Executive Summary

by

 Frederick A. Swarts, Ph.D.

The first World Congress of NGOs and fifth WANGO Annual Conference was convened in Toronto, Canada from November 8-11 on the theme Ethics and Global Peace: NGO Perspectives.

From the surprise “fire-alarm mixer” that opened the event, until the heartfelt goodbyes and the unveiling of the Toronto Declaration of NGO Core Values, the World Congress of NGOs was a memorable experience. During the four days, attendees had the opportunity to participate in many diverse activities: 3 plenary sessions, 7 special symposiums, 10 practical workshops, 3 panel sessions, and the 2007 Awards Reception and Program. Including the various roundtables, dinner programs, mixers, and committee meetings (Declaration Committee, Code of Ethics Committee), there were 35 unique sessions on the agenda.

In all, 155 select leaders of non-governmental organizations from 30 nations, representing a broad spectrum of the global nonprofit community, converged on Canada’s largest and most culturally diverse city of Toronto for this World Congress. Representatives attended from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Africa, North America, and Latin America, as well as various island nations. These NGOs spanned the vast spectrum of the non-governmental community, from small, local NGOs to major international bodies, and encompassed the diversity of human activity, from humanitarian NGOs, to environmental NGOs, to those involved in education, health care, human rights, conflict prevention, and development activities. Joining them were prominent international and national leaders from the governmental and for-profit sectors. They gathered not only for the sake of how to be more effective in their missions, but also for the larger purpose of examining issues related to bringing about a world of peace and co-prosperity and the central role of ethics in the NGO sector.

The event was graced by 56 invited speakers, as well as leaders of 12 member organizations who utilized the panel sessions to present on their NGOs or a topic of interest to them. The fact that so many of the presenters also were participants – from the Rt. Honorable Edward Schreyer, former Manitoba Premier and Governor General of Canada, to Jean-Guy Bigeau, Executive Director of Katimavik, to Marshall Wallace, Director of CDA Do No Harm Project, to Mary McCormack, President of Information Services – meant that the opportunities for networking, so integral to WANGO meetings, preceded at a high level throughout.

And for the first time ever, a Panel of Excellence was convened, where the 2007 WANGO Award leaders offered landmark and riveting presentations on their visions of the future and their daily quests to bring that future to reality.

However, one sobering realization for the participants was the many WANGO colleagues from developing nations that found it difficult to get visas to enter Canada, including many good friends and tireless community leaders who had attended previous WANGO conferences in Washington, D.C., Bangkok, Budapest, and Santo Domingo. In all, about 90 registrants were unexpectedly denied visas, including many that held US and UK visas, and others who were part of large NGOs, but NGOs in the developing world. This was unprecedented for a WANGO conference and some attributed this development to an unrelated NGO event, held just one year earlier in Canada, when many of the NGO participants claimed refugee status and stayed in Canada. Whether that was a factor or not, and although applicants for WANGO conferences are among the most select, the inability of many to gain access highlighted the importance of NGO leaders everywhere maintaining the highest standards of integrity for the sake of the reputation of the entire sector.

Plenary Sessions

The Opening Plenary Session addressed the general theme Ethical NGOs: Forces for Peace in a World on the Edge. This session provided insight into both the tremendous challenges that lay ahead and an optimism generated from the sacrificial work of so many NGOs engaged in addressing those challenges. It touched upon the fact that although there are unethical actors in the sector, and even those that exacerbate conflict, there are many NGOs that have a spirit of sacrificial service to others and founding visions to address societal ills in a responsible and accountable manner. Such ethical NGOs have shown a remarkable ability to work beyond borders, and on issues and in areas that governments and corporations fear to tread. Some NGOs tackle root causes of conflicts, reaching the grassroots, while others implement conflict resolution on the highest levels. NGOs’ flexibility, adaptability, and ability to build coalitions and use persuasion (soft power) are some of the traits that enhance their capability to build a world of peace.

Chaired by WANGO Secretary General Taj Hamad, the session was opened by The Honorable Jean Augustine, PC, Commissioner of the Canadian Office of Fairness. Ms. Augustine has been a prominent and groundbreaking Canadian politician. She served as the first African Canadian woman elected to the Parliament of Canada (1993-2005) and the first black woman in a federal cabinet (as Minister of State for Multiculturism and the Status of Women). Her 2004 appointment to the position of Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole also made her the first African Canadian to occupy the Speaker’s Chair in the Canadian House of Commons.

