Nine IBVM and RSCJ sisters from around the world will gather to attend the conference. But those unable to come to New York can also follow the conference, on their own computer at home, through live “web cast.” The conference planners have set up a new interactive web site from which the plenary sessions can be viewed live, in English, French and Spanish. Please go to http://www.undpingoconference.org, then click on “Conference Programme” and follow the directions for the web cast. This section also contains the conference schedule in three languages.

The web site also includes a section called “Discussion Forums” for comments and the exchange of questions and answers. A plenary sessions message board gives viewers the opportunity to raise questions with conference presenters on-line, which means long-distance yet real-time participation in the plenary meetings.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) address the most critical problems that plague our world today – poverty, HIV/AIDS, primary school education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, environmental and economic sustainability. The Millennium Development Goals, eight in total, are designed to give people everywhere the tools to care for themselves in healthy sustainable environments. 189 Nations committed to meet these goals by 2015, a deadline which is still attainable but all the constituencies must act now!

This conference will focus on the role and plans of civil society organizations to help implement the MDGs. One of the main goals is to increase public awareness of the Millennium Development Goals and stimulate the public’s will to raise the resources needed to achieve them.