4MSP Background Information for Campaigners

Author/Origin: Liz Bernstein banemnowSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org

(Sunday 30 June 2002 Washington DC)

TO: All ICBL members
FROM: Liz Bernstein, ICBL Coordinator
RE: Fourth Meeting of States Parties (4MSP), Geneva, Switzerland, 16-20 September 2002

Hello all.

Once again it is time to prepare for the next Meeting of States Parties! Already! This is a memo to all ICBL campaigns, member organizations/individuals, so please pass it on to all of your ICBL colleagues. NOTE: This year ALL ICBL participants are requested to register online - please see details below. This note includes information on:

I. Background on 4MSP

II. Preparation: Action Alert

III. Participation:

Registration (Go directly to registration form)
Venue
Travel
Visa
Accommodation
Exhibits/ Campaign materials
Regional/Thematic Meetings
Office Space
Media
ICBL Events

I. Background

As you know, the Fourth Meeting of States Parties (4MSP) will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 16-20 September 2002. The Meetings of States Parties are important events to all of us at ICBL. Indeed they are the most important event of the year, as they bring together all of the major players in the mine ban movement. Now it is all the more important to ensure that real progress is made at and between each Meeting of State Party prior to the 2004 Review Conference. So please begin planning now, if you have not yet done so, and prepare to contribute over the next several weeks, as its success depends on all of our participation. We will keep you informed of developments via the ICBL 4MSP webpage

Please check this URL frequently over the next few months, through the 4MSP for updates on logistics, action alerts, preparatory documents, events and media kits.

Also consult the webpage for the 4SMP by the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) The program and conference documents can be found here

II. Preparation: Advocacy Action Alert:

You will have recently received an ACTION ALERT targeting 12 signatories and non-signatories, urging their speedy ratification or accession to the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Treaty before the 4MSP in September. Please take it seriously and think what you, your colleagues, organization, campaign can do to ensure that we use this opportunity to increase the number of States Parties and can reach our goal of 135 States Parties by September! It is a detailed, strategic ACTION ALERT and please use it. Pick one, two or more of the countries, or any other non-States Parties you wish to target, and take action! It can be found at http://doc.icbl.org/actionalert.doc

In addition:

• If your country is a States Party/Signatory: Write, call, meet your government representatives. Find out who they are sending to the 4MSP.

   

• Contact your country's delegates to the 4MSP. Meet with them over the next few months. Urge full and meaningful participation. As in previous years, ICBL concerns for the meeting have largely been expressed via the working groups and recommendations to and input into the Intersessional Standing Committees meetings. For further information contact Liz Bernstein, SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">banemnowSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org, Susan Walker SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">walkerSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org , Sue Wixley SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">wixleySPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org or the relevant working group chairs for the areas you are interested in or SC pages

   

• If your country is a non-signatory, urge accession now! And urge them to participate as observers in the 4MSP.

   

• Start planning for your campaign events before/during the meeting. Landmine Monitor Report 2002 will be launched 13 September simultaneously around the world. Plan your launch and coordinate with landmine monitor researchers in your country how you can work together to the launch, public events and publicity for the launch and 4MSP.

   

• Prepare now to inform your media of this important event in Geneva in September and the Landmine Monitor Report 2002 launch and urge them to cover it.

II. Participation in the Fourth Meeting of States Parties

A. Invitations / Registration / Accreditation

As usual, the ICBL has official non-state delegation status to the 4MSP and we are preparing our delegation. All campaigners and landmine monitor researchers are welcome to participate and urged to come to Geneva if they can. We hope to have a large delegation representing various regions, disciplines, survivors, deminers, activists and researchers. HOWEVER, the ICBL/Landmine Monitor has limited funding available to sponsor approximately 40 participants. This week we are sending out invitations to a limited number of researchers and survivors, campaigners and deminers, invited as guests of ICBL, and ask that you register AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to confirm your participation. PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE by 16 AUGUST. See below.

Others who are able to come on your own and have secured your own funding will not receive a personalized invitation, but are requested to please REGISTER ONLINE by 16 August. As funding is limited, if you are interested in seeking your own funding for your participation please do so NOW. We will need confirmation of your independent funding arrangements at the time of registration. If you require assistance seeking funding for your participation, let us know. If you can offer assistance to a campaigner seeking funding, please let us know that as well.

As usual, we will collect all of the registration forms and submit one joint registration for all ICBL members to receive accreditation. Accreditation and passes are required to enter and move about the Conference Venue in the Palais at the United Nations Building in Geneva, so you must each complete the online registration form.

=== THIS YEAR WE ASK ALL WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ICBL DELEGATION TO THE 4MSP TO PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE. TO REGISTER, GO to ICBL 4MSP Registration.

=== In future, visit http://www.icbl.org/campaign as well, as here we will add more information for participants later.