Following Ms. Augustine, the attendees heard moving and well-prepared remarks from Stephen Bubb, Chief Executive of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and Secretary General of the Third Sector Leaders Network; Debbie Gray, Development Coordinator for Free The Children; and Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson of the Global March Against Child Labour and President of the Global Campaign for Education. Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak, Chair of WANGO’s International Council, sent his remarks to be read at the opening session as well.

Stephen Bubb provided insight into the critical role of NGOs, surmising that the Century of Political Parties is giving way to the Century of the Third Sector, and noting the unique ways that NGOs are contributing to solving societal challenges. Kailash Satyarthi’s and Debbie Gray’s talks had some testimonies about child labor that were particularly heart wrenching for the audience. Among Mr. Satyarthi’s reflections were the fact that young girls were being kidnapped and sold into slavery for as little as $25 whereas a water buffalo could be bought for $250. Ms. Gray recounted a tale of young children, ages 5 to 13, being abducted for purposes of serving as child soldiers, with a gripping testimony regarding one child being blindfolded, given a gun, and asked to shoot it – killing his best friend unknowingly. Others also were being forced to kill their families, thus severing that fundamental bond to make a new bond with their captors. Dr. Kwak’s paper examined the ethic aspects of NGOs. He noted that while governments seem slow, bureaucratic, and inflexible, NGOs, by contrast, are fast, innovative and flexible, moving at the speed of an email list. But, he cautioned, as NGOs grow in importance, they are subject to the same flaws and failures as are attributable to governments, religions and corporations.  That is, NGOs may also violate ethical standards and engage in practices that are detrimental to the common good.  He stressed that in each of our NGOs we should continually re-examine our core values, and assess our performance in terms of those values. 

The Interactive Plenary Session concentrated on the theme NGOs and Human Security: Ethical Dilemmas. The concept of human security represents a new paradigm in understanding the complex of interrelated threats impacting the individual. Historically, security paradigms have focused on the state and its ability to defend itself from external threats. In the human security conception, the individual is the primary referent of security. This people-centered approach broadens the focus from security of borders to the protection of individuals inside and across those borders. Chaired by Dr. Aurora Martin, President of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership for Sustainable Development, three presenters began the session with short remarks designed to stimulate discourse. These speakers were Gina Ross, Founder and President of International Trauma Healing Institute, Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch, and Zoe Nielson, Deputy Director of the Human Security Report Project. These short presentations provided plenty of inspiring information. For example, Ms. Nielson provided detailed, graphical data that showed, contrary to popular views that the climate regarding conflicts actually has been changing in positive ways since 1992, with reduction in the number of conflicts and deaths from conflicts. While some areas, such as the Congo and Rwanda, have seen millions of deaths, overall the picture of inter- and intra-state conflicts has been ones of positive trends, with some of this success attributable to the work of NGOs.

However, the real work of the session was done by the participants. Discussing in small groups, they grappled with such issues as: Is poverty a violation of a basic human right? What should an NGO do if its basic human rights principles conflict with local cultural norms, such as an NGO working with a community that may practice “honor” killings of women accused of marital or sexual improprieties, or female circumcision, or the requiring of the NGO practitioners to wear certain dress or exhibit certain behavior when in public? Is it acceptable for NGOs to use emotional appeals using vivid images of helpless, poor, and starving people in the developing world if such messages portray people as helpless victims, dependent and unable to take action, and convey the sense that development problems can only be solved by a Northern charity? Is it okay to use pictures of torture victims for fundraising even though some feel such pictures may exploit the victims (who probably did not agree to being used in such images)? Does the use of NGOs as subcontractors to provide government aid conflict with the independence and moral compass of the NGO? Can force be used to achieve desired ends, such as to provide food, end torture, or stop genocide? If force is acceptable, when is it acceptable? Is torture justifiable to deal with threats of terrorism or weapons of mass destruction? Do citizens of a country experiencing serious problems of economic insecurity or other deprivations or human rights abuses have the moral right to illegally immigrate into a more developed nation? The insightful conclusions from the small groups were presented to the full audience at the end of the discussion time.

