Applications Open for Speakers at MDG Hearings

UNITED NATIONS — This year, the tenth anniversary of the Millennium Declaration, will be a critical year in determining which development pathways our world will pursue.

With just five years left until 2015, the target date for achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), world attention will be focused on lessons learned and challenges ahead.

Toward that end, on 20-22 September 2010, the General Assembly will hold a High-level Plenary Meeting, also referred to as the ‘MDG Summit’, in New York. The Summit will take stock of the successes, best practices, lessons learned, obstacles and gaps related to the MDGs and other development goals.

As a part of the process leading to the summit, the General Assembly will also convene ‘Hearings’ with representatives of civil society and the private sector from 14-15 June. The outcomes of these hearings will provide an input to the preparatory process for the Summit and be issued as a General Assembly document.
A nomination process for speakers at the hearings has now been opened so that interested individuals can apply.

The application deadline is 16 April 2009.