Millennium Summit 53rd DPI/NGO Meeting

Peace Times 17

In an unprecedented event, the United Nations headquarters convened a Millennium Summit of world leaders from the 6th to the 9th of September, bringing together over 150 heads of States from around the world.

In his address, Mr Techeston Adherom, who led the Millennium Forum of NGOs last May, said «This historic Summit may well be remembered as having opened the door to a long awaited era of peace, justice and prosperity for all humanity».

The Summit was preceded both by the fifty-third annual DPI/NGO three day conference which opened on Monday the 28th of August, under the title: «Global Solidarity: the way to Peace and International Cooperation», as well as by the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders which was inaugurated at the United Nations the same day.

This year’s conference provided a forum for NGO representatives, the United Nations system and Governments to explore concrete ways in which Civil Society can work with the Organisation and Members States to implement those actions plans which were agreed upon during the major world conferencesof the 90s.

Theo Ben Gurirab, President of the General Assembly said that this year’s conference links the aspirations of NGOs to the General Assembly Summit in September and therefore urged for «concrete suggestions for implementation» as «NGOs set the pace on many issues», and that «pressure on the UN and Member States has generated effectiveness and results» that is action and not promises, as NGOs «galvanise governments into action», and had proven to be effective in mobilizing the support of the international community for many worthy causes shared by Member States.

In his opening remarks, Secretary General said that «arguing against globalisation is like arguing against the law of gravity» and that the beginning of the new millennium is the time to give real meaning to the concept of political will. When NGOs gathered last May for the Millennium Forum, he said, they «gave an example of the kind of leadership that was needed»; the result of that meeting was a Declaration and a Plan of Action which spoke eloquently and movingly about the biggest challenges of all times, from poverty to peace to the environment, calling upon those present to «make globalisation an engine that lifts people out of hardship and misery, not a force that holds them down».

Make globalization an engine to lift people
out of hardship and misery, not a force that
holds them down

Dianne Dillon-Ridgley, chair of the NGO/DPI Planning Committee, said that as the final bridge to the Millennium Summit, NGOs realised that international cooperation was broader than the United Nations. She emphasised that «cooperation should also actively incorporate NGOs and Civil Society, including religious and spiritual associations, in re-examining and restarting a new global vision».

The historical event which brought religious and spiritual leaders into the General Assembly hall of the United Nations for the first time, was a very moving and inspiring gathering. Convened to identify ways that the world’s religious and spiritual leaders can work together to support the UN, the event drew over one thousand participants.

In his message, Secretary General urged participants to set an example of interfaith cooperation. He suggested that the meeting also be an opportunity for religious, spiritual and political leaders, as well as their followers, to look within, and to consider what they can do to promote justice, equality, reconciliation and peace. «As teachers and guides, you can be powerful agents of change, who can - he continued - inspire people to new levels of commitment and public service».

Music, prayers, ceremonies for peace and words spoken with the blessings of the holy beings: the Shumei Taiko Ensemble inaugurated the gathering with a powerful and deeply inner reaching drumming invocation. In his address, Bawa Jain, Secretary General of the Summit, called for everyone’s commitment to action and to devoting their prayer energy to the success of these actions. He concluded: «let this summit be the beginning of our efforts to strengthen the work of the United Nations across the globe and to bring greater spiritual leadership to its endeavors».

In his message, Rev. James Forbes said «the key will be the spirit and the message and not the amount of words». He went on to speak of the need to humanise balance between material and spiritual values as globalisation is also spiritual and therefore «let us offer ourselves as consultants to the world», he concluded.

As Dag Hammerskjold once said: «We have tried to make peace on this earth and we have failed miserably. Unless there is a spiritual renaissance, this world will know no peace».

Ishtar D.-Adler