Information for NGOs in Toyako, Hokkaido(2nd announcement)

People's Summit 2008 -We Can Change the World-

Information for NGOs in Toyako, Hokkaido(1st announcement)

Hokkaido People’s Forum on G8 Summit (Hokkaido People’s Forum), collaborating with 2008 Japan G8 Summit NGO Forum (NGO Forum),will be responding to Toyako G8 Summit from the citizens’ and NGOs’ standpoint. Because it will be difficult for NGOs to access to Toyako and its neighborhood around the time of G8 summit, our activities will take place mainly in Sapporo and Rusutsu (where the media center will be located).

Main Activities

■ People’s Weeks　■

"People's Weeks" is a period of time when organizations participating in NGO Forum or Hokkaido People’s Forum carry out various activities just before G8 Summit. We are supporting these events and seminars. The currently scheduled activities are shown below. The contents are subject to change. The details and contact information of each activity are to be announced later.

June 14 - 15      Fair trades Festa (at Odori park) J
June 28              International Symposium on conservation of forest ecosystem (at Kyosai Hall)
June 28 -July 4 G8 summit cinema festival about indigenous inhabitants and environment (at Theater KINO, free space ATTIC)
July 3                  Symposium on a base and women (at Hokkaido Christian Center)
July 1 - 4         Indigenous Summit (at Nibutani, Sapporo Pirka Kotan, Sapporo Convention Center)
July 4                  La Via Campesina (International Peasant Movement) (at Kyosai Hall)
July 5              Peace Walk (at center of Sapporo) July 5 Environment Musical (at Chieria)
July 6 - 8         Alternative Summit (at Sapporo Convention Center)
July 9              International Symposium “Conciliation and Peace brought by Citizens” (at L・PLAZA)

■ Alternative Summit ■

 NGO Forum and Hokkaido People’s Forum collaboratively offer Alternative Summit as a place for citizens to express their opinions outside G8 Summit. This will be at Sapporo Convention Center. Besides Opening Symposium (July 6) and Closing Ceremony (July 8), we are planning to offer sectional meetings (with themes of environment, peace and human rights, development and poverty, etc), workshops and seminars featuring NGO Forum participating organizations and guests from overseas. The details are to be announced later

July 6   Afternoon   Opening Symposium I
July 6    Evening     Opening Symposium II
July 7    Whole day  Sectional meetings, workshops, seminars
July 8    Morning     Sectional meetings, workshops, seminars
July 8   Afternoon   Closing Ceremony

Sapporo Convention Center
(English) http://www.sora-scc.jp/english.php"
(Japanese) www.sora-scc.jp/

■ What is Hokkaido People’s Forum on G8 Summit?■

 Hokkaido Peoples’ Forum on G8 Summit was organized in September 2007 by citizens’ groups working in Hokkaido. Its main purpose is to think about global issues from the local point of view. It makes proposals from the standpoints of poverty and development,environment,peace and human rights, and currently 50 organizations participate.
 (Japanese) www.kitay-hokkaido.net/

■ What is 2008 Japan G8 Summit NGO Forum?■

 2008 Japan G8 Summit NGO Forum was started by NGOs in January 2007 with the aim of making proposals to the process of G8 Summit on solving issues of poverty, environment, human rights and peace. It consists of three units ;Poverty and Development;Environment;Peace and Human Rights; and it is governed by leaders chosen from each unit. Currently 120 NGOs participate.
(English)http://www.g8ngoforum.sakura.ne.jp/english/
(Japanese)www.g8ngoforum.org/

■ About International Media Center ■

 We often receive inquiries from overseas about International Media Center (IMC). IMC will be located in Rusutsu, which takes about 30 minutes by car from Toyako and about 1.5 hours by car from Sapporo. Accommodations for the press will be at Rusutsu Resort and Niseko city (30 minutes drive from Rusutsu Resort). If there is any vacancy, it will be possible to accommodate by the lake of Toyako, where groups of G8 leaders will stay. Details are shown on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs below.
www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/summit/2008/press/index.html
As regard to entrance permissions to IMC distributed to NGOs, it seems that how many permissions will be available to NGOs and how NGOs can apply for the permissions have not been decided yet. We will announce them as soon as we receive any information. Preparations are underway to set up “Civil Media Center” where independent press and NGO can put out information and have interviews. Civil Media Center will be in Sapporo.

■ Access to Sapporo and Accommodation■

The best way to access to Sapporo is by airplane. You can arrive at the city of Sapporo from New Chitose Airport in about 35 minutes by train, which leaves New Chitose Airport every 15 minutes. Please note that NGO Forum or Citizen Forum Hokkaido will not arrange air tickets, accommodation, or rental cars for NGO people coming from overseas.