If you do not have access to the internet and cannot register online, contact Jackie Hansen for a form to be emailed or faxed to you (jackieSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org)

B. Venue

The meeting will be held 18-21 September in the UN Palais des Nations, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

C. Travel

Please book your flights to Geneva as soon as possible as September is a heavily traveled month. We encourage all ICBL members to arrive on the 14 or 15 September as there will be an ICBL and Landmine Monitor orientation meeting for all members of the delegation on Sunday, 15 September, 15:00 - 18:00. You should plan to depart no later than 21 September.

D. Visas

It is your responsibility to secure a visa for Switzerland should you require one. A list of nationalities requiring Swiss visas is available online here If you require a visa please apply for it immediately. If you do need one, contact the nearest Swiss embassy or consulate (the above site also has a listing of embassies) and present the invitation from ICBL (for invited ICBL guests) or a copy of the official Aide Memoire to obtain your visa. We will inform you at a later date whether fees will be waived or not. For now, proceed with securing your visa and keep all original receipts for visa fees. If you are not a sponsored guest of ICBL but have secured your own funding and still require assistance obtaining a visa, contact the ICBL office. While making your travel plans do not forget transit visas that may be required.

E. Accommodation

ICBL guests who are sponsored by the ICBL will be assigned accommodation. Hotel rooms and funds are limited and you will be expected to share rooms. Please indicate on the online registration form the name of the person you would like to share with.

Other delegates can book accommodation through the ICBL office. We have reserved many rooms in hotels and guest houses with block bookings, and will circulate a list shortly with descriptions, locations and prices. If you want the ICBL office to book your room, please indicate your first 3 choices of hotels, and although there is no guarantee we can provide you with one matching your choice, we will try our best. Transport to/from the airport and the conference venue will be provided daily.

F. Exhibits/Campaign materials

Please inform us if you have any exhibition materials and bring copies of campaign materials with you. Space will be limited so you must inform us if you have ideas/request for exhibit space please contact the exhibits organizers Jackie Hansen SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">jackieSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org and Dalma Foeldes SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">resourceSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org

G. Regional/Thematic Meetings

As many ICBL members will be gathering in Geneva, if you would like to organize a working group, a regional or thematic meeting before, during or afterwards, taking advantage of the presence of many campaigners and travel completed etc, please let us know as soon as possible. Contact your campaign colleagues and let us know.

H. Office Space

We thank UNIDIR for generously providing ICBL with office space. Jackie Hansen will operate from their office from 5 August onwards. Until then, please contact ICBL at the ICBL office in Washington DC. Tel: +1 202 547 2667 Fax: +1 202 547 2687 jackieSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org. The office at UNIDIR will be located at: UNIDIR (United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research) Office A.518 Palais des Nations CH-1211 Geneva 10 We will circulate the telephone and fax numbers in August.

J. Media:

We will prepare an ICBL press advisory to inform media of these upcoming events: the 4MSP and the Landmine Monitor launch. Landmine Monitor 2002 will be launched 13 September worldwide. We will hold an ICBL press conference in Geneva on the morning of 16 September, and other briefings in the week to be determined later. We will prepare press kits in English and French and a media section of the site www.icbl.org/4msp will contain the media kits and information for the media. We hope you will volunteer to translate releases and materials - if so, let us know. If you are attending and willing to speak to the media, please send a brief biography of yourself or your campaign representative. In addition, please send/bring your list of media contacts and prepare your media liaisons at home in your own countries. Be sure you tell your media contacts at home to ensure their representatives in Geneva or the region cover it! For other information on media or to offer help, contact Sue Wixley at SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">wixleySPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org

K. ICBL Events

As usual, in addition to press conferences, we will organize exhibits, information packs, press kits, publicity materials in various languages, etc. We will organize briefings, via the working groups, and lobbying activities. The NSA Working Group, in partnership with Geneva Call, will organize a roundtable discussion on "Engaging Non-State Actors in a Landmine Ban". We will have daily ICBL internal meetings to coordinate activities. As mentioned above, we will also hold an ICBL orientation meeting 15:00 - 18:00 Sunday 15 September. It will be important to attend these meetings and be prepared to assist in these activities. The Raising the Voices project survivors from Africa from both sessions in January and May will also participate. Handicap International Switzerland is organizing an exhibition of press cartoons on landmines published since 1992. It will include an exhibit in the city of Geneva and at the Palais. ICBL will also have an exhibit of photographs from Afghanistan by John Rodsted. The Swiss CBL is organizing publicity and awareness-raising activities in the city. As for the 4MSP itself, Jody Williams will speak and the ICBL will also make a speech, as usual, in addition to other interventions according to the agenda. Please let us know if you are planning any other events/activities so that we may coordinate. And let us know if you are willing to help with anything - and what!

 

Thank you and all of the ICBL staff looks forward to working with you to ensure a successful Fourth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva! "Every Step Counts" or "Chaque pas compte", as the official 4MSP theme says! Thanks for your steps to ensure a successful event.

Liz and ICBL staff