Helsinki Conference launched tonight

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland will launch an international Helsinki Conference tonight aimed at providing a platform for dialogue and innovative proposals concerning issues of our common global, particularly economic problems. The conference is about global governance and joint efforts to seek concrete solutions to the deficiency of democracy in global decision-making felt by a majority of people, particularly by ordinary citizens and those living in developing nations.

There are other processes that also aim at governing globalisation, but the Helsinki process makes a difference with its representative and extensive dialogue as well as strive for results: the process seeks to propose new methods of global governance to replace old structures. Simultaneously, the Helsinki process is a reflection of the new agenda of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs where democracy in international relations and globalisation play a key role.

Approximately 150 delegates will participate in the Helsinki Conference 2002. Following a two-day debate recommendations will be made on ways to promote global governance, on actions to be taken and on the follow-up of the process.

Delegates will represent themselves, but they have been selected from a wide range of actors who actively participate in the worldwide debate on globalisation. Governments from all over the world as well as international institutions, non-governmental organisations, businesses and research institutes are represented.

The conference will be begin tonight at a dinner hosted by Lord Mayor Eva-Riitta Siitonen at the City Hall of Helsinki. The guest speaker is Professor Zaki Laidi, from the French Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales, with a comment by Heidi Hautala, Member of the European Parliament.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will officially open the conference on Tuesday, 3 December, at the House of the Estates. Joint working sessions will focus on global values, governing of global economy and eradication of poverty. Participants include UN Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette, Professor and UNDP Arab report author Clovis Maksoud, Tanzanian Foreign Minister Jakaya Kikwete, World Bank Vice President Jim Adams, Jubilee Director Ann Pettifor and third World Network Director Martin Khor.

On Wednesday, 4 December, the conference will be divided into parallel working groups focusing on the UN role in global governance, capacity building, poverty and debt arbitration, corporate responsibility and possibilities of the civil society.

President Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, Foreign Trade Minister Jari Vilén and Development Cooperation Minister Suvi-Anne Siimes will participate in the conference.

Further information: Ambassador Ilari Rantakari, tel: +358 40 709 4245, e-mail. [email protected]Helsinki Conference(Link to another website.)