Newsletter
The Nantes permanent Secretariat organises the 3rd World Forum on Human Rights (30th June - 3rd July 2008)
The 3rd World Forum on Human Rights, organised by the Permanent International Secretariat for Human Rights and Local Governments - an Association governed under French law (namely the “1901 Law” pertaining to non-profit-making organizations) - will be held at the Nantes Metropolis International Convention Centre from 30th June to 3rd July 2008.
From the outset (2004), the Nantes Forum was established for the purpose of assisting and developing the various networks of players involved in protecting, respecting and enforcing Human Rights through the strengthening of solidarity among the various players (political leaders, NGO activists & leaders, academics and international experts, as well as representatives from international organizations, etc.).
Hence, to make this happen, direct discussions and free dialogue, all from an equal footing, are necessary - the reason why the World Forum on Human Rights exists today.
The Permanent International Secretariat
« Human Rights and Local Governments » (SPIDH)
Following the 2nd World Forum on Human Rights in Nantes (France), which gathered together 1,200 participants representing 70 different nationalities in July 2006, it was decided to create a permanent overseeing and organisational body: the Nantes / Loire Region International Permanent Secretariat.
This Permanent Secretariat has two essential, though complementary, assignments, i.e. organising future world forums (the 3rd World Forum on Human Rights will take place from 30th June to 3rd July 2008), as well as developing and helping to strengthen the international networks of those players involved in Human Rights, especially focusing on the theme of “Human Rights and Local Governments”.
Indeed, the two editions of the Nantes Forum have revealed that this biennial rendezvous may only adopt its real meaning upon proper initiation of the groundwork, notably long-term efforts for a truly efficient action, by taking particular interest in the work out in the field and by enforcing Human Rights within the territories, through cooperation with local communities.
Hence, the International permanent Secretariat « Human Rights and local governments » (SPIDH) will, via all means of communication, endeavour to stimulate permanent debate among the different players on the many topics in the headlines, and all this punctuated by a welcome gathering every two years: the World Forum on Human Rights in Nantes.
Themes
of the next Forum on Human Rights
30th of June to the 3rd of July 2008
Nantes Metropolis International Convention Center
- 60 years later... the universality and effectiveness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Human Rights, between economic globalization and international solidarity
- What kind of Europe for Human Rights? What kind of Human Rights for Europe ?
- Local Governance and Human Rights: efficacy within the reach of citizens?
A collaborative website : http://www.SPIDH.org
The main project has been to develop communication means via a collaborative multilingual Website (French, English, Spanish), thus enabling the establishment of permanent dialogue. Such Website is already on-line: www.SPIDH.org
All the typical sections are included:
- Introducing the Permanent Secretariat and its partners
- Topics and information concerning the next Nantes Forum (30th June to 3rd July 2008)
- On-line registrations for the 2008 Forum
- Documents and archives from the 2004 and 2006 Forums
- A discussion forum
- Subscriptions to our newsletter, etc.
Workspaces online
But above all, the www.SPIDH.org Website already boasts an extranet facility: a collaborative Website platform enabling all interested persons, wherever they may be in the world, to work on-line.
Workspaces online can thus be established with themes linked - particularly - to the next World Forum on Human Rights. Such workspaces have restricted access (via personal ID).
Hence, anyone interested, even those not physically attending the World Forum on Human Rights, may join in and debate on their preferred areas of interest, thereby enabling to prepare discussions prior to each Forum, to follow them during deliberations and refer to them thereafter.
The platform proposes :
- join a workspace online
- create a workspace online, propose a theme of discussion
- run your own personal space and change your choices of workspaces
Tools available to contributors :
Each person contributing may :
- post a document only viewable by members of a particular workspace
- propose a discussion theme via an on-line forum reserved to the workspace members
- view the agenda shared by all workspace members
- send e-mails to workspace members
Online assistance is already proposed on the Home Page to help users take advantage of the various functions.
For further information, please contact the Webmaster
