The Conference of International NGOs will hold its Autumn session from 28 September to 2 October in Agora (room G03 in duplex G02 as necessary). Agenda items include a strategy session on climate risk in Europe in view of COP31, discussions on CINGO’s future priorities and preparations for the elections of CINGO’s governing bodies in April 2027. The task force on civic space monitoring will discuss recent trends with guest speakers and several thematic committees will be meeting. Exchanges will be held on PACE’s recent work on transnational repression and the new intergovernmental committee on foreign information manipulation and interference (CAHFIMI).

Upcoming events will be presented, in particular CINGO’s hosting of a meeting of environmental human rights defenders with various Council of Europe bodies and international actors (12 October) and a high level coordination event on defending human rights defenders (18-19 November). The last agenda session on 2 October will be fully devoted to a hybrid training session on participation of civil society in the monitoring of the European Social Charter, organised with the Committee of Social Rights.

Reports on CINGO’s recent fact-finding visits to Denmark and Montenegro (conducted in May and September respectively) will be discussed and endorsed, with the participation of Permanent Representation members of these countries.
CINGO’s 50th Anniversary will be marked by a series of special events. An exhibition “Say NO to violence against women and YES to gender equality”, organised by CINGO’s committee on gender equality and women’s rights will be hosted by the Parliamentary Assembly throughout the week, in the lobby of the Hemicycle. An opening ceremony will take place on Monday 28 September at 13h30.

There will be two thematic events, accompanied by the screening of a film and a documentary:

• first, on “Migration through human stories”: a debate on Tuesday 29 September, from 12h00 to 13h00) with the main protagonists and director of the movie “Along the Way” 2022) about two sisters trying to reach Europe after fleeing from Afghanistan. It will be followed by the screening of the movie at 20h00, at the NOOTOOS conference Centre in downtown Strasbourg, Place St Pierre le Vieux;

• exchanges on the rise of white supremacy and far right movements in the United States will be held on 30 September, with the participation of Youth members and the director of the award-winning documentary “White Right: Meeting the Enemy” (which she made after a TV interview about multiculturalism for which she received many threats on social media). The documentary will be screened on 30 September in the time frame 14:30-17:00

Interested members of staff and Permanent Representations are mostly welcome to attend these thematic debates and screenings. 

Civil society actors interested in the Social Charter training event on 2 Octobre are also welcome to register (see below).

  Draft Agenda
  For further information on CINGO: contact civil society unit
  Further information and registration link for the Social Charter training event on 2 October