The Government of Mexico asked to host the 62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference on Dis- armament and Peace, which will be held in Mexico City, from the 9th of September through the 11th, 2009. For the past three months, sub-committees of a Planning Committee in New York, led by Maria-Luisa Chavez and Chuck Hitchcock, have been working on the details of the Conference. Simultaneously, a Mexican NGO Focal Group, led by Jessica Rojas, has been busy addressing the same concerns.

We are now meeting via teleconference to incorporate the decisions each group has made. If there are disagreements, they go to a Conference Board, composed of representatives of NGOs from New York and Mexico City, DPI, UNICS Mexico, Mexican Government representatives, and the Director of the Office of Disarmament Affairs at the UN.

The Mexican Government has reserved a variety of venues for the Conference. All of them are extraordinary. The opening and closing ceremonies will take place in the renowned Metropolitan Theater. The roundtables and breakout sessions will be held in the Foreign Office and most of the workshops will take place in six museums. The Events sub committees in Mexico City and New York are hard at work planning side events and exhibit spaces that should enrich the Conference.

Chuck Hitchcock
Conference Planning Committee Co-Chair
Pictured, above: The Palacio de Bellas Artes in downtown Mexico City

The Ad Hoc Committee of Regional Representatives was established in 2007 under the capable stewardship of Dr. Eudora Pettigrew. The first phase of its work consisted of a search for representatives from regions unrepresented on the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee during the preceding six decades of its work. A major consideration in the search was that the representatives should belong to the NGOs affiliated with the Department of Public Information and have a proven track record of advocacy on issues of concern to the United Nations. The end of 2008, following the selection of regional representatives from Asia, Africa, Middle East, and South America, marked the completion of this phase. An elected Member of the Board of Directors was assigned to be the liaison director for each of the regional representatives. The current composition of the Ad Hoc Committee of Regional Representatives is given below.

Beginning 2009, the Ad Hoc Committee embarked upon the second phase of its work. To be completed by the end of 2011, this phase is devoted to putting in place a workable strategy to raise the global profile of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee through a more ac-tive engagement of its regional representatives in holding events and activities in the field on some priority issues on the UN' s global agenda.

As members of the Board of Directors of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee, the Regional Representatives are encouraged to attend its monthly meetings at the UN Headquarters, take the responsibility for putting together any consultative mechanisms in their regions and take part in the planning of the DPI/ NGO annual conferences. The Liaison Directors are expected to maintain a two-way communication with the Regional Representatives. They are advised that the Directors of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee and its Regional Rep-resentatives are honorary positions.

Given below are the Committee's initial recommendations for practical steps for a more active involvement in raising the global profile and expanding the outreach of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee:

1. The Ad Hoc Committee of Regional Representatives was established in 2007 under the capable stewardship of Dr. Eudora Pettigrew. The first phase of its work consisted of a search for representatives from regions unrepresented on the NGO/ DPI Executive Com-mittee during the preceding six decades of its work. A major consideration in the search was that the representatives should belong to the NGOs affiliated with the Department of Public Information and have a proven track record of advocacy on issues of concern to the United Nations. This phase was completed by the end of 2008 after the selection of regional representatives from Asia, Africa, Middle East, and South America. An elected Member of the Board of Directors was assigned to be the liaison director for each of the regional representatives. The current composition of the Ad Hoc Committee of Regional Representatives is given below.

2. Beginning 2009, the Ad Hoc Committee embarked upon the second phase of its work. To be completed by the end of 2011, this phase is devoted to putting in place a workable strategy to raise the global profile of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee through a more active engagement of its regional representatives in holding events and activities in the field on some priority issues on the UN' s global agenda.

3. As members of the Board of Directors of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee, the Regional Representatives are encouraged to attend its monthly meetings at the UN Headquarters, take the responsibility for putting together any consultative mechanisms in their regions and take part in the planning of the DPI/ NGO annual conferences. The Liaison Directors are expected to maintain a two-way communication with the Regional Representatives. They are advised that the Directors of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee and its Regional Representatives are honorary positions.

