NGO and the UN

62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference

Mexico-City,Mexico

9-11 September 2009
 

       for information about registratuion, travel arrangements ....please visit

  http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/conference/

The 62nd Annual DPI/NGO Conference is being held in Mexico City under the banner “For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!”

Participants from around the world will gather from 9 to 11 September, 2009, to discuss how they can contribute to reducing arms while advancing peace. The current global economic and food crises have necessitated a realignment of the world’s financial resources. This can only be enhanced by effect comprehensive disarmament.

The DPI/NGO Conference is the main NGO event of the year at the United Nations. It typically attracts 2,000 representatives from some 90 countries. This year’s conference is organized by a partnership of the U.N. Department of Public Information in cooperation with the DPI/NGO Executive Committee, the Government of Mexico, and the U.N. Office for Disarmament Affairs. For the second time in its six-decade history, the Conference is held outside the United Nations New York Headquarters. Based on last year’s experience, we expect the new location will enhance participation of NGOs particularly from the Caribbean and Latin America.
 

For Peace and Development: Disarm Now!

The conference aims to highlight effective ways in which civil society can contribute to the advancement of disarmament, peace and development at the international, regional, national and local levels. We also expect to generate greater global awareness of disarmament issues and strengthen commitments to address them among diverse stakeholders worldwide.

A major feature of this conference will be its emphasis on active participation. This will include four roundtable discussions and breakout sessions as well as interactive dialogues. There will also be 24 late afternoon regional workshops, daily caucuses and many other activities. The Conference will feature keynote addresses from major figures in the disarmament world. It is hoped that the three day exchange of ideas will afford civil society the opportunity to influence the global discussions and lay the groundwork for the all-important 2010 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.

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DPI and NGOs

Non-governmental organizations have been partners of the Department of Public Information (DPI) since its establishment in 1947. Official relationships between DPI and NGOs date back to 1968.

The Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1297 called on DPI to associate NGOs with effective information programmes and thus disseminate information about issues on the UN’s agenda and the work of the Organization. Through associated NGOs DPI seeks to reach people around the world and help them better understand the work and aims of the United Nations.

The DPI/NGO Section is part of the department’s Outreach Division and acts as its liaison between the United Nations and NGOs and other civil society organizations. It oversees partnerships with associated NGOs and provides a wide range of information services to them.

These include weekly NGO briefings, communication workshops, an annual NGO conference and an annual orientation programme for newly associated NGOs.

Currently there are 1664 NGOs with strong information programmes associated with DPI out of which 668 are also associated with ECOSOC.

While consultative status with ECOSOC may be obtained by NGOs whose work covers issues on the agenda of ECOSOC, association with DPI also requires having effective information programmes in place and the ability and means to disseminate information about the work of the United Nations.