CIVICUS is a global alliance, which aims to strengthen and protect citizen action and civil society around the World.  Key to CIVICUS' work is promoting people's fundamental right to organise and act collectively toward the public good. In line with this objective, CIVICUS annually convenes the CIVICUS World Assembly, where over 1000 representatives from citizens' organisations, government, business and the media meet to explore the challenges facing citizens around the world.

By Rajiv Joshi, President of the Youth Assembly and CIVICUS Board Member

Issued on e-CIVICUS 392: 13 June 2008
Dear Friends,  

This year CIVICUS is holding its World Assembly in Scotland from the 18-21st June, at Glasgow's SECC, with the overarching theme 'Acting together for a Just World'. Delegates from over 165 countries will also consider the subtheme 'People, Participation and Power' as they reflect on the major challenges facing civil society, in empowering communities and connecting them to decision making, locally, nationally and globally. The events speakers will include Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, Nobel Laureate Ela Bhatt and Director of the World Trade organisation, Pascal Lamy as well as anti-poverty campaigners Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie from Ethiopia, who have been recently released following their imprisonment for peaceful efforts during MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY in 2005.

Rajiv Joshi the youngest elected Director of CIVICUS, believes:

"CIVICUS is developing a global movement of organisations and individuals, connected by a belief that 'another world is possible', where justice is universal. The World Assembly is a critical arena for citizens and civil society to discuss the challenges to global justice and voice their concerns, this year's Assembly will focus on the global democratic deficit, with the theme 'people, participation and power', this is one of the biggest obstacles we face to securing a more equitable world".  

As a major development, this year the CIVICUS Youth Assembly will form a key part of the World Assembly, and will convene more than 200 young people from over 100 countries from the 16-18th June. These young leaders will then go onto become fully registered delegates to the World Assembly where they will have an opportunity to share in discussions and make their voices heard. CIVICUS has created the world's largest platform for young people to engage in global issues alongside wider civil society, government and business leaders with an equal voice 'at the table'. The Youth Assembly will explore issues including health, poverty and inequality and climate change.

Both the CIVICUS World Assembly and Youth Assemblies are crucial to supporting and strengthening citizen participation and providing those who are leading change 'on the ground' with a mouthpiece to amplify their voices, as well as the voices of those they work with. In many countries civil society plays an intrinsic role in developing good governance and accountability, tackling social and economic challenges and enabling civic participation. Speaking at the World Economic Forum this year, Bono described civil society as the 'detergent that was needed to sweep corruption away', a major problem for many poorer countries. In more developed countries civil society has helped revive democracy and create new arenas for public deliberation.

The finale of the World Assembly will involve delegates marching to Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, where they will hold a an open-air public rally, with inspiring speakers and musicians, the rally is open to the wider Scottish community and will begin at 10:30am in Kelvingrove Park.

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