The Millennium Forum: A Global Consultation by Civil Society.

The Millennium Forum-scheduled from 22 to 26 May 2000 in New York as part of the preparations for the United Nations Millennium Assembly in September--will bring together representatives of civil society from all over the world to consult about humanity's common future and the role of the United Nations in confronting the global challenges of the twenty-first century. By soliciting the best thinking of civil society on the issues of peace, poverty, human rights, globalization and the environment, as well as strengthening and democratizing the United Nations, the Forum seeks to create a process whereby the input from global civil society can be collected in an open, transparent and representative manner, reflecting democratic principles.

The Millennium Forum is much more than a weeklong meeting at the United Nations. It promises to establish a new way in which the views, opinions and expertise of worldwide civil society can be brought to bear on the critical issues of our day. Already, the process of organizing the Forum has begun to establish such a mechanism. Over the last two years, a series of meetings around the globe have been interconnected through a system of networking carried out largely on the Internet.

Among the expected outcomes of the Forum will be an extended document on the topics of peace, human rights, sustainable development and the environment, elimination of poverty, facing the challenges of globalization, and strengthening and democratizing the United Nations and other international organizations.

Under the main theme of "The United Nations for the Twenty-First Century", the Forum's recommendations will be presented to the world leaders who will gather at the Millennium Summit in September.

In the past, global "NGO Forums" have been held "parallel" to major UN meetings, which is to say, simultaneously with them. Although pre-conference networking by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has often been substantial, it has nevertheless been difficult for civil society to produce and present a coherent viewpoint to UN officials and government leaders at the main event. By the time NGOs have finished their consultations, UN leaders have usually gone home.

By holding the Millennium Forum in advance of the Millennium Summit and Assembly, it is hoped that civil society will be able to present more cogently and coherently its views to world leaders.

The Forum seeks to utilize a consultative process involving the innovative use of the Internet prior to its main meeting in May at United Nations Headquarters, as well as through a new style of "interactive plenaries" at the meeting itself. Experts from civil society around the world were asked to submit in advance "discussion papers" on the global issues that will be under consideration at the Forum.

Other representatives of civil society can comment on these papers so that the discussions in plenary and workshops at the May meeting can focus on concrete points and refinements to the main documents, instead of merely listening to various speeches.

This document will be presented to the world leaders at the Millennium Summit. Organizers hope that the Forum will propose an organizational structure whereby the peoples of the world can participate more effectively in global decision-making and in the implementation and follow-up of global plans of action.

However, the Forum is an open meeting with no predetermined outcome. The organizers are committed to seeing to it that all views are heard and that the Forum is representative and reflective of the collective view of civil society worldwide. The goal is to produce final draft documents that will be the culmination of a multi-pronged consultation and will be comprehensive, consistent and coherent. In particular, the organizers hope the final document will focus not only on the promises made by Member States in recent global plans of action, but also on what the "peoples of the world"--as typified by NGOs and organizations of civil society--can contribute on their own.

The Millennium Forum recognizes the vital role of Governments. However, much of what must be accomplished in the coming century cannot be achieved by government actions alone; it can only be accomplished in full partnership with civil society. A creative partnership grounded in a shared vision and based on mutual trust and respect creates a win-win situation that will benefit all parties and the world as a whole. In this regard, among the questions that can be expected to be considered by the Forum are: In reviewing the present structure of the United Nations, what new institutional arrangements will be needed? What kind of global institutions should be formed, modified or strengthened?

Many proposals are now on the table regarding the restructuring of the United Nations. Governments and NGOs alike have recommended various reforms of the Security Council. Various organizations of civil society have urged a wide range of additional reforms, from the inclusion of an Economic Security Council to a special chamber for minorities or indigenous populations. Proposals have also been made for the establishment of an international force and an auxiliary international language. These and other proposals will be considered by the Forum.

The Millennium Forum will also seek to create a long-term vision and develop a new language for speaking across issue areas. In our increasingly interdependent world, organizers believe, such cross-issue, cross-boundary links are the the key to solving global problems. They also believe that stronger bonds between the various organizations of civil society worldwide will do much to bring lasting change to the world.

Objectives of the Forum

The Millennium Forum will:

* bring together civil society representatives from all over the world to consult about the role of the United Nations in confronting the great global challenges facing humanity in the twenty-first century;

* assemble the innovative ideas and creative experiences of NGOs and all sectors of civil society;

* articulate a vision for the future that recognizes the fundamental interdependence of humanity and suggest ways to move forward into a new era of peace and justice for all peoples; and

* suggest new possibilities for an organizational structure whereby the peoples of the world can participate effectively in global decision-making in the context of the United Nations system.

Globalization and Development Cooperation

Development cooperation is being transformed to meet the challenge of poverty eradication in an era of globalization. This ongoing paradigm shift is examined in Globalization: The United Nations Development Dialogue, which argues that a new human development agenda is opening up for the international community. Illuminating the potential role of the UN system to help diminish the pressure on the multilateral system, the book argues that the United Nations could play a pivotal role in making globalization "work for development" and inject some of the necessary political impetus to advance human welfare around the world.

In particular, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is a forum in which the management of globalization can be discussed in a comprehensive,, balanced and open manner. Equally important for a stable development-oriented world financial architecture and global trade system is the close relationship between the Council and the Bretton Woods institutions. Another important partnership is the emerging cooperation between ECOSOC and the Security Council on peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction, which over the past year led to the creation of a new international civilian mission in Haiti and may be instrumental for dealing with HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The book highlights the leadership of the United Nations in developing "globalization with a human face" by presenting key debates, statements and resolutions related to the new financial architecture, trade, poverty, peace-building and development. It also summarizes key meetings between ECOSOC, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization, as well as contributions from academia, civil society and private-sector participants in UN-organized expert panels.