Annual Meeting in Minneapolis

The Citizens for Global Solutions 2007 Annual Meeting will take place October 26–28 in Minneapolis, MN, at the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. This year’s theme, “Steps on the Road to a Just and Enduring Peace,” will look at what the United States and the United Nations must do over the next several decades to tackle global challenges and build a sustainable peace.

The 2007 Annual Meeting will provide an opportunity for long-time members of Citizens for Global Solutions to revisit the organization’s unique vision to build peace, justice and freedom in a democratically governed world. The meeting will also be an opportunity to introduce new members to our mission.

The weekend event will explore key improvements in U.N. procedures – such as weighted voting in the General Assembly and Security Council, the necessity of bringing the global south into a genuinely lasting peace and the strengthening of international institutions like the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and U.N. peacemaking forces. It will also examine the key threats and challenges that we face and evaluate potential solutions to these issues. A focus on these cornerstone issues of our interconnected world promises to make the 2007 Annual Meeting a critical arena for new and old members to come together in the pursuit of these ideals.

The meeting coincides with a unique moment in history, where world leaders increasingly recognize the importance of international cooperation. To that end, Citizens for Global Solutions is renewing its commitment to turn motivation for a just and enduring peace into the initiative that will make this a reality.  Events at this year’s meeting will include a seated dinner in honor of a long-time member and supporter, an evening of film and the following sessions:

Weighted Voting at the United Nations: What is it? How could it be implemented? Can it achieve the essential goal of giving the U.N. authority to create binding international laws?  Can it be utilized as a tool to further democratize the U.N. and ensure that decisions more accurately reflect the changing demographics of our interconnected world?

Building Just and Lasting Peace from a Global South Perspective: What are the key peace and security issues that matter for citizens of the Global South? Do they believe the issues most important to them are being adequately addressed by the western powers?  What can be done to ensure that priority global issues reflect concerns across the entire international community?

ICC & UNEPS: From Darfur to Congo, the need for a strong international justice mechanism coupled with an established U.N. emergency peacekeeping force is clear. What needs to be done to ensure that the international community remains committed to strengthening both the ICC and UNEPS?

Thinking Ahead: What will the world look like in 2057 (50 years from now)? What are the most urgent global problems to get under control by then? What global structures, especially at the U.N., are essential for trying to solve these problems? What should the United States do to facilitate creating these structures?

Creating a Nuclear Weapons-Free World:  Since its inception in 1968 the Non-Proliferation Treaty has played a key role in global security by limiting the spread of nuclear weapons. Recently, however, countries inside and outside the NPT have sought nuclear technology for energy purposes or to gain political clout, and promises made by signatories are not being kept. How can we bolster the non-proliferation regime to meet the challenges of the 21st century? How can we compel the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their promises of disarmament?