November 2008 | Summits Online | Español

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: SIRG Meetings | See also: Civil Society - Policy Dialogues - Essay Competition

Negotiations in Progress on the Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain

Over the past several months, three meetings of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG) have advanced the negotiations of the Draft Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain, to be adopted at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, in April 2009. The 34 OAS Member States, through their participation in the SIRG process, have thus far had the opportunity to propose amendments to paragraphs 1-29 at the Third 2008 Meeting of the SIRG, held September 18-19 in Bridgetown, Barbados; at the Fourth 2008 SIRG, held October 15-17, in Antigua and Barbuda; and at the Fifth 2008 SIRG, held November 17-19 in Washington, D.C.

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Forum brings together Caribbean civil society to discuss Fifth Summit themes

Sub Regional Civil Society Forum held in Trinidad and Tobago

Over 180 civil society representatives from more than 20 OAS Member States, including 14 countries of the English-speaking Caribbean, attended the Caribbean Sub Regional Civil Society Forum on October 30-31, 2008 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The participants represented a wide diversity of civil society organizations from the English-speaking Caribbean. The Forum provided an opportunity for the representatives to review the Draft Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain presented by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and discuss and compile substantive recommendations on the themes of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, to be held in April 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago.

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Experts and OAS Member States dialogue in Preparation for Fifth Summit

“Youth, Decent Work, and Human Prosperity in the Americas”

On November 5, 2008, the OAS and the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Regional Office for the Americas organized the Eleventh OAS Policy Roundtable at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, D.C under the theme “Youth, Decent Work and Human Prosperity in the Americas” in preparation for the Fifth Summit of the Americas. Among the prominent participants were Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Labor and Small and Micro Enterprise, Rennie Dumas; Panama’s Minister of Labor and Labor Development, Edwin Salamín; and the ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jean Maninat.

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OAS launches Essay Contest to engage youth in Fifth Summit of the Americas

The Summits of the Americas Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) launched the “Summit of the Americas Essay Contest”, within the framework of the Fifth Summit of the Americas that will be held in Trinidad and Tobago on April 17-19, 2009. The initiative, organized in coordination with the National Secretariat for the Fifth Summit of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, will provide youth a space to consider major hemispheric concerns from the youth perspective.

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Other Events

• October 27-28, 2008
Second Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of Science and Technology
Mexico City, Mexico

• October - November, 2008
Summits of the Americas Virtual Platform

• November 10-12, 2008
Thirty-fourth Assembly of the Delegates of the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM)
Santiago de Chile, Chile

• November 13, 2008
Third Meeting of Ministers or of the Highest-Ranking Authorities responsible for the Advancement of Women in the Member States (REMIM-III)
Santiago de Chile, Chile

• November 20-21, 2008
Fourth Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities
Bridgetown, Barbados

Upcoming Events

• December 7 - 9, 2008
Sub-Regional Civil Society Forum for Central America, Mexico & Dominican Republic (Spanish only)
Hilton Princess Hotel, San Salvador, El Salvador

• December 10-12, 2008
Sixth Regular Meeting of 2008 of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG)
Hotel Royal Decameron Salinitas, El Salvador