Special Symposia

The Congress featured seven special symposia.

The first special symposium dealt with The Human Rights-Humanitarian Action Interface in Conflict Situations: Cooperation, Antagonism, and Ethical Dilemmas. .This session dealt with the fact that although in many areas, the efforts of humanitarian action and human rights NGOs have complementary agendas, there are also intersects that are antagonistic. Sometimes humanitarian aid is intertwined with the forces that drive the conflicts, exacerbating the crisis and human rights abuses. For example, aid may be stolen and redirected to fighting parties and NGO infrastructure may help military troops. Among the many dilemmas posed by this panel were: Is the embrace of a human rights conflict resolution agenda by humanitarian agencies an abandonment of their principle of neutrality, making them an agent of politics rather than humanity? What should one do in the case of a manipulation of aid to prolong the conflict or use of the aid by one side to perpetrate human rights abuses? Should aid be provided if it is known that, while helping individuals it is also supporting or prolonging the hostilities? What if the aid is used to prop up illegitimate or immoral governments? Should an NGO compromise democratic values and use of human rights vocabulary in order to get the aid to victims? Can military intervention to remove a dictator be considered a humanitarian action if the goal is to protect civilian populations from a grave human rights violation? Are soldiers intervening to prevent massacres or giving out aid considered to be humanitarians? Is the humanitarian principle of impartiality (assistance provided on the basis of need and need alone) justified if one knows those will be ultimately killed—the “well-fed dead” scenario?

Chaired by Dr. Thomas J. Ward, Dean of the International College at the University of Bridgeport, the session included as presenters Marshall Wallace, President of CDA Collaborative Learning Projects and Director of CDA Do No Harm Project; Zoe Nielsen, Deputy Director of the Human Security Report Project; and Dr. Dave O. Benjamin, Assistant Professor of International Political Economy at the University of Bridgeport. Mr. Wallace, whose organization directly deals with this issue of “do no harm,” addressed saving lives while not contributing to conflict. Ms. Nielsen contributed hard data on world conflict, noting a 40% decrease in armed conflicts worldwide in the last decade, a dramatic decline in the number of innocent citizens killed in wars, and plummeting of the genocides and politicides, as well as the longest interval of uninterrupted peace between major powers in hundreds of years. While international terrorism has been increasing, and there have been massive conflict deaths in some nations, overall there has been an encouraging trend, tied statistically and in a complex manner to increasing democratization, with the increase in NGOs a likely important factor as well. Dr. Benjamin presented on advocacy and action in the 21^st century and how NGOs and INGOs have distinguished themselves in many areas, including public information, advocacy, and relief work. He addressed their vital roles and their challenges, such as challenges to their very legitimacy and survival by governments, warlords, international organizations, and private corporations.

The second special symposium dealt with Women Fostering Peace and Development. This session examined the key role played by women and women NGOs in peacemaking and peacekeeping, and in development. Chaired by Princess Hayat F. Arslan, President of Society of Lebanon the Giver, the session featured presentations from Ruta Pels, President of People to People Estonia, and Dr. Anna Snyder, Assistant Professor in the Conflict Resolution Program of Menno Simons College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They dealt with both personal experiences and philosophical insights, and the women learning about each other’s issues and working in solidarity not conflict. It was also noted that women and men (who were 1/3 of the audience) need to work together as two wings in order to fly.

The third special symposium was on the issue of Learning to Live Together in Peace – From Early Childhood. This session examined what children understand about peace, what adults understand about peace, values education, developing a peace education curriculum, and understanding how to impact the formation of values. It dealt with the importance of early childhood education, when the fundamental aspects of a person’s personality consolidate, and the preparation of the child, before the age of six or seven, for a responsible life in a free society. The session was chaired by Elvira Sánchez, Communications Manager of the World Association of Early Childhood Educators (WAECE). The two presenters were Juan Sánchez Muliterno, President of WAECE, and Francisco Quiazua, Early Childhood Development Network Coordinator of the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. Among highlights was Mr. Quizua’s presentation on the successful creation of a free encyclopedia on early childhood development and an overview of the remarkable activity of WAECE, as well as insights on early childhood education relative to peace.

