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

Minutes of the Planning Committee Meeting: 30 March 2006

1.0 Pre-Meeting Comments

Michaela Walsh chaired the meeting. She noted that each organization would be allowed to register only 5 people for the Conference, and the Headquarters of each organization must take the responsibility to follow up with the Resource Centre Support Committee, perhaps Mona or Luis at the Resource Center.
Michaela noted that last year the roundtables were registered only for one day but for this year it may be possible to register for three day. We would follow up on this when Sol would be present on the next meeting.

2.0 Adoption of the Agenda.

3.0 Adoption of the Minutes.

3.0 Subcommittee Reports

3.1 Media Committee

There was no meeting held today, but things were moving along well. The committee would have a full report for the next meeting.

Michaela presented an award she received from the Club of Rome. The award was given only to George Mitchell and Michaela Walsh. It was a very significant moment for Michaela and she wanted to share it with the members of the Planning Committee.

3.2 Midday Workshop Committee

Midday Workshop Committee had made additional revisions to the application form, including safety nets for those with problems applying via internet and was ready to post the form on the internet once final Plenary and Roundtable topics were in place. The committee would prepare written invitations for workshop submission to be mailed to those NGOs without emails, or valid emails, once that information had been compiled by DPI. The Workshop Committee was working with the Networking Committee as some workshop proposals might be better suited for presentation at that venue. Also note that speakers of the plenaries should be registered separately from the participants.

3.3Internet Committee

Vanessa could not be here today.

There was a discussion about having StoryCorps - offer two free days to participants for recording interviews at its recording center at Grand Central. The Internet Committee would invite StoryCorps to speak to the Planning Committee – possibly on 27 April.

3.4 Multigenerational committee

The committee met last Thursday to discuss ways to reach out to youth groups. They plan to have informal meetings with groups, to be concluded in April. They had been talking about bringing culture to the event, including an intergenerational orchestra, and a youth group from the YMCA in NYC to provide entertainment. The next meeting would be at 2:00 p.m. at the back of cafeteria next Thursday

Moses said that Ian Hull, was here two weeks ago. Moses suggested that he be involved in the cultural aspect.

3.5 Events/Fundraising

The committee decided to have two types of wine, from Algeria and Chile. They would also be sake from Japan. In terms of music, the Lehigh University Orchestra, and/or the youth symphony for the UN might perform again for the reception. These were suggested by Patrick, and would be sponsored by his organization. A Japanese group was also available. It was decided that the Planning Committee should get together and decide how to accommodate all these different offers.

In terms of Susanne’s proposal for films, the committee needed either a UN agency or a mission to back this in order to have the auditorium.

It was proposed that we honor Kofi Annan during the Reception or some other dignitary who has shown great interest in humanitarian affairs. Someone remarked that Mr. Annan had the support of the NGO community and they were always happy to see him, perhaps we could offer him a plaque or something.

The question was raised to form The Journal Committee. If interested, call one of the members of the events/fundraising committee.

There was a comment on the fundraising letter, that it was incomplete. The Committee edited it.

Michaela commented that the responsibility for this letter was in the hands of the sub-committees. She said that this letter was a good example of why it was important to check and double check.

She also explained that she sent out a letter to four foundations, whom she knows personally, for contributions of $10,000 each. She planed to write at least six more like this.

She said that members of the fundraising committee should work with her to follow up in terms of those contributions. At this level, she explained, one does not have to go through a lot of levels of approval, so hopefully this would be efficient.

Sherill asked for the context of Michaela’s letter only because she wanted to have a uniform outreach letter for fundraising purposes.

Note that Patrick will bring information about the package next Thursday.

Michaela explained that if money was going to be involved in any sub-committee transaction or function, then there needs to be some kind of contractual agreement with the Executive Committee.

Moses thanked the Committee for the idea of paying tribute to the Secretary-General for his efforts. He asked to put his people in touch with their people.

3.6 Resource Center Support

Paolo explained that the invitation letter to the conference was sent out to all Headquarters of NGO’s associated with the DPI and to those in consultative status with ECOSOC. It was decided that the letter of invitation would also be send to the three representatives of each NGO.

A second letter would follow giving instructions on how to register online; this letter would also provide a login and password.

3.7 Troubleshooting

This committee found no problems.

Michaela said that last week a group of us had a meeting on the idea of a number of questions that we needed to address regarding the Conference. Gala, Walter, Mary Berry, Joan Kirby and Michaela were involved in this exchange. Those questions were now on the blog.

Note that the blog address is http://unfinishedbusinessconference.blogspot.com/

Also distributed was a statement that could be sent to speakers/panelists, which explained in some detail what we expected from them.

Michaela requested that everyone please review the questions on the blog and email Michaela or post to the blog any comments/questions.

