[WSIS CS-Plenary] Civil society groups launch website to spur discussion of 2005 UN World Summit

[Dr. Francis MUGUET]

FYI :

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=15454&Cr=DPI&Cr1=NGO

*Civil society groups launch website to spur discussion of 2005 UN World 
Summit*

/17 August 2005 – /With some 170 heads of State and government expected 
in New York in less than a month for the United Nations 2005 World 
Summit, civil society groups working with the UN Department of Public 
Information (DPI 
<http://www.un.org/news/press/docs/2005/ngo578.doc.htm>) have launched a 
Website to voice their views on how to strengthen the world body as it 
confronts the challenges of extreme poverty and global security.

The Website, at http://www.undpingoconference.org, features an 
interactive discussion area, which went live Monday, to debate issues 
that will be addressed at the 58th Annual DPI/NGO (non-governmental 
organization) Conference, “Our Challenge: Voices for Peace, Partnerships 
and Renewal,” scheduled to take place at UN Headquarters in New York 
from 7-9 September.

That event kicks off one week ahead of the 2005 World Summit, which will 
run from 14-16 September and where world leaders gathered to mark the 
Organization’s 60th anniversary are expected to take advantage of what 
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called a "once in a generation 
opportunity" to forge a global consensus on development, security, human 
rights and UN renewal.

While the NGO Conference will be closed to the general public, the 
Website will enable social activists from around the world to 
participate in the discussion of issues as set forth in Mr. Annan’s 
report “In Larger Freedom,” which urged world leaders to take decisive 
action during the Summit on a "bold but achievable" blueprint for making 
the UN more efficient at tackling global problems.

The website also aims to increase the number of NGO Conference 
participants from around the world, especially NGO activists, youth, the 
media and the general public.

During the Conference, online participants will also be able to pose 
questions which may be addressed to panel speakers to enable real-time, 
virtual participation. The online discussion area for comments, 
questions and answers will be available before, during and after the 
Conference.

The discussion forum will feature several thematic issues based on the 
Secretary-General’s report, including development issues, peace and 
security, human rights and rule of law, strengthening the UN and the 
role of civil society in the United Nations. Each topic will be launched 
by a series of questions by a moderator, who will check the discussions 
daily. Special online sessions with high-level UN officials or NGO 
representatives will be announced separately.

The Website will host live a webcast of the panel discussions, which 
will feature Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Winner; Ann Veneman, 
Executive Director, UNICEF; Juan Somavía, Director-General, 
International Labour Organisation; Anwarul Chowdhury, UN High 
Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Least Developed 
Countries and Small Island Developing States; Fatou Bensouda, Deputy 
Prosecutor, International Criminal Court; Gareth Evans, President and 
Chief Executive, International Crisis Group; Paul van Tongeren, 
Executive Director, European Centre for Conflict Prevention; and Bill 
Pace, Executive Director, World Federalist Movement.



-- 

------------------------------------------------------ 
Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D 

MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
Associate Publisher
http://www.mdpi.org   http://www.mdpi.net
muguet at mdpi.org       muguet at mdpi.net

ENSTA   Paris, France
KNIS lab.  Director 
"Knowledge Networks & Information Society" (KNIS)
muguet at ensta.fr   http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet

World Summit On the Information Society (WSIS)
Civil Society Working Groups
Scientific Information :  http://www.wsis-si.org  chair
Patents & Copyrights   :  http://www.wsis-pct.org co-chair
Financing Mechanismns  :  http://www.wsis-finance.org web

UNMSP project : http://www.unmsp.org
WTIS initiative: http://www.wtis.org
------------------------------------------------------