ECO-Forum plans a series of events in Kyiv-2003 in conjunction with the 5th Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe". Those will be organized in close cooperation with Ukrainian NGO Organizing Committee and Ukrainian NGOs. ECO-Forum considers establishment of a Kyiv NGO Secretariat to fulfill all organizational work (4 months before the Conference).
The ECO/NGO events in Kyiv are being planned at the following dates:
- 19-20 May 2003
- ECO Pre-Conference
- 20-23 May 2003
- ECO-Forum workshops (including thematic meetings in the framework of the projects supported by the REC-CEE)
- 21-23 May 2003
- participation of ECOs/NGOs in the Ministerial Conference as delegation (50 persons) and as observers
- 21-23 May 2003
- Side Events at the Ministerial Conference (most of them to be organised on 21-22 May as 23 May is a half-day).
- 22 May 2003
- ECO-Ministerial Roundtable (special session) on Environmental Policy Integration
- 24 May 2003
- Conference on the future of the "Environment for Europe" ECO process
Objectives for ECO/NGO events prior and during the Ministerial Conference
Provide environmental NGOs from the entire UNECE region to contribute to the Environment for Europe process by:
- presenting their views on the desired outcomes of the Ministerial Conference;
- contribute to exchange of views on the issues on the agenda, including in the roundtable of Ministers and ECOs/NGOs on Environmental Policy Integration;
- Influence on official outcomes;
- Present the work of environmental citizensÆ organisations and its results to the officials and the media, in particular by organising side-events, the roundtable and press-meetings;
- organise discussions among ECOs/NGOs about the state of the pan-European environment, trends and needed changes in national and regional policies, and strategies on how to mobilise the public opinion and decision makers to address these issues;
- work closely with the Ukrainian ECO movement to maximise the positive impact the pan-European conference will have for their agenda.
- conclude on ways of pan-European co-operation of ECO's in order to effectively take part in the pan-European processes resulting from the Kyiv Conference and earlier Environment for Europe conferences.
Participants for the ECO/NGO Conference in Kyiv-2003
ECO-Forum plans to invite following number of participants:
- representatives of national ECOs/NGOs from 55 countries of the UNECE region (minimum 2 per country and an average of 3 per country),
- Members of the Co-ordination Board of the European ECO-Forum, the Co-ordination Unit Staff and up to 10 local organisers,
- Invited experts
- Representatives of Ukrainian ECOs/NGOs.
Total number is up to 220 persons
The ECO/NGO Pre-Conference Objectives
- analyse and discuss the results of the preparatory process of the Ministerial Conference
- discuss the wider pan-European context of the Environment for Europe Process and its future
- prepare ECO positions to be presented at the Ministerial Conference
- organise an effective practical involvement of the ECO delegates in the official process
- discuss the Ukrainian environmental situation and the concerns and proposals of its environmental movement.