Registration schedule

Registration will be located in  UN Visitors' Lobby, accessible from the East side of  1st Avenue and  45th Street.

Orientation meeting for all participating major groups organized by SDIN  on Sunday 4 May. Details available here.

Major group organizations that are in consultative status with Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), including those in the CSD Roster, can send representatives to CSD meetings. Major group organizations who were accredited to the WSSD must now have obtained consultative status with ECOSOC in order to participate.

The Commissions on Sustainable Development requires all non-governmental participants to be representatives of organizations that have been accredited to participate in CSD meetings. 

There are currently two categories of major groups organizations that can participate in the meetings of the CSD, and if you are unsure of your organization’s accreditation status, you can check with the following sources:

• Major group organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC)

• Major group organizations accredited to the CSD Roster

You can also:

• Contact the NGO Section. The NGO Section maintains up-to-date lists of accredited organizations including those that have recently been granted consultative status but are not yet included in the lists available on the Internet. E-mail (click to send)
• Contact the Major Groups Programme at the CSD Secretariat: E-mail (click to send)
   

For pre-registration you are advised to follow the steps listed below:

• Send a letter by E-mail or Fax  to the UN NGO Section at least three weeks in advance of the meeting, and include a list containing the names of the people you have identified as your organization’s representatives, as well as an E-mail or Fax number where confirmation letters may be sent. The letter must be signed and printed on the organizational letterhead and sent  to:
  
  NGO Section
  Division for ECOSOC Support and Coordination
  One United Nations Plaza, Room 1480 New York, NY 10017, USA
  E-mail
  Fax: +1 917 367 2341 or 1 212 963 9248 --Tel: +1 212 963 8652
   
• Confirmation letters will be sent for each representative by e-mail or fax. This letter and a photo ID will need to be shown at the registration desk when the representative arrives at UN Headquarters for the CSD meetings.
   
• Representatives requiring a visa to enter the United States are advised to apply as early as possible in case any time is needed for special clearances by the US authorities, and ensure that the visa is received in time for travel.
   
• Past practice shows that when applying for US visa, it is recommendable that NGO representatives bring to their appointment with the US Consulate/Embassy copy of the UN confirmation letter and a letter prepared by their own NGO. The NGO letter should include detailed information on the visa applicant: e.g. position, number of years working for the NGO, and number of applicants that the NGO is sending to CSD- if applicable.
   
• NGO representatives who have existing working relations with the US Mission in their respective Country, may try and contact their counterpart(s) and obtain a referral letter to be presented at the time of the interview with the Consular Section (Note that the referring officer has no role in the visa decision process).
   
• This letter and a photo ID will need to be shown at the registration desk when your representative arrives at UN Headquarters for the CSD-16 meeting. Details on the location and schedule for the registration desk will be posted on the Web once available.

Please make sure that your organization has the necessary consultative status BEFORE sending representatives to New York or making travel arrangements for them.

Read more Frequently Asked Questions on this topic.