The fourth special symposium addressed the theme NGO Shared Values and Principles. This session dealt with the fact that ethical NGOs exhibit some core values and principles, such as service to others and accountability. William D. Lay, an attorney who served for years as a leader in the nonprofit sector, and who chairs WANGO’s Code of Ethics Initiative, moderated the session, which included presentations from Jane Garthson, President of the Garthson Leadership Centre and Past Chair of the Ethics Practitioners Association of Canada, and by Dr. Eric D. Werker, Assistant Professor for the Business, Government and International Economy Unit of Harvard Business School. On the recommendation of the presenters, this was a largely interactive session, with the participants encouraged to interrupt the presentations with comments or questions. The high-level of the prepared remarks, which included a great deal of research findings and findings borne of work in the sector, combined with the high-level of the audience, made for a spirited and valuable session. Among the numerous insights was Ms. Garthson’s emphasis on NGOs having primary accountability to the people they serve, with accountability to donors a distant second. Dr. Werker presented on “An NGO Dilemma: Sustaining values-driven management in a competitive industry,” noting that NGOs are about values – they are essential to the NGO model – yet values are threatened by the reality of the NGO industry. In particular, he spent time analyzing the values of accountability, effectiveness, solidarity, and transparency, presenting date on the sector as well as highlighting such NGOs as World Vision and Feed the Children, two organizations represented at the Congress.

The Rt. Honorable Edward Schreyer, former Premier of Manitoba and Governor General of Canada, and current Chancellor of Brandon University, chaired a session on Environment and Development: Focus on Canada and Russia. Hon. Edward Schreyer has long championed women’s issues and been an advocate for the environment, including instituting the Governor General’s Conservation Awards and donating his pension to the Canadian Shield Foundation, an environmental organization. Addressing the session were Slava Tribubovich, Founder of the Altai Foundation in Siberia, Russia, and Susan Tanner, Executive Director of the Canadian Environmental Network. Mr. Trigubovich, one of Russia’s most well-known and dedicated leaders in wilderness protection, introduced Russian environmental history and programs. He discussed both Russia’s systems of nature reserves, or zapovedniks, and the work of the Altai Foundation, which is devoted to protecting the natural and cultural heritage of the Altai Mountains, a region in Siberia at the juncture of Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Ms. Tanner presented on the urgency for environmental protection and the work of the Canadian Environmental Network (Le Réseau Canadien de l’environnement, RCEN), which facilitates networking between environmental organizations and others who share its mandate — To Protect The Earth And Promote Ecologically Sound Ways Of Life.

Honorable Mark Anderson, a state legislator from Arizona in the United States, and a person who has authored and sponsored a lot of substantive legislation aided at strengthening families, including ground-breaking laws, chaired the symposium on the theme of Building Healthy Families as a Foundation for Global Peace. Other speakers were Glendolyn Landolt, co-Founder and National Vice President and Real Women of Canada, and Rev. Anthony L. Stevenson, Founder of the Healthy Relationship/Marriage Outreach Center, and a Trainer for the National Fatherhood Initiative. Ms. Landolt expanded on the message, “If there is no peace in the family, there cannot be peace in the nation,” while Rev. Stevenson addressed the critical importance of fathers in the family and efforts to get fathers involved who had not been involved.

The seventh symposium was on the theme The Role of NGOs in Advancing Peace in Areas of Conflict. Chairing the session was H. E. Sir James R. Mancham, Founding President of the nation of Seychelles and President of the Global Peace Council for the Universal Peace Federation. Other speakers were Serge Duss, Senior Advisor for Global Affairs for World Vision; Jane E. Durgom-Powers, President and Founder of the International Federation of Family Associations of Missing Persons from Armed Conflicts (IFFAMPAC); and Debra Joy Eklove of the Art of Living Foundation. In his role with World Vision, a major Christian relief and development organization, Serge Duss has been dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. He promotes justice through World Vision’s global ministry and advocates with foreign governments and international institutions on behalf of the poor and marginalized. As founder of IFFAMPAC, an international humanitarian non-governmental organization, Ms. Durgom-Powers has been focused on helping the surviving families of armed conflict who face tremendous social, economic, legal, and cultural challenges when a primary economic provider of the family vanishes and cannot be accounted for as a result of conflict. Debra Joy Eklove, through her work with the Art of Living Foundation (founded by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the great Indian composer and sitar player), is involved in a wide array of humanitarian and educational programs to foster global change, uplift individuals, and make a difference in local communities, including programs for stress reduction, trauma relief, and social transformation that have changed the lives of people in war-torn and conflict areas.

