, we could increase room capacity so that we were able to select 31 workshops for the conference.
In addition, some very interesting side events will take place at the conference; including launches of two major UN reports. More details on the program can be found on the conference website www.undpingoconference.org.
For information and networking, an exhibition area with some 30 stands will become a lively “market place” at the conference venue.
A last minute offer to exhibit
Thanks to the city of Bonn could we get some more space for the exhibits? Thus we can extend the deadline to “deadly” August 1st for more exhibits nominations. We can offer ten more stands on “first come – first get basis”. We would give preference to workshop nominating NGOs that we could not approve.
Conference declaration and action plan
Regarding the declaration and action plan, preparation is also moving from wish to reality. The conference delegates will have the unique opportunity to shape a meaningful and challenging declaration, setting the stage for a straightforward action plan that will be fed, with the support of the German government and others, directly into the Rio +20 negotiations. Thus the 64th UN DPI NGO conference will be a great opportunity to “pave the road to Rio” The document will also contribute significantly to the two day special session of the UN general assembly on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers.
Via www.ngo-un-conference-blog.org you have the opportunity to contribute to the draft framework for the conference declaration from August 1 onwards For the first time participants and civil society at large will have an opportunity to exchange prior to the conference and contribute, e. g. to the drafting of the declaration and action plan, through the interactive platform of the NGO blog on the web page offered by the German/European focal group. The web platform has just been launched at www.ngo-un-conference-blog.org. There you will also learn more about the interesting range of NGO side events during the conference, at the venue and outside of the conference. These happenings will provide further opportunities to see, meet, learn and be inspired. Some side events already planned are guided “sustainability” tours, a town hall meeting, and a public tree planting prior to the conference.
Registration
Registration in the conference is at a record high. In other words way over 1.000 persons have already registered before the peak of registrations towards the deadline. So if you have been thinking to join us at the conference it is now the time to register yourself. The deadline, August 16th has to be taken seriously, as no extension will be granted, due to security. All necessary information and the registration form are available on the conference website www.undpingoconference.org.
The members of the planning committee, UN-DPI staff, UNV, the city of Bonn, and especially the hosting German/European focal group are looking forward to welcoming you for three days of learning, listening, debating, networking and… joy in being part of such a monumental conference.
We are ready for to welcome you. All you need to do for the time being is to: Register now!