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Home >> Events and News/Announcements

Informal Interactive Hearings of the General Assembly
with non-governmental organizations,
civil society organizations and the private sector

United Nations Headquarters, New York
23-24 June 2005

[Get Nomination Form - word]

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Informal Interactive Hearings of the General Assembly with non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector will be held on 23 and 24 June 2005, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 59/291.

2. The Task Force of the President of the General Assembly for the Hearings has prepared this “Information Note” for the use of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CS) and the private sector (PS). It contains information on the format, criteria and modalities for the Hearings and procedures for nominating participants.

3. It is expected that the President of the General Assembly will invite about 200 active participants from NGO/CS/PS, including 25 to 30 speakers, to make a substantial contribution to the Hearings.

4. In the interest of openness and inclusiveness, representatives of NGO/CS/PS may be able to participate in the Hearings as observing attendees. (See paragraphs 24 to 25 for details)

5. Timeline:

Wednesday 18 May: Notification sent out to NGO/CS/PS groups and networks inviting nominations for an invitation to be included in
the 200 active participants in the Hearings or to register as observing attendees.

Tuesday 24 May: Deadline for receipt of nominations to be active participants.

Friday 27 May: Accepted participants will be informed of their status by this date.

Friday 3 June: Deadline for registration to observe the Hearings

II. FORMAT

6. As set out in Annex III of General Assembly resolution 59/291, “The President of the General Assembly will preside over the informal interactive Hearings …… [which] shall consist of a brief opening plenary meeting followed by four sequential sessions of the Hearings, on the basis of two sessions a day.”

Provisional programme of the Hearings (see also the Annex)

7. The Hearings will be opened by the President of the General Assembly at a brief plenary meeting of the General Assembly, which will also include remarks by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and one invited speaker from the non-governmental groups.

8. Four sequential sessions will be held over the two-day Hearings. Each of these sessions will focus on one of the four clusters of the Secretary General’s report “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all” (document A/59/2005), namely : (I) Freedom from Want, (II) Freedom from Fear, (III) Freedom to Live in Dignity and (IV) UN Reform.

9. The closing of the Hearings will include a summary of the main themes, suggestions and proposals from each of the four cluster sessions and closing remarks by the President of the General Assembly.

Outcome of the Hearings

10. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 8 of resolution 59/291, the General Assembly “requests the President of the Assembly to prepare a summary of the Hearings to be issued as an Assembly document prior to the High-level Plenary Meeting in September 2005;”

Organization of the four sessions

11. The sessions will be chaired by the President of the General Assembly. The moderator of each session will assist the President in ensuring lively interactive discussions between government delegates and NGO/CS/PS participants. At the end of each session, the President will invite the rapporteur of each session to provide a brief summing up of main suggestions and proposals, emphasizing linkages and cross-cutting issues.

12. At the sessions on Freedom from Want, Freedom to Live in Dignity, and Strengthening the United Nations, the first hour will consist of short presentations by 4 speakers from NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and CS, 2 speakers from the Private Sector, and of brief responses by 2 Discussants from Member States. The remaining two hours will consist of an interactive dialogue between Member States and active participants with a view to having NGO/CS/PS articulate suggestions and proposals for consideration by Member States.

13. The session on “Freedom from Fear” will consist of 2 ninety-minute segments, one on conflict prevention and one on all other issues, each including short presentations by 4 speakers from NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and from CS, and responses by 2 Discussants from Member States.

14. Presentations/responses should not exceed 5 minutes.

15. At each of the 4 sessions, approximately 50 NGO/CS/PS active participants will be afforded the possibility to take part in the interactive dialogue.

16. It is envisaged that the Hearings would also include a discussion on financing for development in relation to the High-level Dialogue of the General Assembly on Financing for Development to be held at United Nations Headquarters, New York, on 27 and 28 June 2005.

17. One of the large conference rooms will be equipped with a live feed on a large screen to be used as an overflow room.

III. NOMINATION OF SPEAKERS AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS / REGISTRATION OF OBSERVING ATTENDEES (see paragraph 5 for deadlines)

18. Please see the attached “Nomination Form” for information which should be used for nominating speakers and active participants.

Selection criteria for speakers and active participants

19. The selection of 200 active participants (including speakers) for the Hearings will be based on the following criteria:

• Broad substantive expertise and/or experience in one or more of the four sections of the Secretary-General’s report “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for All” (A/59/2005) (www.un.org/largerfreedom/) and cross-cutting themes;

• Representation of organizations/network(s) with a broad constituency, of a public interest nature, and operating at the local, national or international level;

• Gender, geographic and sectoral balance, with attention paid to racial, ethnic, intergenerational and religious diversity;

• Significant representation from the Global South, indigenous peoples and other under-represented regions or groups.

Procedure for nominating speakers and active participants

20. Organizations/networks are required to complete the attached “Nomination Form” if they wish to nominate representatives to be invited by the President of the General Assembly as active participants in the Hearings.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Tuesday, 24 May 2005.

21. Applicants will be advised by the end of May if they are to receive an invitation from the President of the General Assembly.

22. Please ensure that nominees are aware of the U.S. visa application process and timetable. If a visa is necessary, it is best to apply for it at least a month before the intended date of arrival in the U.S.

23. Funding may be available for speakers and active participants from developing countries. Requests for funding may be made, using the Nomination form attached.

Registration of observing attendees

24. NGO representatives with ECOSOC consultative status or DPI affiliation will be able to participate in the Hearings as observing attendees, by virtue of that status.

25. NGO/CS/PS representatives without ECOSOC consultative status or DPI affiliation may be able to participate in the Hearings as observing attendees via accreditation through members in their network who have ECOSOC consultative status or DPI affiliation. More information on registration of observing attendees will be provided shortly.

IV. OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION

 Space will be provided for a limited number of NGO/CS/PS side events and for organizing events, such as NGO Caucuses. More information will be provided shortly.
 Tables will be provided for groups to display their materials.
 A central NGO/CS/PS room with copier(s), phone and computers will be provided.

NGO/CS/PS Members of the Task Force

Ms. Gemma Adaba (International Confederation of Free Trade Unions)
Ms. Wahu Kaara (Global Call to Action Against Poverty)
Ms. Ruth Kahurananga (The Global Movement for Children)
Mr. Vandy Kanyako (Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict)
Ms. Alejandra Scampini (Global Call to Action Against Poverty)
Mr. Ed Schenkenberg (International Council of Voluntary Agencies)
Mr. Bill Stibravy (International Chamber of Commerce)
Ms. Pera Wells (Millennium+5 NGO Network / World Federation of United Nations Associations)
Ms. Joanna Weschler (NGO Human Rights Committee)
Ms. June Zeitlin (Women’s Environment & Development Organization)

Non-governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)
Ms. Zehra Aydin ngls@un.org Tel:1 212-963-3125 Fax:1 212-963-8712

ANNEX

Provisional programme of the Informal Interactive Hearings
of the General Assembly with non-governmental organizations,
civil society organizations and the private sector
To be held at United Nations Headquarters,
23 -24 June 2005, New York

Thursday 23 June
10.00 – 10:20 Opening of the Hearings: plenary meeting of the General Assembly (General Assembly Hall)
10.30 – 1.00 First session: Freedom to live in dignity*
3.00 – 6.00 Second session: Freedom from Want*

Friday 24 June
10.00 –1.00 Third session: Freedom from Fear*
3.00 – 5.30 Fourth session: The imperative for collective action:
strengthening the United Nations*

5.30 – 6.00 Closing of the Hearings*


* Venue of the four sessions to be confirmed.