Workshops

Ten practical workshops were featured at the World Congress of NGOs.

Bud Philbrook presented on Peace Through Service. He is Co-Founder and President of Global Volunteers, a nonprofit that sends teams of short-term volunteers to serve on long-term development projects in more than 100 communities in 20 countries on six continents. A former Minnesota State Legislator and Candidate of Governor of Minnesota, he addressed such themes as the importance of friendship for peace, justice, working with children, and the principles related to working in communities around the world.

Mary McCormack, President of Information Enterprises, presented in two sessions, Fantastic Fundraising: Five Foundations of Project Management, and Find Them, Thank Them, and Keep Them: Best Practices for Recruiting, Recognizing, and Retaining Dedicated Volunteers. Her sessions drew upon her expertise developed from 26 years focusing on volunteer services administration, including being a nationally certified Administrator of Volunteer Services and a person who has shown thousands of people and organizations internationally how to successfully apply creative solutions to challenges involving leadership, fundraising, and best business practices. Her sessions dealt with putting the “fun” back in fundraising, working with enthusiastic volunteers to raise significant fundraising monies, learning how to attract long-term volunteers and auxilians for one’s NGO using dazzling, innovative recruitment methods and creative training techniques, and thanking and retaining volunteers.

Alan Saunders offered a session on Character Education. As Director of the Office of Character Education for the Universal Peace Federation, Mr. Saunders has conducted programs in numerous nations, including island nations in the Pacific. He shared information on his work and provided material on how to teach others on how to develop character, as well as dealing with marriage relations. His basic theme: “Education and training are nothing but making love visible.” One of the interns who worked with him, Kuna Hamad (son of the WANGO Secretary General), shared his experience doing workshops on character education with the children in St. Lucia and Trinidad in the Caribbean. Alan Saunders offered a prototype program and curriculum that can be utilized around the world, one in which universal values and characteristics are taught in a format that can be adapted to different countries cultural heritage. He also conducted a one-day, post-conference program in the Toronto area following the Congress.

Alan Sharpe, President of Raiser Sharpe, presented two workshops, Breakthrough Fundraising Letters, Part I: How to Grab (and Keep) Your Reader’s Attention, and Breakthrough Fundraising Letters Part II: How to Inspire Readers to Give. Mr. Sharpe is a direct mail fundraising consultant, copywriter and coach, who helps non-profit organizations worldwide to raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using cost-effective, compelling, creative fundraising letters. In these seminars, Mr. Sharpe coached NGO leaders how to craft engaging, warm appeal letters that win the hearts and minds of their donors. He focused on the envelope, how to grab attention (package design), how to keep attention once the envelope is opened, presenting true stories, facts, figures, and so forth.

Jason Saul, Founder and Managing Director Mission Measurement, presented two sessions as well, Program and Mission Evaluation and Practicum in Program and Mission Evaluation: Building Your Own Measurement Framework. The titles of the session may sound boring, but the attendees were widely effusive in their praise for these sessions, which dealt with how to measure whether the NGO is really making a difference, not by anecdotes and positive press, but measuring performance and using this to tract progress, communicate results, motivate and manage staff, and raise funds. To thrive, not just survive, NGO leaders need to constantly measure and improve results.

Professor Ron Sereg of Louisiana State University in Shreveport offered a workshop on Developing a Media Agenda for NGOs. Professor Sereg argues that if NGOs are to be sustainable and effective, they must make a commitment to public relations. He addressed the reality that media relations and publicity efforts that are conducted only when the need arises give no long-term benefits to the image and work of any organization, but rather one should have a carefully planned, budgeted, and executed organized public relations program. He addressed issues of the format of a news release (such as page lengths and things to be excluded). The methods that NGOs can use to attract attention, tactics in dealing with aggressive or sly members of the media, and so forth.

