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The World Civil Society Forum welcomed several keynote speakers in the plenary sessions. You can access written and audio versions of the speeches.

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Keynote speakers

Speakers appear in chronological order. For other speakers, please see panellists and moderators.

Welcome Ceremony - Sunday the 14^th of July

Mr. Sébastien Ziegler, Chair of the Steering Committee of the World Civil Society Forum, and President of Mandat International (MI)
Mr. André Hediger, Mayor of the City of Geneva
HE Ambassador François Nordmann, permanent representative of Switzerland to the International Organizations in Geneva
HE Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director of the United Nations Office in Geneva
Ms. Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva

HE Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, message presented by HE Mr. Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director of the United Nations Office in Geneva
HE Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of the Francophonie and former Secretary-General of the United Nations
HE Mr. Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNCTAD
HE Ambassador Walter Fust, Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation (SDC)
Mr. Guy Olivier Segond, Special Ambassador of the World Summit on the Information Society
Ms. Mililani Trask, President of Na Koa Ikaika O Ka Lahui Hawaii and member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples
Ms. Renate Bloem, President of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO)
Mr. Kumi Naidoo, Secretary-General of CIVICUS
Ms. Sirpa Pietikainen, Chair of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA)

HE Ms. Mary Robinson, High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNOHCHR)
Ambassador Francesco Mezzalama, Inspector of the UN Joint Inspection Unit
Mr. Kevin Gilroy, Senior Manager of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), speaking on behalf of Ms. Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Coordinator United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

HE Mr. Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
Prof. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, Special Representative of the World Bank to the United Nations
Mr. Jean Fabre, Deputy Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

HE Ms. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO)
HE Mr. Vladimir Petrovsky, former Director-General of the UN in Geneva and President of the Disarmament Conference
Mr. Yoshiyuki Takagi, President of Earth Network Village

Mr. Manuel Tornare, Administrative Councillor of the City of Geneva and former Mayor.