Yesterday and today (10 and 11 March) the Committee hosted a drafting group meeting of the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (known almost universally by its French acronym, AICESIS) on the theme of the role of ESCs in the new global economic, social and environmental governance. The meeting brought together some fifty people representing a score of Councils from around the world. The meeting, chaired by my predecessor, Patrick Venturini (who is now the Secretary General of AICESIS) and opened by EESC President Staffan Nilsson (picture), examined and discussed a first version of a report on the theme which, in finalised form, will be submitted to the 21-22 July AICESIS general assembly in Rome.
Good to know that AICESIS is tackling some of the worlds big questions. Could they take this work further to create a joint position and statement on behalf of global organised civil society about the promotio of sustainable development in the world that could be presented at the World Summit on Sustaiable Development in June 2012 (Rio 2012)?
I’ll introduce the idea, Derek. (And nice to hear from you.) Martin