The CIVICUS World Assembly included a Youth Assembly, promoting youth engagement in CIVICUS' work, a “Preconference” on the UN's post-2015 development agenda, and the main conference, focused on: changing nations through citizens; building partnerships for social innovation; and redefining global governance.
7 September 2012: The CIVICUS World Assembly focused on the theme “Defining a new social contract – making the future together,” and highlighted the need to redefine power relations and build a new, more democratic, inclusive, legitimate and sustainable, social contract.
The Assembly was organized by CIVICUS – World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and held from 3-7 September 2012, in Montreal, Canada. It included a Youth Assembly, aiming to promote youth engagement in CIVICUS’ work, as well as a “Preconference,” which focused on the post-2015 UN development agenda. The main conference addressed three main themes: changing nations through citizens; building partnerships for social innovation; and redefining global governance.
During the Preconference, UN representatives outlined some of the challenges underlying the development of a post-2015 and post-Rio+20 development framework. It also included a session during which civil society organizations worked to create a common advocacy platform for influencing the development of a post-2015 agenda that would incorporate the process of defining sustainable development goals (SDGs). [Conference Reports] [UN-NGLS Press Release] [Video of Speech by UN Women Deputy Executive Director]