(Some of the Executive Committee is pictured above with other colleagues and former Under-Secretary- General Shashi Tahroor.)

The full NGO/DPI Executive Committee has begun a project aimed at broadening the representation of NGOs from Latin America. A subcommittee was appointed to supervise and monitor the project. Working in partnership with Long Island University's United Nations Graduate Studies Program, seven graduate students will travel to San Jose, Costa Rica for a two-week NGO recruitment/association drive. As a result of their research, they identified NGOs in three crucial areas: indigenous peoples, sustainable development and peace and security. UNDP in San Jose has agreed to bring together eighteen NGOs for an introductory briefing. The goal is to recruit at least three new NGOs in each target area of interest and assist them in completing the process of becoming UN/DPI Associates and being able to fully participate in the two-way interchange between the UN and NGOs.

While in Costa Rica, the students' role will be to provide NGOs information about the criteria, procedures, and the benefits to be gained from such an association. All interviews will be conducted in Spanish. Spanish language UN documents provided by the DPI/NGO Resource Centre will be sent for delivery prior to 2 June. The subcommittee, chaired by Juanita Carrillo, has worked closely with the students and their Professor, Phyllis Lee, to provide guidance, encouragement and supervision. It will continue to do so throughout the two-week San Jose trip and following their return to UN Headquarters in New York.

The students' work in San Jose can be monitored through a blog posted on the NGO/DPI Executive Committee website (http://ngodpiexecom.org/). There will be further opportunities to brief the entire UN NGO/DPI community on this experience, which the Executive Committee hopes will be the first of several such outreach initiatives.

Juanita Carrillo

The preparations for the annual September conference have moved into a very exciting and most important stage: the first draft list of speakers has been submitted to DPI for consideration and approval.

The Midday Workshops subcommittee has distributed material via email to all DPI and DPI/ ECOSOC NGO representatives, not just to your headquarters. The deadline for workshop proposal applications is May 15. Please enter www.ngodpiexecom.org and you will be able to submit your proposals electronically, which is the preferred method of getting them to the committee.

As you submit workshop proposals, please remember the cross-cutting themes of gender, education, human rights, health and migration in relating your proposal to one or more of the 7 roundtable themes: scientific evidence, indigenous peoples, energy, water, land use, streamlining the UN system and reform of UNEP, and safeguarding future generations through sustainable development.

Richard Jordan

On 30 March 2007, Luis Delgadillo (bottom left, being hugged by Sol Oca in red) retired from the United Nations after 35 years of service. He spent almost 10 years working in the DPI/NGO Resource Center and will be warmly remembered by countless NGO representatives and visitors who found him unfailingly helpful and professional. Over the years, many UN interns benefited from his encouragement and guidance. Lunch with Luis was a well-known tradition. Luis has quite an extended family, including several grandchildren, and intends to spend as much time as possible with them.

Mona Gillet

Upon the release of Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki- Moon's report on the recommendations contained in the report of the High- level Panel on United Nations System-wide Coherence (A/61/836), Member States, UN entities, and NGOs alike have been holding numerous meetings to explore the implications of the Panel's proposals for existing UN structures, as well as ways to carry this process forward.

The proposals of the High-level Panel report entitled "Delivering as One" (A/61/583), aim to improve the coherence and effectiveness of the UN system in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment at the country level, in order to better support Member States in achieving their development goals.

In this writer's perspective however, discussions around these proposals could benefit from an understanding of coherence that goes beyond the important reform of structures and mandates, to tackle the issue of working culture.

A fundamental step to achieving greater coherence across the UN system is to generate new dynamics among individuals, a new concept of leadership that revolves around shared responsibility and team work.

Since a change of working culture must start somewhere, why not among the UN's partners in the NGO community.

As vital partners of the United Nations in activities for development, humanitarian assistance and the environment, greater coherence among NGOs would yield a direct positive impact on the UN's work on the ground, and would also advance the goals of NGOs, by creating the conditions for more effective collaboration.

Immediate ways to increase coherence among NGOs include:
- making better use of available resources in order to stay informed about developments at the UN and disseminating that information widely
- being ready to contribute substantive knowledge and experience about the issues in question, when the opportunities present themselves
- taking initiative in partnership with many organizations - including those with access to UN Headquarters and those based abroad - to engage parties within the UN in dialogue
- always formulating proposals, not only critiques

The plight of individual NGOs to secure the necessary support to sustain and develop their activities often gives way to competition and duplication of efforts. The same time and energy could be made much greater use of if there were a culture of team work in place.

And while this applies not only to non-governmental organizations, but also to the United Nations, a culture of coherence cannot be imposed; it is a shift of mentality that comes from within.

Shamina de Gonzaga

Addressing Gender Issues with the United Nations was the theme of the February 2007 NGO/DPI Communications Workshop. In the morning session, speakers from four UN agencies explained how their particular organizations worked and how NGOs could develop working relationships with them to move gender issues forward. The afternoon session included three concurrent meetings followed by concluding remarks to the entire group.

The panelists did an outstanding job of detailing their activities and giving concrete suggestions as to how NGOs could be more effective in partnering with them. Reports, such as the Cardoza Report, have been shelved by many governments and forgotten. All speakers agreed that it is imperative to move member states to ratify conventions and to hold governments accountable. NGOs are good at doing those tasks; they are in a position to advocate for legislation and pressure governments to reintroduce previously sidelined issues. The example of the success of the 16-Day Campaign for Human Rights was cited to show how women working collectively can make great strides.

