UN-NGO ALLIANCE

What is the UN-NGO Alliance?
 
      The UN-NGO Alliance is an initiative created by WebForce International Federation, NGO in status with the ECOSOC of the United Nations. It would gather NGOs in status that would wish to participate in it. A specific Memorandum of Understanding will be signed in each case.

Why do we create such an Alliance?
 
      Obviously, the usefulness of such a gathering is the complementarity and the cooperation for the specific actions carried out by each NGO. We are not trying to usurp the role of the different UN-Liaison Offices for NGOs, nor the role of the NGLS. Quite the reverse, we wish to cooperate and work with them. We have to think about problems and solutions together and keep this state of mind oriented towards permanent links. 
For example, WebForce International offers the opening of a collective office of NGOs in status in Geneva for a permanent representation. Each member will have an equal right to express oneself and will take responsibility for his permanent representatives in this office. Then, an office in New York will be able to be open.
 
      Moreover, we think that NGOs in status with the United Nations have to make this specificity clear, because, nowadays, the word “NGO” is daily hackneyed. That is why, during the consultation of the Civil Society at the ITU on the 18^th May 2007 in Geneva and during the Annual Ministerial Review of the ECOSOC in July 2007 in Geneva, we wish to propose to the ECOSOC that NGOs in status can now add in their title “UN-NGO” ahead of after their name. We would be happy to know your point of view about this topic and to count you by our side for this request.
 
UN-NGO Alliance Goals
 
      The main goal is to create a real world communication network between NGOs in status, notably in order to enhance the value of their activities.
 
      As a federation, we are here to centralize requests made by NGOs in status that wish it: tell us your needs and we will fulfil them. We are specialists in the field of communication and telecommunications. If you need some help in this field, whatever it is, contact us.
 
      As a consequence, our goal is to gather NGOs in status – if they wish it – in specialized working groups, concerning their respective fields of activities. The aim is to create synergies of efficient actions between us and with other stakeholders of the Civil Society, including companies; in order to offer a larger and stronger cooperation from our network of socially responsible stakeholders mainly to the ITU and to other specialized agencies of the United Nations.
 
UN-NGO Alliance Objectives
 
      WWebForce International wishes to offer a telecommunication network between all NGOs in statusto reach the possibility of permanent and free communication in the whole world, organizing videoconferences in order to know and help each other etc. WebForce International wishes to become the assessor of its colleagues in the field of communication and telecommunications.
 
      Currently, we are also creating a telephone interpreting service that you will be able to use as soon as you need it in your activities.
Participate with volunteers in the Virtual Research Center that we are setting up, or in the Call Center that will gather information from everyone in order to steer associations that have no status with the UN towards cooperating with us, NGOs in status with the UN.
 
      If you are interested in our action, join us. Numerous advantages are offered to you and, through a related action carried out by WebForce International, you will be able to contribute to make the lower-cost universal access to telecommunications for the least fortunate people possible.
 
Services proposed in the Alliance
 
We wish to gather NGOs in status with two approaches:
   · First, as explained in the previous email, it is a question of gathering NGOs through their respective field of activities  in order to form working groups or study commissions on topics they are interested in.
   · On the other hand, it consists in a more specific relationship with WebForce International, that hinges on two points:
       o    Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are your general or specific field of activities and you wish to cooperate with us in this way. In this case, we will think about problems and implement solutions in this field together.
       o    ICTs are not your core activities, but you use them daily to promote your actions. In this case, we can help you in your communication operations. We are specialists in this field and in telecommunications; it is up to you to benefit from it.
 
Obviously, these two approaches are intrinsically bound, and for you, NGOs in status wishing to be part of this global fraternal network, here is the basis of services that we propose to you

• Creation of Internet websites
  
• Hosting of Internet websites
  
• Creation of personalized email addresses like: johndoe@un-ngo.org, or role@un-ngo.org or nameoftheNGO@un-ngo.org or johndoe.role@un-ngo.org or johndoe.nameoftheNGO@un-ngo.org or role.nameoftheNGO@un-ngo.org. Addresses are flexibles and extenstions can be .org or .net or .info according cases.
  
• A Virtual Research Centre: you can benefit from its studies and/or participate in its work
  
• E-learning / e-training about ICTs
  
• VoIP and VPN telephony
  
• Television
  
• Videoconferences for your meetings for example
  
• A Translation and Interpreting Centre: you can use it as soon as the need arises (ex.: translation of a memorandum of understanding with a partner, telephone (or so) interpreting during a meeting with a partner of which you do not know the language…)
  
• A Call and Information Centre that will gather the whole information provided by participating NGOs in status. It can be used by NGOs in status as well as by associations without status that want for example create cooperation with one or several participating NGOs.