Extra - World Forum 2012

WORLD FORUM 2012
International Forum for Child Welfare
Naples, Italy

Background

In June 1989, thirty-eight national organizations and networks operating in child welfare, totalling about 300 ONG in six continents, meet for the foundation "International Forum for child welfare" (IFCW) in Haikko, Finland..

The creation of the foundation, whose current president is Catriona Williams, was the result of four years work begun in 1985 by Sir Leslie Kirkley, the first Chair of Oxfam, and Alan Davis, President of the National Council for the Abuse of Minors and Violence in the Family in the United States.

The mission

The IFCW mission is to work for children all over the world to improve the quality of life and increase opportunities for the development of their full potential.

The IFCW members commitment, therefore, is to work for the full application of the Convention on the rights of childhood and adolescence in all nations, which must be achieved through the strengthening of non-government organizations which work for child welfare on a world scale:

• Organizing and improving the exchange of information and co-operation between members ;

• Educating public opinion world-wide on the interests and welfare of children;

• Organizing conventions, seminars and study groups;

• Co-operating with other recognised organisms which have the same objectives.

Organization

The IFCW was awarded the consultive status at the United Nations in 1995.

This allows the IFCW to access official structures of the United Nations all over the world, to diffuse current data regarding child welfare and to attend meetings and sessions of the United Nations which are pertinent to its mission.

The World Forum

The IFCW World Forum is an annual leadership forum for organizations operating to promote childhood rights and welfare all over the world.

A congenial setting where national and international leaders involved in the protection of minors, governments, enterprises and the academic world can exchange ideas in a favourable environment, away from the demands of the daily work-place.

A place where new acquaintances and relations are formed and new kinds of collaboration are developed to give life to initiatives and projects.

The event offers a platform for direct, efficient, global, personalised interaction at the highest level..

It is independent, impartial and non-profit making, linked to political interests of both the parties and local administration; a global summit on child welfare, a meeting of equals from every continent to share ideas, challenges, questions, solutions, techniques and approaches which build organizational skills and individual leadership skills to best meet the needs of children and families.

The World Forum from 1990 to date

 1989: Founding Meeting Haikko Finland

 1990: 1° Cologne Germany

 1991: 2° Venezia Italy

 1992: 3° Monterey California - USA

 1993: 4° Cambridge England

 1994: 5° Madras India

 1995: 6° San Jose Costa Rice

 1996: 7° Montreal Quebec - Canada

 1997: 8° Faro Portugal

 1998: 9° Manila Philippines

 1999: 10° Helsinki Finland

 2000: 11° Sydney Australia

 2001: 12° Limerick Ireland

 2002: 13° Honolulu Hawaii - USA

 2003: 14° Cape Town South Africa

 2004: 15° Buenos Aires Argentina

 2005: 16° Tallinn Estonia

 2006: 17° Vancouver British Columbia - Canada

 2007: 18° New Delhi India

 2008: 19° Cardiff Wales

 2009: 20° Jakarta Indonesia

 2010: 21° New York USA

 2011: 22° Melbourne Australia

The preparatory activities already underway are carried out by 4 committees:

1) Il Comitato di Direzione e Coordinamento (Steering Committee)

2) Il Comitato Scientifico (Programme Planning Committee)

3) Il Comitato per le iniziative Giovanili (Youth Engagement Committee)

4) Il Comitato Onorario (Honorary Committee)

The themes

The 2012 forum will be entitled:

                                                                            Migration and global scenarios

                         The Family, childhood and education at the centre of the new challenges of social development

Therefore, the central theme will be migration with a careful look at the great changes happening in the global scenario. Socio-political changes and changes at the macro-economic level of extreme importance which induce the mass to shift within the country's boundaries – from rural areas to large urban areas - within continental boundaries and across transcontinental trajectories.

The migration studied during the forum will be that which is linked to great changes in the political structures of less stable countries (one thinks of the so-called "Arab spring"), of the dozens of wars being fought in the African and Asian continents and of the many situations where dictatorships, civil war and ethnic conflict make life, the upholding of the most elementary of human rights, a future of dignity and development difficult or unsustainable.

Furthermore, consider that according the United Nations, by the year 2020 there will be about fifty million so-called "environmental refugees", a problem aggravated by the climate changes in progress which are having and will continue to have serious consequences for numerous populations.

Migration will be seen under various perspectives from that of mobility in the job market to that of political asylum, from the trans-national family structure to the condition of unaccompanied minors.

The minor and his family involved in the migratory process will be the real focus of the World Forum 2012 which will give special attention to:

 The protection and promotion of childhood rights in the context of migration;

 Migration towards the continent of Europe and within the European Union;

 The new challenges of education in development and inter-culture ;

 The inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

Those involved

The following will be involved in the organization of the World Forum 2012 in Naples:

 Large international organizations operating in favour of childhood,, for the promotion of human rights and the development of populations;

 International, European, Italian organizations operating in the field of migration;

 Italian Tertiary Sector organizations and those of the Campania Region engaged in voluntary work, activities of co-operation and social promotion with attention to the themes of education, citizenship and social integration.

Among the speakers on the floor of the various work sessions representatives of the following will be present:

 Public Institutions;

 Non government organizations and network;

 Universities and research institutes;

in addition to young people from an international, European and Italian context engaged in youth associationism activities and in school project on citizenship and the promotion of human rights.

Marketplace

For the duration of the World Forum there will be an exhibition space where the organizations and institutions involved can prepare an information stand and organize micro-initiatives parallel to the work sessions and where some of the activities destined for the young and the territory of Campania will take place.

Cultural – touristic programme

A global cultural experience will be offered to World Forum participants from all over the world. The contents of the plenary sessions, workshops and the various activities of the programme will be supported by direct experience of the territory, with the city of Naples and some selected locations in Campania, a look at the history, the culture, the natural beauty and the culinary traditions.

Regarding the organization of the cultural initiatives, the link with the Agency for the Promotion of Tourism will be handled with great care, and will involve the most qualitative, innovative and socially responsible experiences available on the territory.

The gala evening dinner and prize-giving

The programme includes a gala dinner after which awards will be made to those who excel in the cultural, social and educative work they do.

Work schedule

The World Forum 2012 in Naples will be held in the period of October-November 2012 and will have a programme lasting five consecutive days:

The working week will be defined by December 2011

Intervention at the Culture Forum Naples 2013

The IFCW World Forum 2012 , through its contents, the people who have represented it and the key messages which have arisen from it will contribute to the Universal Culture Forum which will be held in Naples in the period April to June 2013 as part of a day on which :

 Exponents of the committees which organized and managed the event will be present;

 The most representative speakers from the work sessions and the youth programme will be present;

 Representatives of the Committee of Honour will be present;

 Video contributions from the World Forum October 2012 will be shown;

 The definitive key messages will be defused at the close of work of the World Forum IFCW.

Contacts

Management and Co-ordination

MENTORING USA ITALIA

Sergio Cuomo (President)

tel: 06 321 104 05; 089 25 47 47

fax: 089 25 82 572

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: www.mentoringusa.it; www.worldforum2012.org

Programming Committee

FONDAZIONE L'ALBERO DELLA VITA ONLUS

Ivano Abbruzzi (Project and Research Manager)

Tel: +39 02 92276221

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Website: www.alberodellavita.org