Policy Action Groups | Special Initiatives

Cross Sectoral Deliberation | Public Engagement

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Input into the deliberations of the Commission from the wider public is an important component of the Commission’s work. Input has and will continue to be solicited in a variety of ways, including through regional Community Building meetings, regional multi-stakeholder dialogues, and through the Commission website. The distribution and dissemination of the Commission’s findings and recommendations through its publications and regional activities, including the Commission Final Report and World Conference on Globalisation, planned for 2004, will be additional ways in which the public will be engaged. A strong outreach to the mainstream media will continue to also be a priority.

In an effort to engage regional civil society representatives, the Forum Secretariat convened with the support of the Ford Foundation several Community Building meetings in 2001 and 2002 on behalf of the Commission. These included:

Washington, DC - A meeting of about 50 individuals drawn from civil society, the World Bank and the United Nations was convened at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies on April 23 to discuss the Commission. The intent of the meeting was to solicit feedback and suggestions on how the Commission could best contribute to bridging the divide between the many voices in the globalisation debate, and to proceed with establishing a common agenda that would foster a constructive spirit of dialogue and inquiry. Co-Chair Mikhail Gorbachev addressed the meeting along with John Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO, and Co-Chair Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen Trade Watch.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - This meeting was convened on August 23rd at the premiere Brazilian think tank, the Vargas Institute, and drew over 50 representatives from the various sectors to discuss an increasing role for civil society in the globalisation debate. The event also emphasized regional issues relevant to the Commission’s mandate and included leaders involved in the original World Social Forum meeting in 2001. Thais Corral, a member of the Commission’s Steering Committee, and the REDEH organization coordinated the meeting and the broader trip. The opportunity to learn more about the issues and concerns of the region through the experience of academics, NGO leaders, and activist organizations was compelling and provided significant value to the overall diversity of views within the Commission. Meetings were held with dozens of civil society leaders from Latin America, exploring local issues like privatization of water, the World Social Forum, and the Landless Worker’s Movement during this trip. Progress was made toward developing a strategy for future collaboration in Latin America and seven new Commissioners were identified during the visit.

Budapest, Hungary - The State of the World Forum produced a one-day symposium entitled, “Sept 11: Its Impact on the Effectiveness of Civil Society's Engagement in Global Issues,” on Oct 17th at the Central European University in Budapest. The debate was fresh, rich and surprisingly frank. While there was general agreement that the September 11th events had fundamentally changed part of the world’s psyche, the discussion highlighted the differences in regional perceptions of the same events. The lively debate spilled over into the main conference, “Reshaping Globalisation: Multilateral Dialogues and New Policy Initiatives” convened on Oct 17th – Oct 19th at the Central European University in Budapest, and invigorated the more formal discussions over the following two days. This conference was co-organized by the Central European University and the Warwick University.

Porto Alegre, Brazil - The Forum Secretariat convened a workshop during the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, January 31 – February 5, 2002, entitled “Strengthening Civil Society’s Participation in Global Governance Through Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues.” Commissioners Mark Ritchie, Tom Spencer, Maria Ivanova and Marcelo Palazzi participated. The Commission had members represented in both the World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum, pointing to the diversity of the Commission network. The Commission was profiled in the Economist, National Public Radio, the BBC, and a number of other newspapers and journals resulting from activities in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

2003 Activities

In 2003, the Forum will convene a series of activities that will involve a number of members of the Commission and a multi-stakeholder constituency. The first event will take place in Brussels, June 18-20, 2003 where a conference on "National Sovereignty and Global Challenges" will be convened. Later in 2003, the Forum will convene follow up meetings to the Brussels Conference, possibly in San Francisco and Washington, DC. In addition, a Commission Community page is being developed where the general public can have access to the writings and commentary of the various Co-Chairs and Commissioners.

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