Recent Event

Thank you Nigel!

As you leave your role and responsibilities as FIM’s founding President and CEO, we would like to thank you for all that you have done to make our shared world a better place. Over your long career as a civil society leader in Canada and internationally you contributed to building civil society - now a legitimate, credible, and unstoppable world-wide force for democracy. During your fourteen years at FIM you furthered the advancement of democratization, human rights, and dignity for all - dedicating your energy and commitment to the inclusion of the peoples’ voices missing from decisions affecting their daily lives – their happiness and well-being. You can be assured that your vision of a just world - of democratic global governance is now firmly rooted in FIM’s bones! You have influenced us in many ways with your humility and humanity. We are privileged to have worked with you. We look forward to the ongoing contributions you will make and encourage you to bring the light of your passion for freedom and justice to your future endeavours.

THE FIM STAFF

December | 2011

Building Bridges Member at Istanbul Conference

A member of the Building Bridges coordinating council attended “Change in Muslim Societies and Role of Women” a conference held in Istanbul December 22-24, 2011. Hosted jointly by the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Policies, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the conference brought together academics, government officials, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations from within member countries, and focused attention of issues ranging from Islam and democracy and women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa to establishing effective national gender mechanisms within OIC member states and strengthening democracy through women’s participation. One of the numerous highlights throughout the proceedings included the proposed establishment of a region-wide gender equality-related institute, with a mandate to conduct gender and age-related research, provide training programs and conduct assessments, all geared toward improving the status of women.

Civil Society in the Middle East and North Africa Democratizing Governance:
From the Local to the Global

On November 1 and 2, 2011, in Stockholm Sweden, FIM convened Civil Society in the Middle East and North Africa Democratizing Governance: From the Local to the Global. This forum explored the nature of, and possibilities for, the civil society/multilateral interface in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region within the context of the uprisings that have occurred since January of 2011.

Key objectives of the Forum are:

1. To gain a fuller understanding of how citizens in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region can, and are, influencing their governance at local and national levels as well as at the levels of regional and global multilateralism;
2. To identify multilateral bodies and/or policies that are most critical to the needs of the MENA region;
3. To identify possible future directions for civil society in the MENA region - toward increasing the influence of civil society in the MENA region on local, regional, and global governance.

The Forum brought together over 40 global governance actors including civil society leaders and academics who share a vision of transparent, participatory, and accountable global governance. The Forum itself was highly participatory in nature and FIM provided a facilitated space for participants to share their knowledge and experience, to think together and to dialogue and learn from each other.

The Demands for New Development Models at the Center of the Peoples’ Revolutions in the Arab Region: Threats from Multilateral and Regional Financial and Development Institutions

Arab Civil Society Power Transactions  Locally and Multilaterally

FIM @ the CIVICUS World Assembly!

From September 8th through 12th FIM participated in the tenth CIVICUS World Assembly, one of the world’s largest gatherings of activists, scholars, donors, media and international institutions concerned with civil society. Held for a second year in Montreal under the theme, “Civil Society and Global Governance: Doing it Better,” the World Assembly brought to the fore issues that have been at the core of FIM’s work, including civil society and democratic space. FIM contributed to the World Assembly programme on the topic of civil society and democratic space through workshops, and participation in a number of moderated panels. Read more >

August | 2010

Effective Solutions to Converging Global Crises: Thinking and acting across civil society's silos FIM-Forum – UNDP Workshop at the CIVICUS World Assembly

On August 21, FIM-Forum, in partnership with the UNDP’s Platform HD 2010 Project, hosted a large gathering of civil society leaders at the CIVICUS World Assembly which was held from August 20 to 22 in Montréal. This workshop provided an overview of the new challenges for civil society and how civil society actors are working toward building innovative solutions to solving complex interrelated crises. It sparked an engaged discussion on how civil society actors can more effectively collaborate across their diversity.

Read The Blue Mountain Project >

Read Complex Global Shocks and the New Challenges for Civil Society >

June | 2010

Civil Society Dialogue with the Host Sherpa to the Toronto 2010 G20 Summit