The 68th United Nations Civil Society Conference will take place from 26-28 August 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah (United States) under the theme Building Inclusive and Sustainable Communities.
The United Nations Civil Society Conference is the premier event in the civil society calendar at the United Nations. It typically attracts more than 3,000 participants representing over 700 civil society organizations from over 100 countries. Each conference focuses on a different UN topic of interest related to the work of civil society and NGOs. This international forum also brings together senior UN System officials, prominent international civil society organizations, academicians, public opinion makers and international media to discuss issues of global concern and find sustainable solutions to poverty and inadequate housing, hunger and health, clean water, energy, environmental degradation and climate change, infrastructure, transport, education, migration, violence and gender equality.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a blueprint for action, advocacy and partnership, and a compass to ensure that no one is left behind, including those who are poor and vulnerable. Civil society is key to promoting understanding of these ambitious goals and achieving them by 2030. Against this backdrop, this year's UN Civil Society Conference, reflecting Salt Lake City's leadership and demonstrated commitment on sustainability issues, will focus on SDG 11, to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030. The agenda will explore the interlinkages among all 17 Goals, including critical issues relating to gender.
The three-day conference, co-hosted by the UN Department of Global Communications, Salt Lake City, and the NGO Executive Committee, will feature opening and closing plenary sessions, interactive thematic sessions, NGO-sponsored workshops, exhibits and a youth hub. Speakers and attendees will include leaders and other representatives from NGOs, UN agencies, academia, faith traditions, the public and private sectors and youth from around the world.
Proposed Thematic Sessions
1. Inclusive Communities – Leaving No One Behind
2. Climate Change – Communities in Action
3. Peaceful Societies – Recovering from Conflict and Nurturing Peace
4. Youth-led Session – Creating Opportunities and Economic Success for Youth
5. Infrastructure and Natural Resource Use
6. Emerging Technologies and Innovation
An outcome document will be drafted by civil society under the leadership of the Conference's Chair, submitted for global consultations leading up to and during the conference, and presented at the closing plenary for adoption.
To learn more, and to register to participate, please click here.