It was suggested that we should say “NGOs or other agencies” instead of just NGOs.

Proposed youth speakers should have knowledge about the topics they would be invited to discuss. Planning Committee members proposing speakers should find out the availability of the speaker before they are recommended. After discussions in the Planning Committee, the speaker would receive a final invitation from the UN.

letter of invitation from the UN.

She also said that she had sent a letter requesting both Bill and Chelsea Clinton to speak. There was also a young man from Nigeria who wrote a book on child soldiers, who we invited verbally. There had been no commitments yet, but at least we have begun to process who might be available. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf could not make it, but somebody from her cabinet might be able to do so.

Patrick offered to investigate the possibility of getting a Rwandan woman from parliament to speak.

Michaela said that it would be very helpful if any of you have questions to email Section4D@UN.

Alison from PeaceBoat commented that we have the words “human security” in the title, but not in the themes for the plenary/round table discussions. She expressed that war and people living in conflict was the most pressing issue on the table, and that the UN was started for this reason. She said that we have to be the voices for those people who were not going to be here. She suggested that if we could combine science and technology, then we could create peace as a theme.

Copies of the Millennium Vision were made available, attached to a one page description of where our vision fits in with our strategy/goals/plans.

There was sentiment that we did not share the same vision; that we were not clear about our goals; that we don’t talk enough/at all about the MDGs. Some could not tell what the focus of the speakers would be. There were matters like this that need to be clarified.

Michaela said that there was a host of information on each of these speakers on file in the resource office. This entire Conference was geared towards bringing everyone around the MDGs. The whole point of this was to have people dialogue and discuss, to find what common ground we could reach toward attaining the MDGs.

There was a discussion regarding the themes to be addressed in the conference, and their specificity to global issues, the MDGs, and the UN. Some were concerned that the themes were not specific enough; others were concerned that they should be broad to allow diversity of opinion and background.

There was a nomination to have a Round-Table on Peace and Justice, Conflict Resolution Issues human security, and it was seconded. Perhaps it could replace one of the tech/science round-table discussions with a more direct focus on a war/peace/justice resolution.

Michaela agreed with everything except talking about war.

There was a comment that perhaps it could be boldly stated somewhere that we see everything as related to peace.

Michaela requested that everyone please read and answer the questions on the blog and get back to her.

There was a comment that human security meant in some cases, sustainable employment. This was a different kind of security, without reference to war.

Michaela said that Lester Salomon’s figure was1.3 trillion dollars a year going to NGOs for “human security”. There were different ways of addressing these issues, and she said she was trying to make sure that we have different voices at the same table.

Jeff said that if you were talking about the solution vs. the problem, he agreed with the idea. Perhaps the theme could have the phrase “human security” in it. He said he would think through some thematic language.

Fanny commented that she was looking at roundtable #3, and asked if we might put “human rights council” and perhaps the “peace building commission” in this section? She offered to get some language on this. If we’re talking about governance, leadership, etc. then we need to talk about the tools that were available to us to attain that goal.

There was a comment that the “How to” approach to the Conference was a good one.

Michaela said she thinks the intergenerational group was looking at some “how to” workshops and that it would certainly be helpful.

Leslie was concerned about these workshops and how they might be competing with the other events.

Michaela said, that was not unlike last year, in that all workshops go through the Midday Workshop Committee, and they had to be sorted out. It was a question that any workshop had to be proposed by an NGO.

Leslie reminded us that it was determined that the selection committee must be comprised of those without conflict of interest on this.

Richard clarified that his was not a proposal for a workshop, but rather how to weave the price of war and peace into what we were talking about.

Fannie talked to Elizabeth about having sessions at same time as midday workshops. Her idea was not to have a workshop, but if we had to then we would. We wanted a formal session on how to use networking as an effective tool on how to achieve the MDGs.

Michaela said that last year the interns set up a bar for young people at the Conference to go out for drinks.

There was a comment that the only problem was space. We had 10 workshops. Would we have 10 rooms? This was an additional argument for having the tent. People should have a choice.

Michaela asked if we have a group of people working on the tent.

Fannie told her that we need you to talk to Sol once in a while about it. We need to keep promoting it during the Conference.

There was a comment that by the time we got to last year’s tent there was no time to promote it. We should do this in a timely way.

Sherill remembered that Sol received very high rates for the tent. We were trying to work on this, but it needed sponsorship no matter what. Perhaps the UN could use it for a month, as it was last year.

Michaela said that as of last Thursday, Grasa and Nelson Mandela have been asked if they could be brought in via satellite. Couples were great and she championed this. Any time there was a powerful couple who were partners in their work

Moses expressed hope to learn from last year’s tent fiasco.

Note that unless otherwise informed, there would be no meeting next week.