4. Given below are the Committee's initial recommendations for practical steps for its more active involvement on raising the global profile and expanding the outreach of the NGO/ DPI Executive Committee:
i. Expanding the association with DPI of more NGO's from each region with due regard to their diversity of outreach to different constituencies of information sharing and opinion-building, such as parliamentarians, academics and the media.
ii. Holding events on those priority issues on the UN's information agenda that are of vast public interest to the region such as Millennium Development Goals, climate change, human rights and disarmament.
iii. Providing feedback on, and making a contribution to, information materials for widest possible distribution to the NGO community associated with the DPI.
iv. Exploring likely themes and sites for holding the annual DPI/ NGO conferences in your regions in the next three years and reporting on regional coverage/ activities of the topics for the DPI/NGO annual conferences
v. Proposing possible sources of voluntary funding for all of the above bearing in mind that, by precedent, the DPI/ NGO annual conferences receive some funding from the DPI and by the host country when held outside the UN Headquarters.

5. The Chair of the N GO/ DPI Executive Committee Jeffery Huffines would be shortly introducing the Regional representatives to the UN Information Centers in their regions in order to interact with the worldwide NGO community including the global civil society of which only a very small percentage is currently associated with the UN.

Regional Representatives

Sub Saharan region (NIGERIA)
Dr. Eleanor Nairobi E.D.
Medical Women's International Association
elenwad@yahoo.co.uk

Middle East region (JORDAN)
Omar Amid Teeth Sale
omar@seedsofpeace.org
otayeh@yahoo.com

Latin American region (CHILE)
Dr. Jorge Rojas-Zegers
Rotary International
drrojas@coaniquem.cl

Asian Region (INDIA )
Razia Ismail
Women's Coalition Trust
iacrindia@yahoo.com
sanga4change@yahoo.com

Liaison Directors

Fay Parris
Women's Bar Association of NY
fayparris@yahoo.com

Bruce Knots
Unitarian Universalist Association
BKnotts@ uu-uno.org

Elizabeth Burns
Int'l. Assoc. for Volunteer Effort
liz.burns8593@btinternet.com

Janet Stovin
Women of Reform Judaism
JanetTS@aol.com

Swadesh Rana
Chair, Regional Representatives Ad Hoc Committee
23 March 2009

The NGO Relations Cluster held its two-day Annual Orientation Programme from 19 to 20 March 2009. The aim of the Orientation programme was to familiarize the newly associated NGOs and NGO representatives about the work of the United Nations, its rules and procedures and to update them on the priorities of the Department of Public Information. As usual the programme also provided networking opportunities for the some 150 NGO representatives that participated.

This year, the NGO Cluster as part of its revamping efforts decided to make the programme even more interesting for the new NGOs by including more key resource persons within the UN with whom the NGOs would have closer contact. We also saw the need to give the NGOs more background on areas of work that impacted the work they carried out on the ground. With this in mind two new sessions were included this year, one on General Assembly mandates and the other on UN/NGO Cooperation at the Headquarters and in the field. For the first time we included participation by teleconference of newly associated NGOs, one from Bahrain, the Bahrain Women's Association for Human Development and the other from Mexico, Tendiendo Puentes. We also welcomed an NGO from Libya who actually came to New York to participate in the event.

Approximately 90 new NGOs attended the session which was held over two days in the ECOSCO Chamber. Day one featured the General Assembly Mandates and access to UN information materials while day two concentrated more on the cooperation between UN/NGO at Headquarters and in the field.

From the feedback we received the NGOs enjoyed the sessions and were appreciative of the information they received. We were also informed by Joanna Guguulska, Dean of the International Programmes and Professor of Women's Studies and Geography, Rutgers University, that her office intended to create a number of internships for undergraduate students to assist with retrieving UN information materials for faculty to use in their classrooms.

One of the highlights of the session was a presentation on changes to the association process. As DPI prepares to hold the annual DPI/NGO Conference in different regions of the world it has also decided to launch a campaign with the aim of achieving greater geographical diversity among the NGOs associated with the Department.

Consequently, we are giving priority for association to the region where the Annual DPI/NGO Conference will be held. Mexico City being the venue for the 2009 Conference, DPI will give priority to association for the NGOs in Latin America and the Caribbean. A key partner in this endeavour will be UN Information Centres (UNICs) in the region which, will be asked to play a key role in the process.

How will the process work? Well, for NGOs outside the Latin America and the Caribbean region, applications for association should be sent directly to the UN Information Centre (UNIC) covering the region where the NGO has its headquarters. NGOs outside of the Latin American/Caribbean region are encouraged to apply for association when their respective region hosts the annual conference. We encourage you to visit our website at www.un.org/dpi/ngosection for detailed information on the association process.

