URGENT ACTION: UN Conference on Financial Crisis

Send a letter to your head of state encouraging them to go to the UN Conference, and come yourself! 

Six months ago, 900 organizations and networks worldwide signed a declaration demanding a better response to the global financial crisis - one that involved all governments, had representatives from civil society, citizen’s groups and social movements, was comprehensive in scope,  with proposals and draft outcome documents made publicly available and discussed well in advance of the meeting.

On June 24-26, the President of the General Assembly <http://www.un.org/ga/president/63/>  (PGA) is convening the UN Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development <http://www.un-ngls.org/IMG/pdf_ngls_bulletin_1.pdf> . The meeting will address the impact of the crisis on development as well as the ongoing international discussion on reforming and strengthening the international financial and economic system and architecture. The UN Commission of Experts, appointed by the PGA and chaired by Nobel Economist Joseph Stiglitz, will feed in their recommendations <http://www.un.org/ga/president/63/letters/recommendationExperts200309.pdf> to the conference when their final report is released next week. Back in February, over 100 organizations submitted their input on the solutions <http://www.un-ngls.org/IMG/pdf_finalreport.pdf>  to the crisis. Today, the Dutch Government and Saint Vincent and Grenadines, who are facilitating the process, will release the draft outcome document. (Eurodad briefing note... <http://www.eurodad.org/whatsnew/articles.aspx?id=3622> )

But there is a problem. While many developing country governments are proposing to send their heads of state, many other developing and developed countries (in particular G-20 countries) aren't. We need you to help try and change so that this meeting has the political weight it needs to challenge the status quo - send a letter to your head of state.

1) Attached is a draft letter that you can send to your head of state (and copy to opposition parties and other key Ministers). The tone is intentionally light, encouraging and constructive. We want them to attend!

Feel free to adapt it, get your organization to send it, get your members to send it, set up an on-line action alert for citizens to send it, and distribute it to other networks. But above all, try to send it before May 15, 2009.

2) To register <http://www.un-ngls.org/juneconference/>  to participate at the meeting, do so before May 13. A number of groups are exploring possible funding for southern participation.

3) Many of us asked for this conference. Now let's help make it happen.