CIVICUS World Assembly

From August 20 – 23 2010, Montreal will play host to the 9th edition of the CIVICUS World Assembly. This will be the first in a series of three assemblies that will be held in Montreal: 2010, 2011, and 2012. The 3rd CIVICUS Youth Assembly will be held immediately before the World Assembly, on August 19th and 20th, 2010.

The overall theme of the World Assemblies is Acting Together for a Just World. Each year, the CIVICUS World Assembly offers over 50 activities relative to the general theme, to the annual main theme, and to sub-themes. For the first time in 2010, the World asembly activities will also include interactive group discussions using the Open Forum methodology.

The main theme of the 2010 edition will be Seeking out Solutions: Economic Justice. This theme will also be discussed through the lenses of the two subthemes of development effectiveness (main theme for the 2011 World Assembly) and climatic justice (main theme of the 2012 World Assembly). Six cross-cutting themes will be taken into consideration in the various activities of the program. They are: human rights, social responsibility, participative and inclusive governance, women’s participation, youth participation and participation of native peoples.

The World Assemblies allow representatives of civil society to reflect upon the current major issues, to work to develop concrete solutions that originate from citizen groups and to develop fruitful dialogue with representatives from governments, the private sector, donors, and from members of the media who will also participate in the Assembly. These events create favourable conditions that seek to engage rather than to denounce, and to unite rather than to divide.

For more information, visit: www.civicusassembly.org