50th ANNUAL DPI/NGO CONFERENCE:

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

New York, 10 - 12 September 1997

United Nations

Welcome to the 50th Annual DPI/NGO Conference. This year's conference acknowledges the vitality of the association between the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations. The evolution of NGO participation within the UN system has been developing for the past half century. Since this partnership was first instituted, it has continued to bear fruit and will continue its effectiveness as the relationship gains more cohesiveness.

Over the past 50 years, dedicated individuals have generously given their energy and personal resources to create a safer, healthier, democratic future for the world's children. These voluntary efforts have as their objective neither power non-profit but rather the securing of human dignity. World wide the non-profit sector is succeeding in interjecting its goals into the realms of politics and business. NGOs have successfully interfered with agendas that neglect the basic needs of humanity.

50 years ago, The United Nations Department of Public Information was called upon to establish:

the section on Non-Governmental Organizations and General Liaison ... responsible for working with non-governmental organizations, both national and international, to promote understanding of the aims and achievements of the United Nations. At headquarters, it arranges for the accreditation and servicing of information observers from such organizations and for the holding from time to time of conferences of representatives in order to improve information services. (United Nations Yearbook, 1946-47, p. 629)

This quotation describing the inauguration of the UN-NGO association identifies the main responsibilities of NGOs who seek affiliation with the Department of Public Information. The key responsibility is for NGOs to inform their constituencies about the United Nations system. NGOs are assisted in important ways which include the NGO section's orientation sessions for new representatives, the weekly briefings on current UN issues, the Resource Centre and the annual conference which brings delegates from all over the globe. (This year we have representatives from 61 countries.)

Partnership is a well used word and selected by the Conference Planning Committee specifically because of its familiarity. We sought to ground the word partnership in actual NGO experience by examining over the course of these three days the working partnerships among NGOs and the UN system. We decided to take a generally chronological approach, so that we begin this afternoon with an overview of the Milestones in the development of the UN/NGO alliance. The second session of this afternoon's program brings us up to date with a discussion of some of the Current Trends in the UN/ NGO association.

The theme of tomorrow's morning session is Networks In Action and focuses on some innovative partnerships regarding human rights and development. In the afternoon we have planned presentations on the Impact Of Communications And Information Technology on the work of NGOs The first session emphasizes the internet and the second panel examines some of the political and philosophical issues concerning the flow and ownership of information itself.

Friday we move into a consideration of Future Directions. In the morning we recognize several partnership examples which might serve as new operational models. This leads to our final session Friday afternoon when we conclude with speakers who will challenge us to raise new questions about our future efforts.

I would like to direct your attention to the MIDDAY DIALOGUES which occur between 1 and 3pm each day. The Conference P g Committee constructed a series of dialogues to fit the topics of the conference. The dialogues are printed in the conference program, however, with incorrect room numbers. The correct dialogue meeting schedule is in the blue Conference kit in the form of a packet of stapled sheets titled Midday Dialogues. Please refer to this schedule. Also, please note that there is a change in the dialogue taking place in Conference Room 4 following this morning's plenary. Ambassador Marrero will replace Ambassador Richardson, and he will discuss the US position on NGOs, the Civil Society and their relationship to the United Nations.

I would hope that you will leave the conference with many new friends and with your perspective on your work having been jostled just enough for you to envision one or two possibilities you had not previously considered that can be put into practice when you arrive back home.

Thank you

Introductory Remarks by Claudia Strauss, Chair

50th Annual DPI/NGO Conference Planning Committee

Director, World Information Transfer/World Ecology Report