CIVICUS World Assembly - Montreal 2010: Seeking Out Solutions - Call for Participation

The CIVICUS World Assembly and Youth Assembly for 2010 will be taking place Montreal and participation is being encouraged from across Canada. There are a variety of ways to get involved including sponsoring delegates and organizing a kiosk for the Citizen's Café.

Every year, the CIVICUS World Assembly offers about fifty activities grouped around the overall theme, an annual focus theme and sub-themes.  The activities comprise plenary sessions, round tables, workshops, networking sessions and formal events.  The 2010 World Assembly in Montreal will introduce the concept of interactive group discussions (or Parcours) for the first time.

The overall theme of the CIVICUS World Assembly is 'Acting Together for a Just World'. Every year this is explored through a focus theme. In 2010 the focus theme will be 'Seeking Out Solutions'. This theme will address the issues of Economy, Development and Climate.

The theme expresses the fact that the CIVICUS World Assembly defines itself as a meeting space devoted not only to civil society-related questions but questions that affect humanity as a whole. It is here that civil society meets to exchange and establish links with representatives of governments, the private sector and international institutions to promote justice for all.

The theme furthermore accentuates the necessity to translate words into concrete actions. A just world requires open dialogue and the participation of all. The World Assembly creates conditions that are favourable to action that aims at encouraging rather than denouncing, at assembling rather than dividing.

Six cross-cutting themes will influence the programmatic activities.  These are:

1. Human rights
2. Social responsibility
3. Inclusive and participatory governance
4. The participation of women
5. The participation of young people
6. The participation of indigenous people

For more information, visit: www.civicusassembly.org