NEWS RELEASES
CANADA TO PARTICIPATE IN UN SPECIAL SESSION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
June 23, 2000 (4:30 p.m. EDT) No. 160
CANADA TO PARTICIPATE IN UN SPECIAL SESSION ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that Secretary of State (Children and Youth) Ethel
Blondin-Andrew will lead the Canadian delegation to the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the
Implementation of the Outcome of the World Summit on Social Development (WSSD + 5) in Geneva, from June
26 to 30.
The Special Session is an opportunity to review and assess progress achieved on social development since the
1995 World Summit in Copenhagen, where participants from Canada and around the world met to reaffirm the
UN Charter goal of promoting "social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom." The three main
themes of the Summit were the eradication of poverty; the expansion of productive employment; and enhanced
social integration, especially of disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
"These Special Sessions play an important role in encouraging a more integrated approach to the pursuit of
global social and economic development goals through co-operation and partnerships," said Minister Axworthy.
"Enhancing social development is also key to creating an international environment more conducive to human
security."
Canadian objectives for the upcoming session in Geneva include raising the profile of social development
issues; inviting all partners to renew their commitment to meeting the goals and objectives of the 1995 Summit;
identifying priorities for future action; and highlighting Canadian domestic and international initiatives to date.
"The Special Session is a continuation of the five-year reviews of the conferences which took place throughout
the 1990s. These important meetings took a multilateral, interdisciplinary approach to complex global issues,
setting both national and international goals," said Secretary of State Blondin-Andrew. "Canada's active
participation in WSSD + 5 underlines our commitment to sustainable world social development."
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
Margaret Embleton
Office the Secretary of State (Children and Youth)
(613) 992-1388
This document is also available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Internet site:
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca
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