Finland Times

 

Developing country people. Press Release Photo.

The World NGO Day 2014 Forum will begin at Scandic Marina Congress Center in Helsinki on Thursday marking the World NGO Day.

 

 The International Development Minister,  PekkaHaavisto is scheduled to open the two-day event.

 

The forum is being organised by the World NGO Day Initiative – supported by European Commissioner for Development AndrisPiebalgs – in recognition for the need of a new international calendar day dedicated to NGOs, the important work they do locally, nationally and internationally, and all the individuals behind them worldwide.

 

Developing country people. Press Release Photo.

The newly elected secretary general of the Secretariat to the Nordic Council, Britt Bohlin, and other UN agencies’ executives including UNOPS Executive Director Jan Mattsson and UNESCO Assistant Director-General Eric Falt are also expected to speak at the international forum. 

 

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark, also former prime minister of New Zealand, will be addressing delegates via video in recognition of the importance of the NGO sector.

 

International Development Minister PekkaHaavisto was recently elected as chairman of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS), an international forum promoting the development of fragile states. 

 

“In fragile countries, the activities of civil society can be very difficult, even paralyzed. The international community must also support the implementation of civil rights”, said Haavisto.

 

Marcis Liors Skadmanis - the initiator of World NGO Day. Press Release Photo.

The World NGO Day 2014 Forum will focus on “Universal Education – NGOs and Private Enterprises”, “Health and Social Welfare”, “Children and Youth Empowerment - A Multi-Sectoral Approach”, and “Society Empowerment via Gender Equality”. 

 

Finnish NGOs and its civil society members would be welcome to take part in the two days of presentations, speeches, intense panel discussions and debate with NGO leaders from all around the world.

 

The participants include representatives ranging from the executive director of BRAC International - the largest NGO in the world - to Turkey’s country director of International Medical Corps that is providing medical assistance to many Syrian refugees on the Turkish borders on a daily basis.