During the course of CSD-16 major groups will be invited to participate as follows:

• Participation in Opening and Closing sessions

• Thematic and Regional discussions

• SIDS Day

• Review of CSD-13 decisions on water and sanitation

• Multi-stakeholder dialogues (including one at the Ministerial segment)

• Ministerial Roundtables

• Partnerships Fair

• Learning Centre

• Side events

Each of the thematic, regional, SIDS Day and CSD-13 Review discussion will attempt to include at least five major groups’ interventions and ensure the successful delivery of the new integrated approach for major groups’ inclusion in the CSD implementation cycle. Experts from major groups will also serve as panelists in the thematic discussions and make brief presentations to stimulate dialogue.

Access to the conference rooms and seating arrangements:
The CSD-16 meetings will be open to all accredited representatives, with the exclusion of the early morning Ministerial breakfast meetings.

Major groups will have reserved seats in the main plenary rooms (Conference Rooms 2 and 4) throughout the duration of the CSD. These will include one seat at the table with microphone and one behind. Major groups are encouraged to have a representative filling their seats at all times. Other representatives will be seating in the open seats (available both at the floor and gallery levels). In the event the plenary rooms reach their maximum capacity, UN Security will redirect accredited participants to the gallery levels.

Who will be representing each major group sector?:
The CSD-16 major groups organizing partners have been asked by the Bureau to facilitate the participation of experts from their respective sectors and coordinate their delegations throughout the session. The representatives sitting in the major groups’ seats with microphone will be responsible for requesting the floor and participate in the dialogue. A representative of the CSD Major groups’ Team will be available in the plenary rooms at all times.

The ways major groups can participate in the above activities include:

• Be recognized by the Chairperson based on the submission of their comment/question by filling in the “Request Slips ” – in the event this system is being used during that session. The “Request Slips” will be collected by the CSD Major groups’ Team staff.

• Be recognized by the Chair by raising the major group’s sector name plate

Interventions made during this sessions must be brief (2-3 minutes max). Major groups are invited to submit the electronic version of their interventions for web posting.

Opening session
Monday 5 May, 10.00 am - 1.00 pm
Conf. Room 4
Major groups are expected to make brief remarks (1’ each) on their contributions to CSD16.

Thematic and Regional discussions/ SIDS Day/ Review of CSD-13 decisions on water and sanitation
5 – 13 May
Conf. Room 2 and 4 (Refer to the Programme of Work for details)

Major group sectors are expected to coordinate their delegations and have the best available experts and practitioners participating in the interactive discussions during these sessions. The nature of major groups’ inputs and interventions should be in line with CSD-11 decisions for the Review Session: report and share major group’ result oriented activities (lessons learned, case studies, best practices, constraints, challenges and opportunities). Interventions made during these sessions must be brief (2-3 minutes max).

Major Groups’ Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Sessions
Tuesday 6 May, 4:30– 6:00 pm
Conf. Room 2
This dialogue session presents major groups with the opportunity to introduce their discussion papers. The session is organized in three blocks of time (approx. 25’ each) that include interventions from both major groups and Governments. The three blocks of presentations and their order will be as follows:

• Women, Youth and Children, Indigenous People (3’ each);  Followed by responses from delegations/open dialogue (15’)

• NGOs, Local Authorities, Trade Unions and Workers (3’ each) Followed by responses from delegations/open dialogue (15’)

• Business and industry, Scientific and Technological Communities, Farmers (3’ each)

• Followed by responses from delegations/open dialogue (15’)

• Wrap-up/Closing remarks by the Chairperson (15’)

The identification of speakers will be coordinated through the major groups organising partners, and should be communicated to the CSD Major groups’ Team at least 24 hours prior to the session.

Multi-stakeholder Dialogue Sessions with Representatives of Major groups and registered Partnerships Initiatives
Friday 9 May, 4:30– 6:00 pm
Conf. Room 2
This dialogue session provides an opportunity for a focused discussion on the role of stakeholders in promoting action in supporting and expediting the implementation of sustainable development, with special attention to the CSD-16 thematic cluster. It will include representatives of the 9 major group sectors and 5 to 7 representatives of CSD registered partnerships.

The major groups’ representatives will be identified by the Secretariat in close collaboration with the major groups organising partners based on their involvement in partnerships for sustainable development relevant to the current thematic cluster and the cross-sectoral issues. The partnerships representatives will be identified by the Secretariat based on their work and activities relevant also to the current thematic cluster and the cross-sectoral issues. Regional and gender balance will be among the criteria for the identification processes.
Vice-Chair Sasa Ojdanić (Serbia) will be chairing the Session and stimulating an interactive discussion between the above mentioned partners and government representatives. After a brief introduction of the participants, the Chair will guide the flow of the presentations and related Q & A while managing time. The outcome of this session will be summarized and included in the CSD-16 Report. .

Ministerial Roundtables
Wednesday, 14 May 2008 4.00 – 6.00 pm
Conference Room 4
Roundtable 1: Investing in Africa to achieve Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development

Roundtable 2: Water, Agriculture and Climate Change (Tentative)

High level major groups’ participation is planned as follows: 4 major groups’ sectors in Roundtable 1 and 5 sectors in Roundtable 2. The nomination process will be facilitated by the organising partners.

Nominations for the 9 representatives will need to be channeled to the CSD Major groups’ Team by Monday 12 May.

(Information notes on the Roundtables will be issued in due time).

Ministerial Dialogue Session with Major Groups
Wednesday 15 May 11:30 am– 1:00 pm
Conference Room 4
This session may be organized in a similar fashion as the 6th of May multi-stakeholder dialogue. The nomination process will be facilitated by the organising partners and names of high-level major groups representatives will need to be communicated to the CSD Major groups’ Team 24 h prior to the event.

Closing Plenary
Friday 16 May, 4:30 – 6:00 pm
Conference Room 4
Major groups are expected to make brief closing remarks on how they will initiate action in implementation in relation to the thematic cluster of issues.

Partnership Fair
Monday 5 - Tuesday 13 May
Conference Room 6 and Neck Area
Major Groups’ are expected to actively participate in the CSD-16 Partnership Fair and its related programme.

Learning Centre
Monday 5 - Tuesday 13 May
Conference Room B
The CSD Secretariat developed a programme of activities for the Learning Centre in close collaboration with stakeholders including Major Groups, designed to impart knowledge and build capacity in areas relevant to the Review Session. Major Groups and other CSD-16 participants are expected to actively take part in the planned activities.

Side Events
Side Events will continue to be an important and complementary element of the CSD. Requests from Major Groups and other stakeholders have been processed by the CSD Secretariat in accordance with previous practice. Major Groups and other CSD-16 participants are expected to actively take part in the planned activities.

Major groups Room
5 – 16 May
Conference Room A
This room is available to accredited major groups and is meant to be used as a meeting/working space by the nine sectors and their delegations. The room is furnished with computers, printers and a copy machine. Major groups are invited to bring their own paper as it will not be provided by the UN. Access here the meetings' schedule. 

The nature of major groups inputs and interventions should be in line with CSD-11 decisions for the Review Session: report and share major group’ result oriented activities (lessons learned, case studies, best practices, constraints, challenges and opportunities).

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