Dr. J’Lein Liese coordinated a session on WANGO’s Code of Ethics and Conduct. Dr. J’Lein Liese is Founder of the Foundation for Global Leadership and Chair of the Code of Ethics Committee for WANGO. She has developed a NGO Compliance Manual designed as a tool to help NGOs assess whether their policies and procedures are currently in alignment with the Code of Ethics and Conduct for NGOs (a set of 7 fundamental principles, 9 operational principles and over 100 standards to guide the actions and management of non-governmental organizations developed under the auspices of WANGO).

Awards Celebration and Panel of Excellence

The WANGO Awards, presented annually, are one of the more prestigious awards for the NGO community. WANGO not only recognizes prominent international NGOs, but also the smaller, lesser-known NGOs in the least developed countries, whose exemplary service and success may have gone unnoticed or under-appreciated on the international stage. As such, WANGO Awards have sometimes been harbingers of subsequent recognition. After receiving the 2003 WANGO Environment Award on behalf of her organization, the Green Belt Movement, Dr. Wangari Maathai was recognized with the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. After receiving the 2004 WANGO Humanitarian Award on behalf of his NGO, Small Kindness, Yusef Islam was awarded the “Man of Peace Award” at the opening of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, particularly recognizing him for his charity, Small Kindness. In 2004, the Peace, Security and Reconciliation Award was presented to the PeaceWorks Foundation, and it initiative One Voice, and was received by Founder Daniel Lubetzky. In 2005, One Voice was honored by Queen Noor with the King Hussein Humanitarian Leadership Prize, in an event attended by such luminaries as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, actress Meg Ryan and musical artist Sting, among others.

The 2007 WANGO Awards were presented in a format unique for a WANGO conference. Previous presentations at conferences were part of an “awards banquet.” The 2007 awards, held on Friday evening, were preceded by an Awards Reception, while the awards themselves were presented in a theatre style. Jean Rondon, WANGO’s Publications Director, served as Master of Ceremonies in the absence of Awards Chair Dr. Noel Brown, who was unavoidably stuck overseas when a airline strike prevented his making the program in time. (The 2006 Awards, which were held independently of a conference, were presented in Spain in a similar manner, with a reception followed by the presentation of the awards in a theatre.)

The 2007 awards presented were in the following categories: Environment, Humanitarian, Peace & Security, and Education, Media, and the Arts, as well as a presentation to an outstanding individual for the Universal peace Award. Before each presentation, a video was presented highlighting the work of the NGO.

First to be honored was the Enviroment Award to Ecotrópica (Fundação de Apoio à Vida nos Trópicos), a non-profit, environmental organization in Brazil devoted to conserving natural resources and maintaining the quality of life in tropical ecosystems, and in particular conservation of the Pantanal, the world’s largest freshwater wetland system. Located in South America, south of the Amazon and extending through millions of hectares of central-western Brazil, eastern Bolivia, and northeastern Paraguay, the Pantanal is essentially an immense alluvial plain, situated along the northernmost part of the Paraguay River and its tributaries. It is one of the most pristine and biologically rich environments on the planet, and offers numerous ecological, economic, cultural, recreational, and aesthetic values. Yet this area faces an uncertain future stemming from a myriad of socioeconomic pressures, exacerbated by the reality that 98% of the Brazilian portion is privately owned. Through Ecotrópica, 60,000 hectares of the Pantanal, bordering Pantanal National Park (Parque Nacional do Pantanal Matogrossense) have been made into Private Reserves (Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural) – one of the most important complexes of private protection on the planet, where many species of animals, including some endangered species, call home. Ecotrópica also has completed an inventory of biodiversity in the Serra do Amolar, works to help local people to survive, is developing “gentle” ecotourism, and is dealing with agricultural, educational, sanitary, and financial issues. The award was received by the founder, Adalbeto Eberhard, who devoted years of his life to the organization, since 1989, for the hope for a brighter future for the Pantanal.

