14 December 2011: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ (DESA) Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) held a training for Major Groups and other stakeholders on engaging in the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). Presentations addressed logistics, side events and pre-registration information, and media and communications for the Conference.

The session took place on 14 December 2011, in New York, US, ahead of the Second Intersessional Meeting of the UNCSD. On general logistics, accommodation is expected to be a problem, given the current availability of hotel rooms. Also, flights into cities other than Rio de Janeiro should be explored. On side events, a DESA representative noted that they will take place inside Riocentro as well as other venues in Rio de Janeiro, which would be more accessible from the downtown area. Flamengo Park, downtown, is being reserved for civil society and designed by a civil society committee. A web-based tool to propose and book side events is being developed. It was recommended that interested parties join the Major Groups listserve to stay informed of planning. On pre-registration, the process now is open for organizations accredited to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and organizations registered with the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). Following registration, it is possible to apply for a visa to Brazil. No on-site registration will be possible for NGOs.

On media, Michael Strauss from Earth Media offered some suggestions to civil society in preparing for the Conference. He recommended: using a mix of traditional and social media to build involvement; preparing “elevator speeches” about the organization’s major issues, as well as examples of green economy projects; bringing fact sheets and pre-statements for media briefings; using coalitions to get the attention of UN journalists; and using high-level figures and celebrities strategically. He also emphasized focusing on what is going well, which better engages the public, in order to take advantage of the opportunity to “sell” the vision of a green and sustainable planet. [Webpage for Pre-Registration for UNCSD] [Website of Government of Brazil’s Organizing Committee] [IISD RS Sources]