GPPi to host conference on the UN and partnerships in Berlin in December 2005

The Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) is pleased to announce a conference marking the launch of its newest report: Business Unusual: Facilitating United Nations Reform through Partnerships. The conference will take place in Berlin December 12-13, 2005, sponsored by GPPi, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ), and the Hertie School of Governance with substantial financial support from DaimlerChrysler and Deutsche Post World Net.

Speakers include Kemal Derviş, Administrator United Nations Development Programme and former Turkish Minister of Finance; Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, German Minister for Development Cooperation (invited); Kurt Biedenkopf, former Prime Minister of Saxony; Bernd Mützelburg Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to Chancellor Schröder; Wolfgang Reinicke, Director Global Public Policy Institute; and Kurt Hoffmann, Director of the Shell Foundation.

The conference will address the role of partnerships in promoting reform at the United Nations. The presentations and panel discussions will focus on themes such as how to transform the United Nations into an effective player in the emerging system of "global governance" and the significance of partnerships as strategic investments (rather than mere philanthropic activities) for business. In addition, conference members will actively participate in workshops on partnerships’ role in areas such as disaster relief, health, fostering growth of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector in developing and emerging markets, as well as promoting environmental and social reporting.

We hope that you can join us for this event. Please mark your calendar. We will send out invitations for the conference in early November. In the meantime, please consult our website at www.globalpublicpolicy.net/businessUNusual.

If you have any questions, please contact Cecily Brewer (cbrewer@globalpublicpolicy.net) or Jan Martin Witte (jmwitte@globalpublicpolicy.net).