The 2007 Humanitarian Award was presented to SurfAid International and received by Founding Member and Medical Director, Dr. Dave Jenkins. SurfAid International was founded by Dr. Jenkins and other surfers on holiday who visited the Mentawai Islands off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia and found dreadful misery, poverty, and death beyond the palm-fringed shores of their so-called surf paradise. The ravages of malaria and other preventable diseases and inequality of lifestyles moved them by compassion to start SurfAid. Registering as a non-profit organization in New Zealand in January 2000 and later expanding offices to Australia, the United States, and Indonesia, SurfAid works to improve the health of the Mentawai people and to encourage and coordinate the support of the global surfing community. It has had remarkable success in combating malaria, providing healthcare for pregnant women, advancing childhood monitoring and nutrition, donating various health equipment and supplies, and mobilizing to aid victims of two devastating earthquakes.

The 2007 Peace & Security Award was presented to The Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation, a Palestinian NGO committed to an alternative approach to conflict transformation. Cherishing the values of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, respect, and hope, CCRR’s mission is to contribute to a prospering, non-violent Palestine by empowering marginalized groups to participate in the decision-making process that affect their everyday lives. The award was received by Dr. Noah Salameh, who founded the organization in 1999. CCRR has been working to strengthen democracy, human rights, and justice, considering these fundamental components for lasting peace.

The Education, Media, and Arts Award was presented to the World Association of Early Childhood Educators (AMEI-WAECE). The award was received by WAECE’s president, Juan Sánchez Muliterno. WAECE is a non-governmental organization at the service of the education of young children. The Association works to make it possible for every child younger than six years of age to exercise his or her right to an early educational service to fully develop capabilities, and moral and social responsibility. It places a large emphasis on values, including educating for peace.

The 2007 Universal Peace Award, WANGO’s highest award for individuals, was presented to Chief Oren Lyons, a traditional Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan, and a Member of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Chief Lyons, who also is Professor of American Studies at the State University of New York at Buffalo, was raised in the traditional lifeways of the Iroquois on the Seneca and Onondaga reservations in northern New York State. He has become a leading advocate for American Indian causes, recognized not only in the United States and Canada, but internationally as an eloquent and respected spokesperson on behalf of Native Peoples. He is also internationally renowned as an environmental and human rights advocate, and sought for his expertise on American Indian traditions, Indian law and history, and interfaith dialogue.

The Awards Ceremony was followed by traditional dances performed by Native Americans in Canada. These were arranged independently of knowing that Chief Oren Lyons would be an award recipient. During one of the dances, Chief Lyons joined in the dance, deeply moving the performers who felt their performance had been authenticated by his joining in.

The Awards Ceremony itself had many memorable moments, such as the recognition by Dr. Jenkins of how much receiving this award has inspired the many volunteers working in the field with SurfAid (two of which had recently died in service to the communities). However, it did not allow amply time for the attendees to hear from the awardees. For this reason, a special session, the Panel of Excellence, was convened the following morning for more substantial presentations by the award winners. Clearly one of the highlights of the conference, the attendees heard moving presentations on the work and philosophy of these leaders, who had dedicated their lives for others. Adalberto Eberhard, who had worked for years without pay for his passion, the Pantanal, showed images of why the Pantanal is so beautiful and treasured. Dr. Dave Jenkins presented gripping stories not only of the work of SurfAid, but also of meaningless projects that donors have funded without recognition of the real needs of the people, such as an outhouse that cost great sums of money to produce but is only home to a duck, not used by the local inhabitants. He commended the well-meaning intentions of people, but was emphatic that the view that “doing something is better than nothing” is misguided, since it is important to “do the right thing.” Dr. Noah Salameh had a gripping testimony of personal forgiveness, having spent 15 years in an Israeli prison as a youngster, but working together with Israelis and Jews, without resentment, to bring about a better Palestine. Juan Sánchez Muliterno and WAECE’s communications director Elvira Sanchez, detailed the vital importance of an education of values for children for the sake of a better future. Chief Oren Lyons concluded the session, chronicling matter of factly, without bitterness, the battle for recognition of the human rights of Native Americans. His passion for the environment, his advocacy for making decisions with a mind toward seven generations in the future, and his compassion for people and proper relations between people, moved the audience, leading one attendee from the United States to remark, “I wish he was running for President.”

