Peter Hain, FCO Minister, to Speak on United Nations Reform
Date: Wednesday, 6th December 2000; 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Venue: Public meeting at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London
Lobbying in the House of Commons between 3.30pm – 7.00pm
Today, Peter Hain MP, Minister of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, will give the opening speech to a group of civil society organisations, NGOs and individuals from around the UK calling for a renewed UN, properly able to promote Peace, Human Rights and Development. People will be gathering in Methodist Central Hall to join a lobby of parliament organised by a coalition of organisations including NGOs working on peace, human rights and development and disarmament.
Anna Rehin, Co-ordinator of the lobby said: We are delighted that Peter Hain will come to speak to us about these issues. It is the day of the Queen’s speech and it demonstrates the government’s commitment to the United Nations. We hope this lobby will convince them to put their words into action.
Rachel Harford of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: ‘Constituents with concerns about the UK’s role in arming repressive regimes and regions of conflict will be lobbying their MPs on the 6th December. They will be calling on the UK Government together with the international community to work with the UN to reduce and eventually eliminate arms transfers.
ENDS
For more information contact Anna Rehin, telephone 01273 476 358; email coordinator(at)unforum·fsnet·co·uk or contact Rachel Harford at Campaign Against Arms Trade on 020 7281 0297 or 0958 449 006
Notes for Editors Other speakers include: Janet Bloomfield, ex-chair CND, Nick Buxton from Jubilee 2000; Barry Coates, World Development Movement; Malcolm Harper, United Nations Association; Professor Bernard Crick, Citizenship Education Adviser – DFEE; Bruce Kent, Abolition 2000; Sally Joss, IANSA and Patsy Robertson, Commission on Global Governance.
Participants will go to Parliament throughout the afternoon to ask their own MPs to urge the government:
- To support changes which ensure the WTO and Bretton Woods institutions become integrated into and accountable to the United Nations;
- To provide adequate funding for global citizenship education (including peace education, human rights and the United Nation);
- To take positive action on disarmament, from nuclear weapons to small arms.
Organisations supporting the lobby include: Abolition 2000, Action for UN Renewal, Anti-Globalisation Network, Campaign Against Arms Trade, Catholic Institute for International Relations, Council for Education in World Citizenship, Charter 99, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Christian CND, Conference of Religious, Earthaction, International Alert, Jubilee 2000, National Peace Council, Pax Christi, Church & Society – Methodist Church, New Economics Foundation, One World Week, One World Trust, Quaker Peace & Service, Saferworld, Sussex Peace Alliance, United Nations Association, War on Want, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, World Court Project, World Development Movement, World Disarmament Campaign.