The Q&A following the briefing was focused on ways to publicize women's rights. One of the panelists suggested that countries with the worst human rights records for women should be exposed through media attention. A member of the audience suggested that girls should be allowed to voice their human rights concerns in public forums. It was also proposed that NGOs seek to broaden their human rights efforts beyond the confines of the UN and develop proposals for local and regional policy makers.

The afternoon audience was divided into three concurrent discussion sessions. Each group was asked to develop recommendations that would be shared when the groups reassembled together to conclude the day. Three specialists-in promoting women's human rights, improving women's health, and protecting women in armed conflict-gave brief statements and then facilitated the ensuing audience discussions.

It was interesting to note that although the issues were different, many of the recommendations had similarities. NGOs should exert pressure on member states to make good on their resolutions and can be creative in getting their message heard by the media. NGOs at the local and national levels should urge gender advocacy at all levels of the UN and communicate on gender issues with one another local and national levels. Increasing funding for gender education was another common theme of the afternoon session.

Following the concluding remarks, the audience honored the work of the late Angela King, who was highly regarded for her advocacy of true equality between women and men. The audience pledged to carry on her vital task.

Muriel Hertan

The Youth Assembly at the United Nations brings together young people from around the world who aspire to be agents of change and create a better world for all. This year, speakers include Arun Gandhi, Jeffrey Sachs (via satellite), Olympic medalists, Kathy Ireland, and other luminaries. Topics will focus on Millennium Development Goals and ways to encourage youth leaders to choose civil society as a career path. Workshops will be offered on volunteer service, internships, jobs and the creation of new NGOs. Sponsors include U.N. Missions, NGOs affiliated with the United Nations, and the U.N. Foundation. The Executive Committee, at its March 2007 meeting, enthusiastically endorsed the Youth Assembly.

Please note the following Youth Assembly special events:

Special Youth Achievement Awards will be given to outstanding high school juniors and seniors in recognition of their community service. Applications are available at: www.faf.org/programs/ unyouthassembly2007/yaaward.

A Youth Assembly United Cultures of Peace Arts Festival is open to all youth ensembles. Apply online at: www.faf.org/programs/unyouthassembly2007/ ucpeace.htm

A leadership seminar at Pace University will precede the events and focus on social entrepreneurship and creating NGOs. This practical session has a fee attached and will feature three days of speakers and workshops in an intensive, retreat-like setting. Apply online at: https://www.spgeventformer.com/FAF/2007

For further information: Friendship Ambassadors Foundation at 001-203-542-0652 or [email protected]

Dr. Elaine Valdov

Otto Strobino was a long time member of Lions Clubs International, serving on the Board of Directors in the position of International Director from 1990 to 1992. During his association with Lions Clubs International, Otto became involved at the United Nations as its Main Representative to ECOSOC and the DPI. He joined a number of Congo committees and chaired the Narcotics and Substance Abuse Committee (New York). He was elected to serve on the NGO/DPI Executive Committee as member, and later was elected to serve as Treasurer. Otto was well respected in the NGO community at the United Nations.

The NGO/DPOI Executive Committee mourns his death and extends deepest condolences to his family.

Dan Uitti

EDITORS

Lester N. Wilson, Ph.D.
Long Island University
Patrick L. Sciarratta
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation

EDITORIAL BOARD

Juan Carlos Brandt
Chief, Non-Governmental Organizations Section / UNDPI
Sr. Joan Kirby
Temple of Understanding
Joan Levy
End Child Prostitution and Trafficking
Vincenzo Pugliese
Public Information Officer for the South Region
MINUSTAH, Les Cayes, Haiti
Dr. Elaine Valdov
International Institute of Integral Human Sciences

CONTRIBUTORS

Juanita Carrillo
Chair, Costa Rica Outreach Project
International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Shamina DeGonzaga,
Special Adviser on NGO relations in the Office of the President of the General Assembly and Vice-Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee
Mona Gillet
Supervisor, NGO Resource Centre
Muriel Hertan
Co-Chiar, Communications Workshop
Women's American ORT/World ORT
Richard Jordan
Co-Chair, 60th Annual DPINGO Conference
International Council for Caring Communities
Patrick Sciarratta
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
Daniel Uitti
Philippine Human Rights Information Center
Dr. Elaine Valdov
International Institute of Integral Human Sciences

LAYOUT
Patrick Sciarratta
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation

Comments and suggestions
Lester Wilson ([email protected])
Patrick Sciarratta ([email protected])

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: NEW MEMBERS
At its 22 February 2007 meeting, the NGO/DPI Executive Committee selected two members to fill the unexpired terms of persons who had resigned from the Committee.

Swadesh R. Rana, Ph.D., has had a twenty- year career at the UN, ending in 2000. She retired as Chief of the Conventional Arms Branch and over the years has represented the UN at more than twenty major international conferences. Since retirement, she has been a consultant to, and commentator for, the media. Dr. Rana's term on the Committee will be eighteen months.

Stafford K. Moussky is an Alternate Representative of the Association of Former International Civil Servants and a member of its NGO Relations Committee. He has had a distinguished career in the world of international organizations, highlighted by a long association with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In 1993, he served as a Senior Advisor in the Secretariat of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. Mr. Moussky's term on the Committee will be six months.