NEWS RELEASE
October 28, 2008
FOCAL supports Caribbean civil society participation for the
2009 Summit of the Americas
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
8 AM, October 30-31, 2008
More than 100 Caribbean civil society organizations will be meeting with representatives from the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Summit of the Americas Secretariat in Trinidad and Tobago on October 30-31, 2008.
The meeting will be an opportunity for Caribbean civil society to discuss and make recommendations on issues of democracy, economic development, energy, and security to governments that are currently negotiating the Summit of the Americas declaration that will be released in April 2009.
The Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) and the Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women are co-hosting the meeting with the OAS and Summit Secretariat. Civil society groups will learn how to communicate their ideas into the process and deliver their recommendations to governments, the OAS and the Summit Secretariat.
"We want to spread awareness about the work of Caribbean civil society to others, but also broaden the awareness among Caribbean stakeholders that the Summit is a space for regional cooperation on the promotion of democratic norms, prosperity, and security, among other issues,” said Racquel Smith, project manager for inter-American governance and civil society initiatives at FOCAL.
Speakers will include Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, and a representative of the Trinidad and Tobago National Secretariat for the Fifth Summit of the Americas.
This event is part of FOCAL’s efforts to bring together civil society, academia, governments and the private sector so that they can cooperate in ensuring this Summit has goals that can be implemented and that governments have a plan they can take home with them. This forum is undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is part of Canada’s engagement strategy with the Americas.
The Summit of the Americas is the only hemispheric forum where the leaders of all countries, except Cuba, in the Western Hemisphere can meet and set policy directions for prosperity, energy, security and environmental sustainability, among other themes.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Racquel Smith or FOCAL’s Executive Director Carlo Dade, please contact Peter Moore, Communications Director, at 613-562-0005 x255 or pmoore@focal.ca, www.focal.ca.
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The Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) is an independent, non-partisan think tank dedicated to strengthening Canadian relations with Latin America and the Caribbean through policy dialogue and analysis.
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