7th Global Civil Society Forum 2006 To Focus On Three Key Issues

The 7th Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF 2006), to be held on February 5th and 6th, 2006 during the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) global forum in Dubai, will turn the spotlight on chemicals management, tourism and energy issues.

The forum will be an associate meeting of the 9th Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum 2006 (GCSS IX/GMEF 2006) scheduled to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 4th to 9th, 2006.

“More than 100 participants from around 60 countries are expected to attend the event which will also issue the Global Civil Society Statement in six languages,” said Dr. Meshkan AL Awar, Deputy General Coordinator and Sect. General Zayed Prize.

The Global Civil Society Statement is the first most tangible input from the civil society to the Session/ Forum. The statement has been developed during the Global Drafting Meeting held on November 21, 2005 in Dubai. Two representatives from each of the six regional meetings gathered the views included in the regional statements. The six regions are Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, North America and West Asia.

The Global Civil Society Statement will be translated in the six official UN languages and distributed by UNEP to Governments.

The regional meetings were the first step leading to the 7th GCSF in Dubai. During these meetings, regional (Civil Society Organizations) CSOs elaborated on their views and agreed on regional statements around the three issues considered by the ministers – chemical management, tourism and energy. These regional statements will be incorporated as information documentation of the Session/Forum.

For example the statement issued at the West Asia regional preparatory meeting held on November 19 and 20, 2005 in Manama, Bahrain, will also be part of the final Global Civil Society Statement. The regional statement had called for steps to promote environmental awareness in relation to tourism within the private sector and local communities, reduce disparity in accessibility to energy, and adequate measures for proper management of chemicals.

“We are sure such debates and discussions on long-term measures for the betterment of the society will pave way for appropriate use of natural resources. The 7th GCSF 2006 will surely aim to inform and lead the governments in taking cleaner and environment-friendly decisions,” said Dr. AL AWar.

A special exhibition titled “The Environmentally Sound Technology” focusing on three themes – Elements, Connectivity and Life Cycle – will also run parallel to the UNEP meetings to highlight environment-friendly technologies.

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