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Media on Civil G8Organized civil communityElla Pamfilova is going to prove to the G8 leaders that the bill on NGOs signed by Vladimir Putin at the beginning of the year has not ruined the Civil Society in Russia. Yesterday the chairman of the President Counsel on the Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Development, opened the two day Nongovernmental Organization International Forum in Moscow. The prime aims of this event are clear from the name itself – “CivilG8-2006”. But Ms Pamfilova formulated them once again: «Ngo Community has lots of problems, but the rumors about the end of the Civil Society are exaggerated. It is developing. It is alive”, - Ella Pamfilova said at the beginning of the event. As already known, being this year G8 president, Russia organizes the meeting of the G8 leaders in St. Petersburg in summer this year. Traditionally, the preparation to the event presupposes the meeting with the nongovernmental organizations’ representatives to get to know the Civil Society opinions on the key matters to be discussed. But this time in Moscow, the representatives are going to discuss more than just answers for the Western leaders’ questions. “Apart from the traditional topic that the G8 is concerned with, the Forum will raise the questions of the Civil Society in Russia, problems of social integration, poverty reduction, as well as non-violation of the human rights in the fight against terrorism”, - Ella Pamfilova said. She opposed the suspicions that the Forum will work for the western audience which constantly demand Russia to show its commitment to the democratic values. “We do not have the task to fake the mutual agreement. If we agree on some points in some questions, that is good. If there are opposite points of view, then it is important to professionally and correctly formulate and show them”, Pamfilova explained. Ms Pamfilova set anti-globalists as an example of “opposite opinions”. “We are denying anyone”, she promised. Today, during the second day of the Forum anti-globalists, who are famous for the public demonstrations on the days of the G8 Summits, will have their tribune. On the whole, the “CivilG8” Forum was attended by more than 300 NGOs’ representatives, including 100 NGOs from 35 countries, and more than 200 Russian national and regional noncommercial organizations. All these people hope that the world leaders will hear them. They are planning to work out recommendations that will be read by the elected reporters at the main Summit in St. Petersburg in June. “Regional organizations have expressed great interest and are not confined by the local problems. I hope that the Russian presence in the G8 will strengthen the Civil Society in our country”, Ella Pamfilova said. Irina Belasheva |
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