Sustainable Development and Green Olympics
Concept Note

The UN ECOSOC theme of this year is “implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development”. This theme is part of the Annual Ministerial Review which is a new feature of ECOSOC mandated at the 2005 World summit. Its purpose is to assess the progress made towards the MDGs (see annex 1 for further details).

The NGOs in Consultative Status with ECOSOC are welcome to give their opinions and recommendations on this subject as they usually do for the substantive discussions at ECOSOC. As Regional Coordinator of the UN-NGO-IRENE/Asia-Pacific, China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) plans to host another conference on ECOSOC theme as it did for employment and poverty elimination, which were the ECOSOC themes of 2006 and 2007.

This year will see the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing and it will definitely become the paramount theme of China and the world. NGOs both local and international are ready to uphold the Olympic Spirits and promote green concept during and beyond the 29th Olympic Games. We appreciate the host city’s great efforts in this regard and wish to reinforce our support for a green and humane Olympics from the people’s perspective.

Then, why don’t we combine the two themes together and hold the 3rd conference of UN-NGO-IRENE/Asia-Pacific for both, hence, the idea of Sustainable Development and Green Olympics came into being as initially suggested by Hanifa Mezoui, Chief of the NGO Section of DESA, ECOSOC. We are very honored to have received firm support from Mr. Nikhil Seth, Director of the UN Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination, DESA. Further more, we will kindly ask the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Under Secretary General for Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Mr. Sha Zukang to send us good-will messages. CNIE has decided to take upon itself to sponsor and organize this event and has formed an organizing committee thereof.

The idea went down very well among our colleagues in China. More than 80 local NGOs have rendered their firm support. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) welcomes the idea and would invite delegates to the conference to some of its 100-Day-Countdown grandiose activities when the two coincide with each other. High officials of the BOCOG will meet the delegates and host a banquet in their honor. The Beijing NGO Association for International Exchanges (BNAIE) has entered a formal agreement with CNIE for organizing part of the event. So far, we have received agreements from All-China Sports Federation (ACSF) and CONGO NGO Committee on the UN and Sports to be our partners. Other Regional Coordinators of UN NGO IRENE also showed great interest in working with us.

The following is a preliminary program for your reference.

Preliminary Program of the Third Conference of
UN-NGO-IRENE/ ASIA-PACIFIC

Time: 28th - 30th April, 2008
Place: Beijing
Sponsor : China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE)
Co-sponsor: NGO Section of the UN DESA
Organizers: China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE)
Co-organizer Beijing NGO Association for International Exchanges
Partners: All China Sports Federation (ACSF)
CONGO Sports Committee
UN-NGO-IRENE/Africa Coordinator
UN-NGO-IRENE/Latin America Coordinator
Other Regional Coornators to be confirmed
Size: 200 delegates plus some special VIPs.

Venue: Hanhua International Hotel (4 star), downtown Beijing
Agenda: Opening Session and welcome addresses. Three panels, each around one of the 3 topics: NGO and Sustainable Development, NGO and Green Olympics, Sustainable Development and Green Olympics. A declaration to UN ECOSOC will be deliberated and adopted by the conference.

Post-conference: Activities will be organized for delegates to visit major Olympic venues in Beijing and energy-saving projects in the rural area, plant trees at the Great Wall, hold signature signing ceremony for “Sustainable Development and Green Olympics”, meet with NGOs in Beijing and to enjoy cultural entertainment in the National Center for Performing Arts — the most modern and magnificent theater just opened in Beijing.

Expenses: CNIE is happy to provide hotel accommodation, meals and transport in Beijing for 4 nights from April 27th to 30th.

We look forward to your participation in this great gathering of NGOs for Sustainable Development and Green Olympics! Due to the limit of the size, please send us your confirmation as soon as possible.

Contact person: Ms. Ma Ning
Telephone: +86-10-83908364
Fax: +86-10-83908364
E-mail: maning70s@sina.com