Dear
Members, Friends and Visitors,
In
the Eve of this New Year, I took some time for reflection
about the work done during this last Executive Board
Mandate (2002-2005), particularly this last year.
I
have no doubt that we have a very positive outcome
as a result of our join effort to consolidate WFO’s
Mission, and implement a multi-year Strategic Framework
where the main goal was to insert the Family issues
in definitive in the International Agenda.
Preparing
for and Celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the
International Year of the Family was a enormous
challenge when, in 2003, we decided to take the
audacious initiative to call for a World Family
Summit, linking the Family to development and involving
all sectors of society. China was the first stage
for this great event in December 2004.
The
concrete achievement – the Sanya Declaration
- lead us to renovated commitments towards preparing
a Practical Plan of Action 2006-2015 to implement
the Millennium Development Goals at the Local Level
and in the Family, consecrated at the World Family
Summit +1 held in Aracaju, Sergipe State, Brazil,
in December 2005.
The
work just accomplished in Aracaju is certainly a
definitive contribution that the World Family Organization
is giving to development. Our strategy to bring
into light a new “social contract” between
Local Authorities and Families, in which both take
the concepts of partnership for development, establishes
a new roadmap to bring the Millennium Development
Goals into practical life.
These
commitments were endorsed by 172 delegations geographically
represented, including national, provincial and
local governments, non-governmental organizations,
academia, parliamentarian groups, judges and attorneys,
media, the business community and the civil society,
who solemnly declared their firm political will
to bring the implementation to their local level.
Therefore
we have many reasons to celebrate the accomplishment
of the proposed goals for the 2002-2005 Mandate!
Of
course this would not have been possible without
the valuable involvement of all our Members, who
actively supported and committed themselves to our
result-oriented goals, as well as the elected Members
of the Executive Board. Many thanks to all Members.
I
would also like to mention the United Nations team
who were fundamental actors in bringing our aspirations
into reality, as the Secretary General Mr. Kofi
Annan, the UNDESA Office for ECOSOC Support, Mr.
Sarbuland Khan, the Chief of NGO Section, Dr. Hanifa
Mezoui, the Director of
Division for Public Administration and Development
Management, Mr. Guido Bertucci, the Senior Interregional
Advisor, Mrs. Najet Karaborni, among many others.
Our
special thanks to the Governments of Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, China, Germany, Jordan, Libya, Portugal,
Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates for
their strong technical and financial support to
strength the Organization’s work.
For
their strong support in the organizing and hosting
the World Family Summits, we are very grateful to
Minister Zhang Weiqing from China, Governor João
Alves Filho and Senator Maria do Carmo Alves from
Brazil and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah from
Jordan.
According
to the decision of WFO General Assembly a new team
starts the 2006-2009 Mandate, which I continue to
have the privilege to preside. New challenges are
before us, but also revigorated energies to set
in motion advancements. The new joint work with
the UNDP in the Program on Innovative Partnerships
will give us the opportunity to reach millions of
local authorities and families all over the world
to bring them the benefits of development.
Strengthening the UN-NGO-IRENE will give us the
opportunity to reach millions of grass-root organizations
and help them to be inserted in the UN System.
The
reformulated Program on Developing Local Health
Systems will promote partnership between municipalities,
NGOs and business community, to implement policies
and programs focused on family health.
The
Strategic Framework 2006-2009, approved by the General
Assembly, will come into light in its final form
by the end of March, carrying new policies and programs
aimed at implementing the Practical Plan of Action
2006-2015 approved by the WFS+1.
The
year of 2006 is starting full of promises and challenges.
Our hopes for a better future to all families of
the world will make our commitments to be present
everyday on our desks reminding us our responsibilities
in constructing the world that we want to the future
generations.
May
2006 bring to all of us the real chance to enjoy
Global Peace, Security, Development, Dialog, Tolerance
and Respect to Human Rights!
Happy
New Year!
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