We look forward to welcoming many new NGOs from Latin America and the Caribbean among us as we head to Mexico in September.

On the next issue of the NGO Reporter we will update you on another aspect of our revamping process.
On behalf of all the NGO relations staff warm regards to the NGO Reporter readers.

Maria-Luisa Chávez
Chief, NGO Relations
Department of Public Information

We have had two very well attended Communications Workshops. The 4 December workshop, "Exploring New Technologies in Media: Where Do You Get Your UN News?" was devoted to the wide variety of media available to NGOs. It featured experts from radio, the Internet, print media and the Blog. The afternoon session offered hands-on demonstrations featuring examples of the new technology, how to use it, how to write for it and other helpful information.

The second workshop on 26 February was entitled "Volunteerism at the Crossroads...Finding New Ways, Fresh Faces in a Changing World." The morning panel included multigenerational volunteers; the afternoon session consisted of a series of round table discussions exploring why people volunteer and how to sustain that interest.

The next Workshop scheduled for 16 April is entitled "UN NGOs Reaching In Reaching Out: Is the Message Being Heard?" We will hear from experts on what they need to hear from NGOs. Although details of the morning session have not been finalized, the afternoon session will consist of round table discussions with facilitators demonstrating how to prepare and present a message to the public and to the UN.

Catherine D. White, Chair Communications Workshop Sub-Committee NGO/DPI Executive Committee Board

For more details on the 4 December Workshop, Exploring New Technologies in Media: Where Do You Get Your UN News?, please go to:
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/fall08/briefin gs/Brief_4d ec08.asp

For more details on the 26 February Workshop,Volunteerism at the Crossroads in a Changing World, please go to:
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/spring09/bri efings/Brief _26feb09.asp

DPI/NGO HUMAN RIGHTS CONFERENCE, PARIS 2008

In September 2008 the United Nations Department of Public Information/Non Govern-mental Organizations (DPI/NGO) sponsored a major conference to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), signed in Paris in 1948. The conference was co-sponsored by the Government of France, the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (based in Geneva), and UNESCO, which hosted the event. Of all the welcoming statements made on behalf of the host organizations, the most significant was made by Rama Yade, the French Secretary of State in Foreign Affairs and Human Rights.

Speaking on behalf of the French Republic, Secretary Rama Yade said that France, in its capacity as European Union (EU) President, would submit a draft declaration to the UN General Assembly in December aimed at ending violence towards women and decriminalizing homosexuality and same-sex relationships. She called for members of civil society to urge their governments to support the French and EU in this initiative. True to its word, the French Government joined 65 other nations on 18 December 2008 to pledge support for the abolition of all laws that criminalize sexual orientation and gender identity. Disappointing to many Americans was that the United States did not join the group. However, In March 2009, the Obama Administration announced that it would be a part of the 66-nation, bringing it to a total to 67.

The DPI/NGO Human Rights Conference of September 2008 did much to build momentum on this key human rights issue. Shortly after Secretary Yade made her remarks, the UU-UNO hosted the first-ever LGBT workshop of its kind in the 61-year history of UN DPI conferences. UU-UNO Advisory Board Member, Gillian Sorensen, led the all- important Workshop panel discussion on, "Overcoming Discrimination to Realize Human Rights and Dignity for All." According to the official program text, "People are discriminated against for various reasons including race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, language, religion, political opinion, social origin, poverty, disability, birth or any other status." Inclusion of "sexual orientation" in this list was a direct result of UU-UNO's intervention in the planning stages of the conference. Ms. Sorensen knitted together comments from her distinguished panel, which included Lita Anggraini, Coordinator, National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy; Eugen Brand, Director General, International Movement ATD Fourth World; and Dan Pescod, European and International Campaigns Manager, Royal National Institute of Blind People.

NGOs at the UN always hope their work will produce positive results. The UU-UNO sponsored workshop was a prime example of how an initiative of a small non-profit at the NGO/DPI annual conference can call attention to humiliation, torture and death due to sexual orientation and gender identity. There is more work to be done, but the DPI/NGO Conference did much to shed light on a very important topic.

