Presidential Forum on globalization and the UN’s Millennium Development Goals

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press Release 5 May 2010

The XIV Presidential Forum that will take place at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 11 May 2010 will consider means to eliminate poverty. The theme of the Presidential Forum will be globalization and the UN's Millennium Development Goals, which were adopted ten years ago. The forum will challenge experts and citizens to prepare the way for this autumn's UN General Assembly, which will evaluate the implementation of the goals.

In addition to the President of the Republic, speakers at the forum will include Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, Professor Teivo Teivainen of the University of Helsinki and Under-Secretary of State Ritva Koukku-Ronde from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Hannu Lehtilä will serve as moderator.

Participants from different parts of society, including Members of Parliament, researchers and representatives of various organizations, have been invited to the forum.

The Millennium Development Goals were approved in autumn 2000, when Finland held the presidency of the UN General Assembly. President of the Republic Tarja Halonen co-chaired the Millennium Summit together with President Sam Nujoma of Namibia.

Presidential Forums have been arranged since 2006. Themes on previous occasions have included Finnish labour competitiveness, expertise and innovations, foreign policy, care for the elderly, the Baltic Sea, tolerance, municipal services, the "silent years" in Finnish history, Finland in the face of change, fundamental and human rights, jobs and unemployment, climate change and family violence.