DPI/NGO Briefing

The Costa Rica Project
DPI/NGO Executive Committee Outreach Initiative

Summary

This week's briefing was devoted to ‘The Costa Rica Project’, an outreach programme developed by the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, in cooperation with Long Island University. Mr. Jeffery Huffines, Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, Sister Joan Kirby, former Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee and Mr. Juan Carlos Brandt, Chief of the NGO Section introduced the project. Both Mr. Huffines and Mr. Brandt noted the success of the project and its opportunity to serve as a model for future outreach programmes. Ms. Kirby said the project came in response to criticisms made about the Executive Committee being New York based and its inability to form partnerships with the NGO community outside the Untied States. Although the Committee effectively assisted and connected local NGOs, Ms. Kirby admitted the Committee's lack of extensive outreach programmes. She said the ‘Costa Rica Project’ was a step towards filling the need to improve its global efforts.

Mr. Lester Wilson, professor at Long Island University, highlighted the purpose of the project and quickly enlisted the help of UN staff member, Ms. Phyllis Lee, Senior Inter-Agency Officer, Chief Executives Board and professor at Long Island University. Ms. Lee, who taught a class, which focused on the United Nations and its relationship with NGOs said the project aimed to provide students with an understanding of the work of NGOs and to improve the relationship between civil society and the UN. Costa Rica was chosen, in part, as the country to launch the project because Long Island University already had established connections with the Global College in San Jose. Mr. Wilson then acknowledged Ms. Juanita Carrillo, a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the initiative, for her efforts in laying the ground work and planning many of the details.

Abdulmohsin Al-Ojaili, Fabiola Knight, Brenda Monterroso, Clarice Luzia, and Sudarat Adirek, all students at Long Island University involved with the project, introduced themselves and their individual assignments. Professor Wilson mentioned the project provided an excellent opportunity for the students to apply what they had been learning in school. Professor Lee highlighted the support of the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the students planned and carried out the project. She also gave a special thank you to Joan Kirby and the Temple of Understanding for their financial and professional support.

The team presented details of the project’s initial preparation, breakfast meeting and follow-up meetings, using a PowerPoint presentation. The project preparation included a visit to the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations set up by the Executive Committee. The students met with Ambassador Weisleider, Deputy Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN, where they discussed the project and what they could expect upon their arrival. The students also researched into the work of various NGOs in Costa Rica and consequently selected the NGOs to be invited to apply for association with the Department of Public Information (DPI). Ms. Luzia spoke to the audience about the process of contacting NGOs and providing them with information on how the UN could assist them in reaching their goals and objectives. Meanwhile, Fabiola Knight described how the team obtained funding to host a breakfast for the invited NGO representatives.

The purpose of the breakfast meeting was to inform the organisations about the functions of NGO/DPI Executive Committee and the United Nations. The meeting was attended by 50 people, where various United Nations pamphlets and other helpful materials were distributed to the participants. A PowerPoint presentation in Spanish described the benefits of being associated with DPI and explained different aspects of the application process. Many of the NGOs at the breakfast conveyed concern with some of the requirements of achieving association status. For example, Costa Rican organisations are required to pay taxes, which technically made them ineligible for association. Question and answer period following the presentation enabled NGOs to raise their concerns and subsequently were given an opportunity to network with one another. Professor Lee described the level of isolation faced by different organisations and noted the lack of knowledge about each others’ work.

Furthermore, the presentation focused on the follow-up visits that took place after the breakfast event, where the students managed to schedule appointments with eight NGOs. These visits allowed them to gain a better understanding of the work of these organisations and to identify the reasons behind lack of NGO association with DPI in the region. Networking opportunities were another important function of the follow-up meetings, where local NGOs were given the opportunity to form partnerships.

In her closing remarks, Professor Lee pointed out the difficulty many of the Costa Rican NGOs had with providing representation at UN Headquarters. A possible solution to this dilemma was using students to represent the NGOs at important UN meetings and events and having them report back to the organisations. In this way the students learn about the UN, while keeping the organisation informed about UN activities. Professor Wilson further explained the importance of follow-up work and the need to remain engaged with the Costa Rican NGOs in the future. Mr. Huffines concluded the presentation by explaining how the Costa Rica Project highlighted the critical function of colleges and youth involvement in the work of the Executive Committee and NGOs worldwide.

Question and answer period: In response to a question regarding the progress of Costa Rican NGOs becoming associated with DPI, Professor Wilson reported that three NGOs completed their applications and a fourth was currently going through the process. Although the numbers were still small, Professor Wilson explained that small numbers would help them to develop an efficient system to assist larger groups of organizations in the future.

Jorge Ballesteros, Minister Counselor, Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations, extended the gratitude of his Mission for the Executive Committee’s outreach efforts. He pointed out the developing NGO community in Costa Rica had been strengthened by the Project. In addition, Mr. Ballesteros gave a brief, but helpful, explanation of the tax dilemmas facing NGOs in his country.

The briefing was attended by approximately 140 NGO representatives.

Only to be filled out by NGOs associated with DPI

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