Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I feel honored and as so often said now 'privileged' for having been invited to say a few words on behalf of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO) at this closing session. Let me first congratulate all who have been involved in organizing this Symposium for the excellent work, for the range of topics on the agenda and for the way the Conference was run and organized. I was impressed by the sheer wealth of expertise which came here together and by the ideas, concerns and strategies which were exchanged. You have given a real boost at the closing of the International Year to the concept and different types of volunteers. And I would like to thank you for that.

In many ways we as CONGO work for the same ideals: to make this world a better place, and using for this the space given between the family and the State, the space of civil society. We are an independent umbrella/ membership association of some 360 national, regional and international NGOs, associations and networks from North and South in consultative relationship with the United Nations. Many of our members, currently even our Board members, are part and parcel of the volunteer movement, such as youth movements like WAGGGS, the Scouts, faith based organizations, social movements, human rights and development organizations. We share with you the richness and diversity of our members.

As for CONGO the first part of our mission is to make sure that these organizations have a voice at the United Nations and the second part is to go out to assist, train and empower organizations to enable them to take their seat at the decision making table of the UN. For this reason our full name is 'The Conference of NGOs in consultative Relationship with the United Nations", but we are better known under the acronyms of CONGO.

Current priorities include:

1. Outreach
   • To become ever more inclusive and representative as a partner for the United Nations, and for this we are currently involved in an important membership drive.

2. Dialogue
   • To foster cooperation and dialogue among all NGOs, groupings of NGOs related to the UN system, with UN Agencies and member States to strive to transform hearts and minds to leave behind old ideologies and embrace a new agenda based on dynamic solidarity of our membership of the one human family;
   • To help building a global civil society that is both strong and civil in all it does

3. Training
   • To enable active NGO participation to respond effectively to the overarching challenges confronting us: globalization, poverty, racism, HIV/AIDS, environmental challenges, how to achieve gender equality and a new child rights agenda and how the enjoyment of all human rights can be assured for all.

In recognition of the now fully recognized inter-relatedness among so many of the development issues of our time, we hope that such common cause will be expressed through new forms of cooperation and interaction.

Many of our CONGO Committees which are working on specific substantive issues are all anchored in the values which have been addressed by so many speakers, and I mention just a few:

• Deep commitment to the cause
• Shared responsibility
• Peace and not war oriented
• Socially just and human rights based
• Inclusive and gender aware
• Caring and sharing

In building together the social and human capital of the global civil society I am sure we can do more than occasionally rubbing shoulders. We all want to capture and nurture the momentum created by the International Year and this Symposium on Volunteers. I look forward to work with UNVs and others to build together the bridges over gaps and divides to improve the quality of lives throughout the world.

I thank you very much.