59th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference (6 – 8 September 2006)

 

First Planning Committee Meeting:  19 January 2006

 

Minutes

 

Attachments:  1) Agenda 2) attendance list 3) Draft Planning Document

 

Presiding: Paul Hoeffel, Co-Chair, Conference Planning Committee and Chair, NGO Section, Department of Public Information

                     Michaela Walsh, Co-Chair, Conference Planning Committee and Chair, 

                59th Annual DPI/NGO Conference and Main Representative, Manhattanville College

 

 

1.0              Introductions and Meeting Overview

 

The first meeting was called to order by Paul Hoeffel, who welcomed participants and highlighted the precedents set by the 58th Annual Conference:

 

  • The 58th Annual Conference featured Plenary Roundtables opened by the GA President with the participation of representatives of NGOs and Member States. This direct involvement of the General Assembly represented an important link between the Conference and the intergovernmental process.

 

  • The Conference adopted by consensus a Conference Declaration for the first time.

 

Paul said that it would be important that these important precedents were built upon by this year’s Conference.  

 

He circulated the Final Report of 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference and confirmed that the proposed dates for the 59th Conference are 6 – 8 September 2006.

 

2.0              Conference Preparation Background

 

Joan Kirby, Chair, DPI/NGO Executive Committee formally introduced and welcomed Michaela Walsh, who was recently appointed by the NGO/DPI Executive Committee as Chair of the 59th  Conference.  Summaries from the December 8, 2005, DPI/NGO Townhall Meeting and Communications Workshop were circulated. Joan stressed the fact that these meetings were organized as part of the preparation for the 59th Annual Conference and were intended to be a resource for identifying the Conference objectives and themes.

 

2.1              Selection Process:  Chair, Annual DPI/NGO Conference

 

Joan Kirby outlined the selection process for choosing the Chair for the 59th Annual Conference..  She said the Executive Committee circulated a request for Chair nominations to NGO members throughout the Tri-State area.  Seven qualified individuals were nominated and three were selected by the Interview Committee, made up of former Conference Chairs. 

 

The three nominees were:  Jeffrey Huffines, Maram Hallak  and Michaela Walsh.  By unanimous decision, Michaela Walsh was agreed upon, not only because of her distinguished qualifications, but because of her presentation of herself as a “change agent, trying to make the world a better place for more people” and her proposal to make the 59th Annual Conference a year to move forward and bring the DPI/NGO agenda into central focus within the UN System.

 

 

 

3.0              The Conference Chair’s Proposal for the 59th Annual Conference

 

As the Chair of the Conference, Michaela introduced her ideas for how the Conference planning process might unfold and recommended some changes in procedure. She hoped that the Conference would focus on the challenges and partnerships posed by the Millennium Development Goals. Her proposal for Conference goals, principles and content for discussion and review was circulated.  (See the outline proposal below)

 

3.1.1        Discussion of potential Conference themes

 

Paul congratulated Michaela on her appointment and thanked her for preparing her recommendations for the Conference themes, advisors and speakers so that the discussions had a clear starting point. 

 

It was agreed that discussion of the proposed plenary themes would flow from suggestions made at the December 8 NGO/DPI Town Hall meeting and the subsequent Communications Workshop.   The meeting discussion revolved around two broad issues.

·         The framework of  the MDGs could provide the context in which the other themes are incorporated;

·         The themes of  NGO/Government/UN responsibility and accountability and the strengthening the UN through reform and partnerships as the Conference themes.

It was pointed out that, since the last two Conferences had focused on partnerships and the MDGs, it was important that any further focus on the MDGs would require very compelling focus to ensure that the Conference contributed new and valuable ideas to advance the MDG debate.

 

 

3.2              Speaker Representation and Guidelines

 

3.2.1          Representation

In keeping with previous Conference guidelines, it was reinterated  the 35 Conference speakers should include fair representation from the following categories:

·         Gender

·         Geography

·         Sectors (NGO, business, government, international organizations, etc)

·         Youth

 

3.2.2          Guidelines for Speakers

Speakers should be given very clear guidelines for their presentations (time limit, concrete, specific examples, not theoretical) in advance and consultation between them should be facilitated in order to coordinate the presentations for each plenary panel.

 

It was agreed that the Committee would try to identify top speakers and initiate their invitations by the Under-Secretary-Geneal as soon as the Conference theme was  agreed upon by the Committee and the Secretariat.

 

3.3              Registration and Fundraising

 

The registration process was discussed and the importance of the pre-registration process was highlighted. It was noted that 3,700 people registered for the 58th Annual Conference and 1,800 actually attended.  It was agreed that the Committee would attempt to address this discrepancy which is costly in human and financial resources.  It was also agreed to review alternative funding mechanisms for the Conference, with an emphasis on voluntary contributions.

 

4.0              Key Decisions and Action Items

 

4.1              Sub-committees – Guidelines

It was agreed that the terms of reference and nominations for co-chairs for the sub-committees would be circulated at the next meeting on 26 January.

