1995-2005: 10 years for the Peoples' UN

On the eve of the summit of the Heads of State of the United Nations the world Civil Society meets in Perugia

6th Assembly
of the Peoples' UN
against poverty, war and unilateralism let's democratise and strengthen the United Nations
“Let's save the UN”
Human Rights, Democracy, Legality, Justice and Freedom

Perugia, 8-11 September 2005

The Project.

In New York from the 14th to the 16th of September 2005 Heads of State of countries from all over the world will convene for a very important summit on the fight against poverty and on the UN reform. This agenda is too important to be left to those same countries, that for a good part, are responsible for the dramatic condition of Humankind and for the crisis of the United Nations.

The summit will be the largest and most important multilateral meeting of the year 2005 and it will take place five years after the Millennium Summit that in 2000 saw the world's leaders sign the “Millennium Declaration” which contained precise commitments to bring peace, security and justice to the world. All those commitments, once again have been forgotten or betrayed.

For this reason the Peace Roundtable and the Italian Coordination of Local Authorities for Peace and Human Rights have decided to organise the 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN which will take place in Perugia (Italy) from the 8th to the 11th of September 2005, on the eve of the UN summit.

The title of the 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN is “Let's save the UN”, Human Rights, Democracy, Legality, Justice and Freedom. The slogan is “let's democratise and strengthen the United Nations against poverty, war and unilateralism.”

The Objectives.

The Assembly of the People's UN aims at:
1. Denouncing the heavy attack that the United Nations is facing and which risks to definitely weaken, delegitimise and marginalise the UN;
2. Denouncing the governments which control the UN because they prevent the United Nations from fulfilling its missions (ban war, promote all Human Rights for all, eliminate poverty); denouncing that they do not keep faith to the political and economical commitments they have undertaken - like the Millennium Development Goals - violating the principles of legality and international democracy; denouncing that they continue to control international affairs excluding world civil society and ignoring its proposals;
3. Discussing the same agenda of the UN summit giving the opportunity to the world civil society to present its concerns, questions and proposals;
4. Defining concrete political proposals for the democratisation and strengthening of the UN system, to be presented to Secretary General Kofi Annan and to national governments participating to the UN Heads of State Summit;
5. Discussing how to promote the international mobilisation to change and save the UN, reduce the excessive power of the World Bank, of the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation and build a new, just, peaceful, and democratic international order;
6. Promoting the project of a “Universal Convention on the future of the UN”.

The meeting aims also to contribute to strengthen the capacity of global civil society to promote common actions for peace, economic justice and international democracy. In particular, the meeting aims to contribute to the strengthening of the World Social Forum process. Our idea is not only to confront different points of view and discuss common objectives, but also to consider possible ways of reaching them.

The 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN wants to contribute to the global day of mobilisation of global civil society launched in Porto Alegre during the 5th World Social Forum by the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and by the international coalition “Reclaim Our UN”, in order to increase pressure on the governments that will take part to the UN Heads of State meeting in New York.

The Assembly will agree on a Final Document which will be sent to the heads of state of the whole world. All participants are invited to take part in the discussion and send comments and proposals. All the contributions will be used to prepare the draft which will be presented in Perugia.

The participants.

The Assembly of the Peoples' UN will see the participation of many representatives of movements, trade unions, organisations and networks both on a national and on an international level, local authorities and universities, research centres committed to the fight against poverty and war, to promote Peace and Human Rights, sustainable human development, social justice and democracy from all over the world.

The Assembly is open to all members of the International Council of the World Social Forum and to all the organisations and networks that are working on these subjects both on a national and on an international level.

The Programme.

The international participants to the Assembly of the Peoples' UN are invited to Italy for about a week, from September 7th to 14th 2005.

Wednesday 7 September: The participants arrive in Perugia.

Thursday 8 September: 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN
Friday 9 September: 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN
Saturday 10 September: 6th Assembly of the Peoples' UN
The programme of the Assembly includes two plenary sessions (an opening Plenary and a Closing Plenary) and two sessions for the working groups. More information will be available in the next days.

Sunday 11th of September: Peace March Perugia-Assisi.

After the march the international participants will leave Perugia for the “Adoptive cities”.

From Monday 12th of September to Wednesday 14th September: the representatives of the Peoples' UN will participate in various events that will take place in the cities that have organised their stay: meetings with the citizens, with local groups and organisations, with the local authorities, events in schools, debates, conferences, shows and other public events,...

The delegates of the peoples' UN will leave Italy on Wednesday the 14th of September

The origin.

The Assembly of the Peoples' UN is not an occasional event but part of a commitment for the strengthening and democratisation of the UN, coordinated by the Peace Roundtable, which has now been active for over 10 years. The main stages have been:

1995 - 1st Assembly of the Peoples' UN: We, the Peoples of the United Nations for the reform and democratization of the UN. The responsibility of the Institutions.

1997 – 2nd Assembly of the Peoples' UN: We, the Peoples of the United Nations
for an Economy with Justice. The responsibilities of the economy.

1999 – 3rd Assembly of the Peoples' UN: Another world is possible. Let’s build it together. The role of global civil society and local communities for peace, an economy with justice and international democracy.

2001 – 4th Assembly of the Peoples' UN: Globalisation from below. The role of Global Civil Society and Europe.

2003 – 5th Assembly of the Peoples' UN: Europe and the World. The role and responsibilities of Europe in the world.

2004 – International Seminar in Padua “Reclaim our UN”.

2005 – International Seminar in Porto Alegre “Reclaim our UN”.

For any further information:
The Peace Roundtable, via della Viola 1 (06100) Perugia
Tel. +39 075 5736890 - fax +39 075 5739337 - email segreteria@perlapace.it
www.tavoladellapace.it - www.reclaimourun.org