Delegates listen to Boutros Boutros-Ghali and others during Monday's opening ceremony of the World Civil Society Forum (WCSF).

The opening sessions are done, the real talk has begun!

After yesterday's 'Welcome Ceremony' and today's opening session of the Forum, delegations from all over the world started to look for the rooms where the working group sessions were taking place. Several topics, various speakers and many participants, all sat down to discuss issues of Global concern and interest. More

Promotion dans le domaine de la santé et des droits de l'homme

Peter Prove du Comité des droits de l'homme au Congo, Helena Nyren-Krug et Miriam Maluwa de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé étaient présents lundi après-midi à la réunion sur la promotion de la santé et des Droits de l’homme. Plus

Boutros Boutros-Ghali (OIF): "Mondialisons la démocratie"

Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secrétaire Général de l’Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF), était présent lundi matin à la séance inaugurale du Forum mondial de la société civile. Il a plaidé pour une plus grande démocratisation. Entretien. Plus

Sébastien Ziegler: "les Etats devront travailler avec les ONG" 

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The World Civil Society Forum (WCSF) opens its Doors

The World Civil Society Forum opened its doors last week, with 10 training sessions and the World Civil Society Youth Forum (10 to 13 July 2002), which brought together 70 young people.

Participants discussed sustainable development, human rights, peace and the cooperation among civil society organizations and the system of the United Nations. Opened by Prince Aga Khan from the Bellerive Foundation, the Youth Forum welcomed Mr. Alain Modoux, former Director of UNESCO, Ms. Martine Brunschwig Graf, President of the Department of Public Education and Mr. Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, Special Representative of the World Bank to the UN and WTO. In Saturday’s closing session, the youth unanimously expressed their wish to continue the initiative of the WCS Youth Forum, a platform of dialogue.

Welcome from the Chair

Sébastien Ziegler Chair of the Steering Committee

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In the name of the World Civil Society Forum (WCSF), I am very pleased to welcome you to Geneva, to strengthen international cooperation. This Forum will embrace several hundred civil society organizations from all over the World, representing various constituencies and fields of activity, as well as United Nations representatives. It is an opportunity to share and learn from each other, as well as to develop new links of cooperation across our diverse regions and areas of work. It should also be an opportunity to foster the links between the grass roots and international organizations. The Forum will focus on practical proposals and recommendations to promote the role of civil society in international cooperation. Our inherent diversity is an asset and our collective experience and expertise will be more than ever needed to find creative and efficient solutions.

Finally, I would like to thank all the volunteers and all the organizations that have made this Forum a reality. Together, we will do our best to make it inclusive, effective and useful for each and everyone. We wish you an excellent Conference.

Sébastien Ziegler
Chair of the Steering Committee
Interview (en français)

Watch for Summaries, Presenters' Documents

During the course of the Forum, summaries of the main conclusions and points of interest from the sessions will be posted on this web site. As the summaries become available, they will be linked to the program at left. Look here also for other news of interest related to the Forum.