Other Sessions and Events

The Saturday afternoon Panel Sessions offered NGO leaders an opportunity to make presentations on their own organizations and the activities that they are engaged in, or on any issue of particular interest. Presentations were made on such topics as Strengthening the roles of NGOs in healing trauma and conflict resolution (Gina Ross); Standards of excellence in response to needs assessment (Flordeliz Serpa); The paradox of terrorism: Starting form discrimination, acting without discrimination (Aurora Martin); Human rights violations and implications of foreign occupation in Somalia (Ali Said Ibrahim); TakingIT Global: The power of ICTs and youth (Kirsten Jordan); and Values and ethical guidelines in times of disaster and scarcity (Dr. Jay Sweifach).

WANGO’s General Assembly, the business meeting of the Association, was held on the Saturday of the conference. The WANGO members in attendance, which included both voting and non-voting representatives, were presented with a detailed overview by Secretary General Taj Hamad of the work of the organization since the last conference, including information on the Domes Project, whereby an entire village was rebuilt, the Play Football Make Peace! Project, and plans for the future. Dr. Frederick Swarts presented on the new NGO Handbook, an online Wiki resource that has just been completed by volunteers with WANGO (www.ngohandbook.org), which includes entrees on NGO organization, financing, strategic planning, an overview of the NGO sector, the state of the NGO sector in various nations around the world, and so forth.

Two committees meet throughout the conference: the Code of Ethics Committee and the Declaration Committee. Other events include a special roundtable discussion lead by Professor Ron Sereg on Media Relations, a roundtable conducted by Dr. Kathy Winings on Governance, and various mixers, exhibitor displays, and so forth. The field trips offered an opportunity for NGO leaders to visit Niagara Falls or sites in Toronto. Prior to the official start of the conference, Anne Smart, the Local Arrangements Chair, conducted tours to the office of Free the Children, the world’s largest organization of children helping children, headquartered in Toronto. (As Local Arrangements Chair, Ms. Smart also oversaw most of the arrangements in Toronto, including securing the hotel and arranging the local volunteer staff with David Stewart, a local NGO leader). Debbie Gray, the Communications Director for Free The Children, who had received the 2006 Human Rights Award from WANGO, addressed not only the opening plenary session, but also the Awards Banquet. Saturday evening featured a banquet with one of the teams competing in a Play Football, Make Peace! tournament held in Toronto during the Congress. A project of WANGO, this tournament featured girls youth teams from Canada competing.

The Opening Banquet and Closing Banquet were particularly memorable. The Opening Banquet commenced with a fire-alarm that led to the evacuation of the attendees to the lobby – an impromptu mixer. The wait for dinner was worth it, as the participants were treated to remarks from Rt. Hon. Edward Schreyer, former Governor General of Canada and Former Premier of Manitoba. His deep passion for the work of the leaders of NGOs, and recognition of the important role of WANGO, set the right tone, as he welcomed the participants to Canada. His comments on the environment and international politics were equally insightful. Taj Hamad also offered welcoming remarks at this event, which was chaired by Dr. Kathy Winings, Vice President of the Board for the International Relief Friendship Foundation and Secretary of the Association for WANGO. The official dessert mixer followed the dinner.

The Congress culminated with the Closing Banquet on Sunday. Guest presenter Jean-Guy Bigeau, Executive Director of Katimavik, addressed the importance of volunteer service. Katimavik is Canada’s leading national volunteer service program for youth. Founded in 1977, Katimavik’s mission is to foster the personal, professional and social development of Canadian youth through volunteer involvement in communities from coast to coast. For nine months, young people from the ages of 17 to 21 live in groups of 11 in three different communities throughout the country, working 35 hours a week on volunteer community projects. Today, nearly 1,200 youth take part each year in more than 100 communities across Canada. As Mr. Bigeau explained the work of the volunteers, one could not but be moved by the hope provided by the youth volunteering for the sake of others. Jean Rondon, who served as Master of Ceremonies for the Banquet offered heart-felt remarks, verging on tears, as she reflected on the work of the NGO leaders. Taj Hamad offered off-the-cuff, comments of heart for the participants and encouragement for their invaluable work.

During the Closing Banquet, William D. Lay, head of WANGO’s Code of Ethics Initiative, unveiled the Toronto Declaration of NGO Core Values, a list of 12 core values that were developed by the Declaration Committee, with recommendations and advice from the attendees of the General Assembly (membership meeting), WANGO’s International Council, and other attendees of the Congress. The Declaration was accepted by acclamation of the attendees, and also many had the opportunity to sign the declaration.