GA/09/2
11 November 2009
Association of Former International Civil Servants for Development
General Assembly, Ecumenical Centre, Geneva
Thursday, 19 November 2009, 10.30 – Room II
Report by the Executive Committee
December 2008-November 2009
1.Following a preparatory period in 2008, where an Interim Committee made appropriate arrangements for setting up the Association, the year 2009 has been Greycells’ first full year of activity.
2. At the time of drafting this report, the Association has 72 members, of which 43 have paid their subscription fees for 2009. Other colleagues have indicated their intention to join Greycells, but they have not formalized their membership as yet.
3. The first ordinary General Assembly, held on 2 December 2008, elected the following Executive Committee:
Fermin Alcoba (ex-WTO)
Jamshid Anvar (ex-UNHCR/UN)
Yves Beigbeder (ex-WHO)
Catherine Bertrand (ex-UNHCR)
Alberto Campeas (ex-WTO)
Jacques Chabert (ex-WTO)
Marjory Dam (ex-WHO)
Jean Erhardt (ex-City of Geneva)
René Kirszbaum (ex-ILO)
Paul Rolian (ex-WTO)
Kathleen Love (ex-WMO)
Neel Mani (ex-WHO)
Seye Oduyemi (ex-UNCTAD)
Jean-Claude Piers de Raveschoot (ex-ITC)
Christina Schröder (ex-WTO)
4. Since last December, the Executive Committee has held 16 meetings. The records for those meetings, as well as any other documents mentioned in this report, are available to members and may be consulted upon request.
5. At its first meeting, held on 16 December 2008, the Executive Committee appointed the following officers:
Fermín Alcoba, President
Marjory Dam, Vice-president
René Kirszbaum, Vice-president
Catherine Bertrand, Treasurer
Paul Rolian, Secretary
Jean Claude Piers, Assistant Secretary
6. After this first year of operation, it can be said that Greycells is at present a consolidated association, with a recognized legal status as an international public-interest NGO, reasonably well-known in the Geneva international scene. On the practical side, the Association has now an office at the World Council of Churches. Approximately 80 per cent of the renting cost is subsidized by the Swiss authorities, who have also granted Greycells a one-time subsidy of CHF 10,000 to cover start-up costs; thanks to this it has been possible to purchase the indispensable office furniture and equipment.
7. As much as possible the Executive Committee has pursued its outreach efforts, especially with the body set up to help delegates and permanent missions adapt to life in Geneva, the Geneva Welcome Centre (CAGI), and more generally with any institution which wants to connect with the international community. To help with this aspect of the work, a flyer has been produced that explains in a succinct way the aims, structure and activities of Greycells. Likewise, work to enhance the website (www.greycells.ch) is underway, with a view to making it more interactive so that it serves as a means of communication with members and the general public alike.
8. A member database has been developed thanks to some voluntary external assistance. This database, in combination with a search engine, will serve the purpose of providing quick answers to enquiries about members’ profiles, available skills, etc. Coverage is rather limited at the moment, as only 17 members have replied to the questionnaire that was sent to all with a view to establishing the required personal files. The database and search engine will be placed on the website in due course.
9. Discussions started some time ago with the Université Ouvrière de Genève have led to developing a programme for a series of lectures on international organizations. Three organizations have been selected for the first lot of presentations in the first quarter of 2010: ILO, WHO, WTO. One Greycells’ member from each of the three organizations will be responsible for organizing the corresponding lecture and will, in such a capacity, ensure preparation of the presentation outline, and identify the participating lecturers and an appropriate moderator. The Committee intends to invite a prominent personality to introduce this series of lectures.
10. The Permanent Mission of the Central African Republic has requested Greycells to organize in the country’s capital a course on international relations for 40 junior officers from the national administration, mainly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Executive Committee has prepared a programme for a 10-day course, which has been agreed with the CAR Permanent Representative, as well as a project document and budget. The Committee is searching for a sponsor willing to provide the necessary financial resources for implementation of this project.
