First World Conference on City Diplomacy, 11-13 June, The Hague, The Netherlands

PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE

Wednesday 11 June - Welcome and opening

16.00 - 17.00 Optional: Guided tour of the Peace Palace or Guided visit to the International Criminal Court for Former Yugoslavia
You have to register for this when completing your registration form.
18.00 - 19.00 Registration of delegates in the Town Hall
19.00 - 21.00 Opening dinner in the Town Hall

Thursday 12 June - Current state of affairs and challenges

08.30 - 09.30 Registration of delegates in the Peace Palace
For those who have not registered at the Town Hall on Wednesday 11 June.
09.30 - 11.15 What are the key conference issues? Plenary
Plenary Session 1
Facilitator: Mr Jan Pronk, former UN special envoy and former minister in The Netherlands
Welcome by Mr Bertrand Delanoë, UCLG President and Mayor of Paris
Key note speech by Mr Jorge Sampaio, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Reactions through short interviews with panellists and from participants, with among others:
Mr Bert Koenders, Minister for Development Co-operation, The Netherlands
Mr François Albert Amichia, Mayor of Treichville, President of the Union of Cities and Towns of Ivory Coast (invited)

11.15 - 11.45 Break
11.45 - 13.00 What do existing experiences tell us? Plenary
Plenary Session 2
Facilitator: Mr Jan Pronk, former UN special envoy and former minister in The Netherlands Presentation of the research findings and defining the challenges
Approach, key questions and conclusions of the research on City Diplomacy
Video interview of key players in the case studies
Comments by Mr. Miguel Bermeo, Deputy of the UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery (invited)
Dialogue: Defining the challenges and the agenda for the conference, including presentation of the draft of the ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy – towards a stronger role for local governments in conflict prevention, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction’.
13.00 - 14.15 Lunch
14.15 - 16.00 How do local governments promote social cohesion and deal with conflict in their own community? 7 sessions
in parallel
A1 - en/fr/sp
Topical issue ‘The local dimension of the Alliance of Civilizations’
A2 - en/fr/sp
Round Table ‘Local governments and peace-building in Africa. Opportunities and constraints’
A3 - en/fr/sp
Case study ‘South Africa: building the rainbow nation at community level’
A4 - en/fr/sp
Case study ‘Iraq: a local government association; finding common interests in a torn society’
A5 - en/sp
Case study ‘El Salvador: the quest for reconciliation and nation-building’
A6 - en/fr
Case study ‘Belfast, Northern Ireland: working towards a shared future’
A7 - en/fr
Case study ‘Sri Lanka: Community Support Funds to promote dialogue and cooperation’

16.15 - 18.00 How can local governments from outside a conflict area support their colleagues? 7 sessions
in parallel
B1 - en/fr/sp
Topical issue ‘Mayors for Peace: ‘Cities are not Targets’
B2 - en/fr/sp
Round table ‘The integrated donor approach on security and development; what role(s) for local government?’
B3 - en/fr/sp
Round table ‘The UN Peace-building Commission’s frameworks for peace-building in Sierra Leone and Burundi: relevant for local governments?’
B4 - en/fr/sp
Case study ‘The Middle East: trilateral local initiatives as a basis for negotiated peace’
B5 - en/sp
Case study ‘Colombia: solidarity with mayors and councillors under threat of the internal armed conflict’
B6 - en/fr
Case study ‘The Balkans: support to local governments defending multiethnicity’
B7 - en/fr
Topical issue ‘The political and legal framework for city diplomacy: why some governments welcome city diplomacy and others don’t’

19.30 Dinner with a cultural touch

Friday 13 June - The way forward

09.00 - 10.30 How can yesterday’s conclusions direct us in today’s programme? Plenary
Plenary Session 3
Facilitator: Mr Jan Pronk, former UN special envoy and former minister in The Netherlands

Reflection on the sessions of the first day, and resulting questions for today’s programme
Interview with speakers / participants / a donor representative
Audience opinions on some of the statements and dilemmas

10.30 - 11.00 Break
11.00 - 13.00 How can we promote a more active role of local governments in conflict prevention, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction? 7 sessions
in parallel
C1 - en/fr/sp
‘Developing city diplomacy: a joint effort of UCLG and other stakeholders’ Discussion on the overall text of the ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy’ and seeking commitment for its implementation.
C2 - en/fr/sp
‘Local Governments and peace-building in Africa. Next steps…’ Which concrete steps follow from yesterday’s session on Africa, and are they sufficiently reflected in the ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy’?
C3 - en/fr/sp
‘What qualities does one need to be a city diplomat?’ What qualifies one to be an effective partner in building bridges between conflicting parties?
C4 - en/fr/sp
‘Project support to partners in conflict regions’ Which factors make project support in the context of City Diplomacy a success or a failure? which projects should be included in the ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy’ as joint initiatives.
C5 - en/fr
‘Dear UCLG colleagues, please help!’ How is UCLG and its membership going to deal with requests for support or solidarity by individual or groups of local governments in conflict areas?
C6 - en/fr
‘Promoting a culture of peace: co-operation with civil society’ How does, or how can, city diplomacy build on and encourage the initiatives and involvement of citizens and local NGOs?
C7 - en/sp
‘Template for a City of Peace’ What are the ingredients of a good local policy for your city to support peace and dialogue? How can you localise the ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy’?

13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 15.30 Conclusions Plenary
Final Plenary Session and Closure 4

Presentation and discussion of the challenges as defined in ‘The Hague Agenda on City Diplomacy – towards a stronger role for local governments in conflict prevention, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction’
Closing remarks by Mr Jozias van Aartsen, Mayor of The Hague and Chair of the UCLG Committee on City Diplomacy, Peace-building and Human Rights
Closing remarks by Ms Elisabeth Gateau, Secretary General of UCLG

16.00 - 17.00 Optional: Guided visit of the Peace Palace

Saturday 14 June

10.00 - 12.00 Optional: Excursion in The Hague

more information: http://www.citydiplomacy.org