Bruce Knotts
Executive Director Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office NGO/DPI Executive Committee Board
Photograph by Isaac Humphrie

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OUTREACH
PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA: A "MODEL" NGO

The National Association of Vocational Education of China (NAVEC) is a nationwide mass educational organization. Founded in Shanghai on 6 May 1917, NAVEC is the old-est educational NGO in China. In 2004, NAVEC was approved to be a non- governmental organization associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations.

The main task for NAVEC is to study and promote vocational education; promote the reform and development of vocational education; participate in the cause of revitalizing the nation through science and education; assist the government and play a role as an in-termediate organization of education; support the development of non-government-run education; and develop exchanges and cooperation between different countries and re-gions. To date, NAVEC has set up more than 180 vocational schools in different forms and at different levels all over the country. It has also published magazines and books on vocational education.

As NAVEC's work and activities have unfolded, its organizations have also undergone consolidation and expansion. Now it has established its local and grassroots organizations in 15 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, and also in 5 large and medium-sized cities. There are more than 20,000 individual members and 1,100 group members throughout the country.

NAVEC began its highly regarded Warmth Project in 1995. The Project purpose is to help the unemployed, both in cities and rural areas, to find jobs through skills training and to help students with financial difficulties to continue their study. The Farmer Train-ing Program is one of the important components of the Warmth Project, designed to train one million farmers selected from 100 underdeveloped counties throughout China. This goal has been achieved.

To date, NAVEC has offered training to more than 5,270,000 people and more than 2,060,000 have found new jobs, The program also has helped more than 400,000 stu-dents, especially from outlying or minority regions, to continue their studies through the exemption or reduction of tuition fees.

Frederick Dubee, Senior Advisor in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, highly praised the NAVEC's accomplishments and declared it a "model" for poverty as-sistance programs.

Li Min
Assistant Director
External Public Relations Department
National Association of Vocational Educaiton of China
Pictured, above: Author Mindy Lee with members of NAVEC - at the 60th annual DPI NGO Conference with Chair, Sr. Joan Kirby

Image from the first large meeting of NYC- based NGOs interested in the upcoming 62nd annual DPI NGO Conference, to take place 9 - 11 September 2009 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Image from Executive Planning Committee Meeting, for the 62nd annual DPI NGO Conference in Mexico City.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OUTREACH
NGOS IN HONDURAS

On 22 February 2007, the UN NGO/DPI Executive Committee, with the intention of increasing the very small representation of Central American NGOs associated UN DPI, established a Central America Outreach Project to identify and recruit NGOs for association with the DPI/NGO Section at UN Headquarters in New York City. Graduate students and their professor, Phyllis Lee, from Long Island University's United Nations Graduate Certificate Program participated in the Executive Committee's project in Costa Rica (2007) and in Panama (2008). They will travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 16 May 2009.

While in the Honduran capital, the student "ambassadors" will present a carefully crafted program designed to explain the benefits to be derived from the DPI association, both by the applicants and by the United Nations. They will enlist support for UN goals in sustainable development, peace and security and the welfare of indigenous peoples. They also will encourage NGOs to distribute UN promotional materials to their constituents and to civil society in general. To complete the principal objective of their trip, the students will assist NGOs in the application process for association with the Department of Public Information. A luncheon, sponsored by the Honduran Foreign Ministry, will be the venue of their formal presentation. Students will then visit with those NGOs that wish to submit an association application.

Lester Wilson
Director
United Nations Graduate Certificate Program
Co-Editor, NGO Reporter

The Youth Assembly at the United Nations is an annual gathering of hundreds of young people from around the world who seek practical ways to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, global networking and social entrepreneurship skills as well as meeting with and contributing to civil society formally affiliated with the United Nations.

The Assembly is produced in partnership with the United Nations Department of Public Information, the UN Program on Youth, and others. The Lead Sponsor for 2009 is the Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations.

This year the Youth Assembly will take place at UN Headquarters in New York, 5 -7 August 2009. A Leadership Assembly will be held at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY prior to the general meeting, 30 July - 3 August.

The Youth Assembly aims to empower young people 16-25 years of age through lectures, workshops, campaign presentations, and other special events. Participants learn ways to identify viable approaches to MDG success - the corner stone of the UN's better world approach to improving the lives of millions of people across the globe. The Assembly has grown to become a major gathering of young people as well as specialized, keynote speakers and workshop leaders at the United Nations. Each year, it provides avenues for students and young professionals to learn about and become involved with programs that address global and local issues, network among a large international group in attendance and become engaged and empowered to take leadership roles in their communities. The program consists of:

- Three days at United Nations Headquarters in New York,
- Plenary sessions, workshops, networking,
- Captivating speakers and workshop facilitators and youth leaders from around the world,
- Three days of Leadership Training that has been called "Life Changing".

