[World Council of Churches] The Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO) celebrated its 75th anniversary and offered a webinar in New York City on Oct. 27 entitled “UN-NGO Relations: Enhancing Multilateralism, Protecting NGO Access, Civic Space, and Democratic Discourse.”

CoNGO president Levi Bautista, in his opening remarks, commemorated the 75th anniversary of CoNGO, taking stock of accomplishments and envisioning future work. “The United Nations was only three years old when CoNGO was born,” he said, and one could even say the two organizations grew up together in the same neighborhood. “Neighborhoods bring us back to a more general understanding of our global challenges.”

As the conference in New York opened, greetings and statements by high-level United Nations officials expressed appreciation to non-governmental organizations for, among other initiatives, helping many communities across the world strive for the Sustainable Development Goals. 

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