MIKE TOLOCHKO
The annual NGO [Non Government Organization] to the United Nations meeting this year will be held in Paris, France: September 3-5, 2008.
The meeting will attract over 2,500 NGO from around the world. This will be the first time the meeting will be held away from the United Nations home in NYC. The meeting has plenary sessions; roundtables; and workshops.
The focus this year is on the issue of Human Rights since the formal title of the session is: "Reaffirming Human Rights for All: the Universal Declaration at 60." [This hotwire will link to the famous declaration]
Sixty years ago the Declaration was seen as great document which following the second devastating world war in less than 40 years. The racism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of discrimination which was at the heart of the Nazi regime spurred this document. Also, for many in the United States, it was seen as a document to rid the US of its persistent racism. I can't say for sure, but William Patterson declaration against racism to the United Nations may have been spurred by the UN action.
There will be special presentations such as "Absences" a photographic presentation by Gustavo Germano, which documents the fascism that reigned in Argentina form 1976 to 1983.
I will be bloging from Paris starting on September 2nd.
One interesting area of discussion will focus on the use of Anti-Terrorism to threaten Human Rights in different parts of the world. In fact there was a full, all-day discussion on that topic at the United Nations yesterday.