 

4.2              Clarification of Planning Committee procedures

 

4.3                    Interim organization and procedures

It was agreed that the Conference Planning Committee would meet as a committee of the whole until the sub-committee co-chairs were decided upon (no later than mid-February). It was agreed that the co-chairs of the Sub-committees would serve as the Planning Committee’s Steering Committee and possess executive decision-making authority. All members of the larger Planning Committee would be encouraged to actively participate in the Sub-committees. After extensive discussion, it was agreed that the full Planning Committee would meet weekly until the Steering Committee was ready and, thereafter, the meetings of the full Committee and the Steering Committee would meet on alternate weeks as was the procedure last year.  The Planning Committee Co-Chairs would chair alternate weeks of the meetings as during the 58th Conference meetings.

 

4.4              Proposed Trouble-shooting Committee

 

It was proposed and agreed that a “Trouble-shooting” sub-committee be created to serve in an ombudsman capacity in case of disagreements over Planning Committee procedures and work. It would report to the Co-Chairs in the event of unresolved disputes and they would have the last word. The make up of this committee’s membership would focus on fairness and impartiality and familiarity with existing rules and procedures.  It was agreed that draft terms of reference would be presented at the next meeting and discussed.

 

4.5

It was agreed that the Co-chairs would identify the Planning Committee Secretary to prepare minutes of the meetings ahead. This week’s minute would be drafted by Judith Symonds.

 

           

5.0              Next Meeting

 

The next meeting will be held on Thursday, 26 January in Room GA-37 near the UN Bookshop from 3 – 5 p.m.

 

 

 

Additional information:

 

Michaela Walsh, Chair of the Conference, circulated the following recommendations regarding the Conference.

 

1.0               Conference Purpose (For the UN and for NGOs)

 

·         To build effective partnerships between the UN, NGOs and other sectors to Achieve the MDG, and

·         Build a Just, Peaceful and Sustainable Future

 

2.0               Conference Goals and Outcomes

 

2.1               Sharing Specific Examples of Best Practices:  What Works and What doesn’t?

2.2               Recommendations and Actions Plans from Each NGO

2.3               Outcomes:  Monitoring and Measurement

 

3.0               Proposed Plenary Format and Themes (for discussion)

 

3.1  Format and Guidelines:

 

·         Clear ideas and schedules for  each plenary

·         No chair, a moderator will serve as introducer and time keeper

·         One speaker each from the following sectors:  government, academia, private sector, youth

·         Each speaker will be asked to identify one concrete and specific example of partnering that works and stick to the time schedule

·         Each speaker will be invited/asked to attend one of the noonday workshops related to his/her subject

 

3.2  Proposed Plenary Themes

3.2.1     Opening Plenary & Welcome

(MDG 8:  Develop a Global Partnership for Development)

(MDG: 3 (Promote gender equality and empower women)

 

3.2.2          Employment, Migration and Children

(MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger);

(MDG 4: Reduce Child Mortality ) & (MDG 7 Ensure Environmental Sustainability

 

3.2.3          Finance, Investment and Disarmament

(MDG: 7 Ensure Environmental Sustainability) & (MDG 8:  Develop a Global Partnership for Development)

 

3.2.4          Science, Education and Health

(MDG: 4 Reduce Child  Mortality) (MDG:2 Achieve Universal Primary Education) (MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases)

 

3.2.5          Technology, Communications and Media

(New Applications to Meet the MDG)

 

3.2.6          Values:  Globalization, Multicultural and Multi-religious

(Equitable Partnerships on a Local, National, Regional and Global Level)

 

3.2.7          Closing Plenary & Recommendations

 

6.0              Key Discussion Items (see agenda)

 

6.1              Committees:  Roles and Responsibilities

 

A discussion was held about the roles and procedures for meetings of the committee of the whole and of sub-committees and what approach (committees of the whole vs. sub-committees would ensure both democratic communication and efficient organization.

 

6.1.1          Committee of the Whole

 

6.1.2          Sub-Committees

The following nominations were proposed by the Conference Chair for consideration/discussion as Sub-committees and co-Chairs:

 

Subcommittee                                       Chair/Co-Chair

 

3.1               Registration                               (Manhattanville and another University)

·         On-line registration

·         Registration Contribution ( $20/person or $50 or $100/NGO – conditions for waiver)

 

3.2               Media                                        Joan Levy

·         Define Objectives for Joint Communication Strategy

·         Joint Press Releases (approval procedures?)

·         Press Kits

 

3.3               NGO Midday  Workshops                       Leslie Wright

·         Five Coordinators

·         All NGOs will select one of five plenary topics

3.4               Youth Voice – Gala Na               Sarah Valk

3.5               Internet

3.6               Events, Reception &

Fundraising                               Sherrill Kazan

5.7        Networking                                Jackie Shapiro & Fannie Munlin

 

 

6.1.3          Conference Chair – Advisory Committee

The Conference Chair proposed that a Chair Advisory Committee be included in the overall organizational structure to enhance the outreach and resources for the Conference.  Preliminary suggestions were:

·         Peter Bell

·         Richard Berman - Academia

·         William  Bohnett  - Global Investment and Internet

·         Linda and William Dietel - Foundations

·         Joan Dunlop – Gender and Development

·         Doug Gould - Marketing

·         Hazel Henderson – Sustainability

·         Anne Hale Johnson – Religion and Values

·         Judy and Bill Moyers - Media                                   

·         Cecily Selby - Science

·         Judith Symonds -  Strategy and Planning