UNFINISHED BUSINESS: EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS FOR HUMAN SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OPENING SESSION: SEPTEMBER 6-8, 2006

The Opening Session of the 59th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, entitled "Unfinished Business: Effective Partnerships for Human Security and Sustainable Development", was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, on Wednesday, September 6, 2006. Representing WFWP, the Opening Session was attended by a delegation of fifteen women from WFWP, Japan; Ms. Motoko Sugiyama, the Director of the WFWPI UN office, along with three UN office staff, Ms. Bonnie Berry, Ms. Merly Barlaan, and Ms. Hannah Alexander. Ms. Alexa Fish Ward, President of WFWP, USA attended, along with Ms. Jennifer Ang, WFWP, USA Administrative Director.

The master of ceremonies for the Opening Session was Mr. Raymond Sommereyn, the Director of the Outreach Division in the United Nations Department of Public Information.

Mr. Sommereyn was followed by Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of the 60th Session of the General Assembly. In reference to the immense challenges of today's world, Mr. Eliasson said: "We have such huge tasks now that I sometimes ask myself, 'Will we make it?' He emphasized the need of those present to show that multilateralism, involving "working together, creating international structures, creating strong and effective international cooperation, and strengthening the United Nations, is a good thing for the world."

He praised the unique compassionate approach that NGOs often bring to humanitarian challenges: "Without passion, nothing happens in life, but without compassion, the wrong things happen in life."

Mr. Jan Eliasson, President of the 60th Session of the General Assembly

Mr. Eliasson implored the NGOs present to get actively involved in partnerships with the United Nations, saying: "We need your voices; we need your contribution. ... I want you to feel that you are partners with us in the work on development, security and human rights, and the basic pursuit that we must work for, a life of dignity for all."

After Mr. Eliasson's address, Mr. Álvaro García Linera, Vice President of Bolivia, gave the keynote address, on behalf of the President of Bolivia, Mr. Evo Morales, who was not able to attend the conference.

Mr. Garcia told the audience that President Morales' election was the first step for Bolivia to begin to chart its own course of development, breaking away from a 300-year history of models that were dictated from outside of the country.

He asked representatives gathered to request of their governments to stop spreading the myth of "one size fits all development." He emphasized that development belongs to all people, not just to one social group or tribe. In his words, it was time to get rid of mechanisms that reinforced discrimination and marginalization. This process of change would require debates and discussions between governments and civil society.

After Mr. Garcia's talk, the audience heard from Mr. Katsutoshi Kaneda, Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Japan.

In addressing the issue of human security, Mr. Kaneda pointed out that the best way to promote human security is to take a people-centered approach, which gives individuals the resources to deal with insecurity.

"Human security is people-centered. It seeks to maximize people's potential by empowering them to take charge of their own lives. ... Empowered people can make better choices and cope more effectively with insecurity."

He also stressed the importance of building global partnerships: "We need a clear acknowledgement of the challenges we face, the interconnectedness of the issues and the need to deal with them in an integrated, not fragmented, manner. To engage in such action, we need to build a strong global partnership that can be a platform for everyone."

elected NGO representatives from the NGO community

At this time, several elected NGO representatives from the NGO community offered their remarks.

One NGO speaker, Ms. Renate Bloem, President of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO), has also been a human rights advocate, focusing particularly on the rights of women and children.

Ms. Bloem emphasized the need for NGOs to grow and evolve along with the changing condition of the international community, and for NGOs to get more involved, and to partner with other institutions and governments, in a multi-stakeholder approach, in response to the challenging situations in the world, as stated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

"As the Under-Secretary-General Shashi Tharoor has recently stated, we work with a 20th century Organization that has to solve 21st century problems: problems without borders and without passports, which have become the responsibility of the whole mankind. Hence the UN needs to evolve, but NGOs have to evolve too."

Ms. Bloem pointed out that the UN is making reforms and changes, and that civil society organizations that partner with the United Nations have to remain vigilant in making sure they are given the same level of participation as before.

The final speaker of the opening session was Ms. Michaela Walsh, the NGO Chair of the Conference and Co-Chair of its Planning Committee.

Ms. Walsh talked to those gathered about how she wanted to design this conference, once she had accepted the appointment as Co-Chair of the Planning Committee.

"When I accepted this appointment, I made it clear that involving the youth voice in the conference was my first priority, as a percentage of each NGO and as speakers."

She commented on the importance of involving the younger generation: "It is important for us to help this generation to understand the history and significance of the founding of the UN during our lifetime. It is equally important that the younger generation know that we are here to encourage and support them in taking whatever risks are required in today's global society for them to take responsibility for helping design the future of our world."

She also stated the necessity of overcoming conflict and reconciling differences between cultures and diverse backgrounds, in order to avoid putting time and resources into war, instead of peace: "Efforts to attain the MDGs go hand in hand with peace throughout the world – but the work economy cannot afford these efforts and the costs of war. War cannot be avoided without our individual capacity to learn to trust diversity, different ideas and, above all, different cultures and different generations."