[WSIS CS-Plenary] WSIS update

Mon Oct 20 14:07:37 BST 2003

Renata, thanks very much.

Would be helpful if the documents you pointed out could be moved from 
PrepCom3 sub-page to more obvious links from the WSIS home page. 
Could the bureau or CS secretariat suggest this.

Looks like we need to find a person from civil society to join the 
opening ceremony on Wednesday 10th.

Can we find out what kind of role is this?

If it's someone to act as our representative in an honorary type 
role, then that would be a different person, I think, than if they 
are there to give a speech about civil society and WSIS.

Sounds like speakers for the 3 minute plenary spots will be decided 
on the day? Or can we expect the govt. side to know what it will be 
talking about when? (no laughing, please... they might!)  4 general 
debates, so around 24 3 minute slots.

About the round tables. I think it would be very helpful if we could 
get some more detail/guidance from the secretariat of the conference. 
What are they expecting from us?  We pick 20 people and a couple of 
reserves, list them by name and subject of expertise, then prioritize 
them so if there are only 3 roundtables they know who our unlucky 
16-20 are? According to Annex 2, the secretariat wants governments 
and intergovernmental organizations to respond with names by Nov. 15. 
But there's no date for observers.  An oversight, or what is our 
deadline?

Ticketing.  Access to the plenary hall seems to be for accredited 
organizations only. This is slightly different from Hall 2, where 
people who are registered by December 2 to attend an event can enter 
(or so it seems.) There has been some talk that these "plenary" 
tickets will be photo IDs.  Might be good to find out if this is 
correct (I hope not), and also to check how strict security will be 
on ticket allocation. These may be the overriding factors that decide 
how we can/cannot allocate tickets.

One thing.  Annex 1. suggests that on Friday afternoon organizers of 
side events will have the opportunity to report on the outcome of 
their event. There are hundred plus such events, I doubt all will be 
able to report, but worth bearing in mind that event organizers 
should have priority for tickets on that Friday afternoon. 
Generally, I would think about at least part of the bundle of tickets 
to people have done or will do work (e.g. organizing a side event, 
pair of tickets; CS bureau family "x" number of tickets, caucus "x" 
tickets, C&T drafting members "x" tickets, submitted an official 
comment, "x" tickets, etc. And of course speakers.) If there are 600 
(and security permits) then allocate 300 to pre-determined groups, 
and leave 300 free for all.  For example.  That is, I don't 
completely agree or disagree with Rik's note

Thanks,

Adam

At 9:39 PM +0200 10/17/03, Renata BLOEM wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>I have been in and out of the Office and could not follow all of your
>discussions. But here are some up-dates (according to discussions with some
>persons available in the Secretariat, including with Mr. Samassekou and with
>Ambassador Nouminen)
>
>* Proposed Format of the Summit, Statements, Roundtables etc: Most of you
>have probably seen, but please look again at the ITU Website PrepCom 3 and
>look for Document WSIS/Pc-3/Doc/8(Rev.2)-E (29 September 2003) with the
>Annexes 1 and 2.(This document contains still up to date information) It
>says all about Statements in Plenary, (4 times at end of each session, 1
>hour for observers, CS 3 Minutes statements) Roundtable discussions: 4
>Roundtables on the overarching theme:"An Information Society for All:
>Opportunities and Challenges", with three of them discussing related
>subthemes. Decision on those subthemes will be made next week. The
>Roundtable interventions will probably be the most newsworthy, with full TV
>coverage etc. To each of the Round tables we can suggest 5 CS speakers. If
>e.g. Shirin Ebadi would not be available on the 10th (because of receiving
>her Nobel prize) to open CS intervention in the Plenary, she could
>participate as one of the major CS representative on the overall Roundtable.
>We can submit names until 15 November, explicitly through our own
>self-organizing mechanisms. We should, of course, be in contact with the CSD
>and Mr Utsumi, the Secretary-General of the Conference.. who has the last
>say on this.
>
>* Access: Please look at www.palexpo.ch under facilities and the Conference
>Centre. At the bottom you will find Multipurpose rooms. Only those and Hall
>IV, ICT 4D, will be accreditation-badge free. (I hope Sean, you have one of
>those rooms). However, an entrance fee for no badge holders will be asked
>for of CHF 20 per day to cover installation costs. Security measures will be
>heavy in all restricted (for badges) areas.
>
>* Overpass tickets: The Secretariat wants to let CSB organize the
>distribution of the 600 tickets for the Plenary. Since I have nightmarish
>memories on what happened in Durban and Johannisburg, I suggest a short
>discussion on how to do this inclusive and intelligently. Please come up
>with best practice!
>E.g.:I received today the following from New York for the upcoming
>High-level Section of the General Assembly:
>		"...1.  As usual, passes will be handed out at the 
>main lobby at the
>visitor's
>		entrance to the UN on 45th street and 1st Avenue. 
>There will be a desk at
>		the lobby of the visitor's entrance, where passes can 
>be picked up, from
>		9am to 9:45 am and 2pm to 2:45 pm on 28, 29 and 30 
>October 2003.  Please
>		note that your pass will be vaild for all three days 
>of the High Level
>		Dialogue."
>This is first come first, neutral, but can take a lot of time and long
>quews. I would suggest to give overpasses out during the day at intervals
>each one ahead of the next day. (To note: In general interest for Plenary
>sessions diminishes after the official opening. So called other/side events
>are more interesting)
>
>
>* Fellowships for Summit: Categorically 60% from LDCs and 40% from
>developing and transition countries. No way to try arguing about an extra
>list for CSB or CT Group members, they will fall according to their
>countries into the overall list which will cover some 100 persons.
>
>
>* PrepCom 3 extended, Nov.10 -14: No need to reregister, but the Secretriat
>would like to have a short announcement of participation via fax: 41 22 730
>5881. Registration is still open also for those who did not attend PrepCom3
>but are accredited. PrepCom 3 procedures apply, but this all does not help
>us very much. There are no funds for CS participation for this period!
>
>* Current Consultations: PrepCom 3 gave the mandate to Mr Samassekou to
>engage in informal consultations to find ways and mechanisms how to approach
>the sticky issues in the document. There will be a number of informal
>governmental meetings to address these, e.g. whether or how some governments
>want to work together on some of the issues and propose solutions to
>PrepCom3 extended. These consultations will go on until 30/31 October. From
>what I understand, no negotiations before that. But we (CT Group) should
>have ready soon our "life and death issues," e.g. on the declaration. We
>should single out two to three priority ones,(before going into the rest)
>and submit language on these to Ambassador Nouminen directly. Can CT Group
>please do this?
>
>That is all for today and apology for this lengthy epistle.
>
>
>
>Renate Bloem
>President of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)
>________________________
>Palais des Nations, E2-B
>CH-1211 Geneva 10
>Tel: +41 22 917 1881
>Fax: +41 22 917 0373
>E-mail: rbloem at ngocongo.org
>Website: www.ngocongo.org
>_________________________________________
>The Conference of NGOs (CONGO) is an international, not-for-profit
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>
>
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