11. Also within the training field, the Executive Committee has received a request from the Herzen State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, for a 3-day seminar on international organizations/international relations, addressed to 40 participants (students and teaching staff) and to be delivered in the spring 2010. The seminar would be funded by the requesting university. A draft summary proposal has already been prepared and the final project document should be finalized by the end of November. Likewise, the Permanent Representative of Costa Rica has expressed some interest in a similar training event in his country.
12. Following a request by a NGO based in India, the Executive Committee has obtained from the UNHCR 120 flat-screen, surplus computers for 25 schools in the Indian State of Kerala. At the time of writing this report the equipment is packed and ready for shipment, waiting for the last import formalities to be completed by the Indian counterpart.
13. The Fondation pour Genève had requested Greycells to help with preparations for, and note-taking at, twice yearly meetings of the Diplomatic Club of Geneva. The principal tasks would be to prepare the meetings of the Steering Committee of the Diplomatic Club and to draft a report on the proceedings. The Executive Committee gave a favourable response to this request, but the project seems to be on hold.
14. Mandat International called this year again on Greycells to review three new texts in the series “Dossiers thématiques”: on population and culture, on telecommunications, and on health-related issues. This same institution also resorted to Greycells for translation into Spanish of a new legal search engine that it has developed (www.whatconvention.org), a very useful research tool for easy and systematic access to international conventions.
15. The Committee has also ensured over the year various translations for other bodies: translation into English of a new website (www.cagi.ch) for the Geneva International Welcome Centre (CAGI); translation into French of a promotional text on Geneva products, also for CAGI; translation into English of the presentation on the exhibition “Murs”, for Earthfocus, etc. “Graines de Paix” (www.graines-de-paix.org), an independent association promoting peace, has recently requested if Greycells could help translating their web site into various languages, including Spanish, Farsi, Arabic and Hindi. The Committee agreed to look at the site and assess what it represents in terms of translation work.
16. Concerning the above-mentioned exhibition “Murs” (Geneva, Pont de la Machine, from 9 November 2009 to end February 2010), aimed at high school students and consisting of presentations around the theme of walls and their impact, Greycells is cooperating with the cantonal authorities, the International School and some NGOs (Imaginaid, Earthfocus, Graines de Paix) in drafting a script for the presentations that the “accompagnateurs” will make to the students visiting the exhibition. Greycells will also provide a number of “accompagnateurs”.
17. The Executive Committee has cooperated as well with the “Comité AGIR”, set up to counter the referendum that had been launched against the extension of the WTO, and to rally support in its favour and, more generally, in favour of “la Genève internationale”.
18. All through the year, the Executive Committee has maintained a regular and friendly relationship with the Swiss Mission, the Geneva Welcome Centre and other relevant Swiss institutions, as well as with an increasing number of local and international NGOs.
19. It can be said that 2009 has been a year of consolidation, during which the first Greycells Executive Committee devoted a good part of its time to laying down the foundations of the new organization, starting promotional actions, ensuring its basic funding and entering into the implementation of the first projects. It is perhaps because of its « modest » approach that some may think that the Greycells initiative has faded away in the mists of generous but aborted ideas. Quite the contrary! Preliminary contacts with numerous institutions and teaching centres in the Geneva area and abroad have clearly shown that Greycells proposals are most in demand and, given the necessary support and commitment, such proposals only need more manpower and, of course, funding.
20. The Executive Committee therefore appeals to all existing and potential members for a strong commitment. We hope that some of you may wish to participate in the current programmes and activities. Greycells cannot survive with only a small core of active members surrounded by a larger group of benevolent supporters. The facts shown in this report of activities amply demonstrate that there is a lot we can do for the benefit of the international community’s global effort for development, in line with “l’Esprit de Genève” and in accordance with the principles and objectives we have been working for in our former organizations. What Greycells now needs is more active members, more ideas and more projects.
The Executive Committee
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