All events are free after small registration fee and acceptance. In 2009, registration will be very limited due to renovations at the United Nations and delegates are urged to apply at this time. Special Youth Achievement recognition is given to select 16- 18 year olds who have contributed significantly to MDG humanitarian goals. Youth-based performing artists and ensembles interested in performing during the Youth Assembly should contact UC Peace Arts Festival Director, Ms. Yin-Chu Jou @ yinchu@faf.org

Applications are now being accepted for the Youth Assembly at the UN (events are free after initial application fee) and the related Leadership Seminars. Please go to http://www.faf.org/unyouthassembly/ya_hom e.htm to register and for additional information.

Patrick Sciarratta Co-Editor, NGO Reporter

NGO REPORTER EDITORIAL BOARD

Patrick L. Sciarratta, Co-Editor
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation

Lester N. Wilson, Co-Editor
UN Graduate Studies Program
Long Island University

Members

Maria-Luisa Chávez
Chief, NGO Relations
Department of Public Information

Jeffery Huffines
Chair, NGO/DPI Executive Committee
Baha'is of the United States

Joan Levy
End Child Prostitution and Trafficking

CONTRIBUTORS

Maria-Luisa Chávez
Chief, NGO Relations
Department of Public Information

Mona Gillet
Supervisor, NGO Resource Centre

Bruce Knotts
Unitarian Universalist UN Office

Swadesh M. Rana, Ph.D.
Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS)

Jackie Shapiro
Zonta International

Catherine White
International Association of Women in Radio and Television

LAYOUT

Patrick Sciarratta
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation

WEBMASTER
Daniel Uitti
Philippine Human Rights Information Center


COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Patrick Sciarratta (psglobal@faf.org)
Lester Wilson (Lester.Wilson@liu.edu)

NGO/DPI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE / 2009

Chair
Jeffery Huffines
Baha'is of the United States

Vice-Chair
Swadesh M. Rana, Ph.D.
Academic Council of UN System

Vice-Chair
Jackie Shapiro
Zonta International

Secretary
Janet T. Stovin
Women of Reform Judaism

Treasurer
Bruce Knotts
Unitarian Universalist UN Office

Board
Rita Arthur
Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM)

Board
Elizabeth Burns
Int'l Assoc. For Volunteer Effort (IAVE)

Board
Juanita Carrillo, Ph.D.
Int'l Assoc. Of Gerontology & Geriatrics (IAGG)

Board
Elaine Congress
International Federation of Social workers

Board
Anne-Marie Carlson
The Delta Kappa Gamma Society, Int'l

Board / Asia Region
Razia Ismail
Women's Coalition Trust

Board
Richard Jordan
Int'l Council for Caring Communities (ICCC)

Board
Stafford K. Mousky
Fed. of Assoc. of Former Int'l Civil Servants (FAFICS)

Board
Sr. Deirdre Mullan
Mercy International Association

Board / Sub-Saharan Region
Eleanor Nwadinobi, M.D.
Medical Women's International Assoc

Board / Middle East
Omar Amad Tayeh Saleh
Seeds of Peace

Board / Latin American Region
Dr. Jorge Rojas-Zegers
Rotary International

Board
Fay Parris
Women's Bar Assoc. of the State of N.Y.

Board
Kelly Roberts
NAFSA: Assoc. of International Educators

Board
Hiro Sakurai
Soka Gakkei International (SGI)

Board
Catherine D. White
Intn'l Assoc. of Women in Radio &Television

----------------------------------------------------------- -------------
DPI
Maria-Luisa Chávez
Chief, United Nations NGO Relations Cluster

DPI
Gail Bindley Taylor Sainte
United Nations NGO Relations Cluster

DPI
Sol Oca
Public Information Officer
NGO Relations Cluster

Sr. Joan Kirby
Ex-Officio, Past Chair
Temple of Understanding

Patrick L. Sciarratta
NGO Reporter
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation

Lester Wilson
NGO Reporter
Long Island University

Liberato (Levi) Bautista
Ex-Officio, CONGO President