Date

Theme

Speakers

30 June 2004

Press Launch of the 2004 Edition of the Small Arms Survey Yearbook

The Geneva Forum organised a press briefing in advance of the formal launch in Geneva of the 2004 edition of the Small Arms Survey yearbook, sub-titled “Rights at Risk.”

Prof. Keith Krause, Programme Director, Small Arms Survey

Dr. Glenn McDonald, Senior Researcher and Yearbook Coordinator, Small Arms Survey

Launch of the 2003 Edition of the Geneva Forum “Media Guide to Disarmament and Arms Control”

The 2003 Edition of the Geneva Forum’s “Media Guide to Disarmament” expands upon and updates the first edition launched in 2002 (see entry for 25 March 2002 below). The Guide contains:· A calendar of important multilateral security and disarmament-related meetings during 2003 and beyond;· The names and contact details of over 200 experts in 15 issue areas of disarmament and arms control and 6 geographical regions that have agreed to act as media contact points;· Links to further useful information on the web.

Participants:

Journalists accredited to the UN in Geneva — Representatives of government permanent missions to the UN in Geneva — Geneva-based nongovernmental organisations

Press Breakfast to launch the "BioWeapons Prevention Project"

On the opening day of the resumed session of the 5th Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), the Geneva Forum organised a press breakfast to launch a new civil society initiative called the “Bio Weapons Prevention Project” (BWPP). This initiative, which the Geneva Forum incubated, is a global civil society activity that aims to strengthen the norm against using disease as a weapon. It was initiated by a group of non-governmental organizations concerned at the failure of governments to act. BWPP tracks governmental and other behaviour that is pertinent to compliance with international treaties and other agreements, especially those that outlaw hostile use of biotechnology. The project works to reduce the threat of bioweapons by monitoring and reporting throughout the world. BWPP supports and is supported by a global network of partners. BWPP was also presented to governments during a lunchtime seminar on the same day, attended by more than 100 participants, organised by the BWPP with the assistance of the Geneva Forum.

Ms. Barbara Hatch Rosenberg, Chair, Working Group on Biological Weapons, Federation of American Scientists

Mr. Malcolm Dando, Co-Director, Project on Strengthening the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, University of Bradford

Mr. Ian Davis, Director, British American Security Information Council (BASIC)

25 March 2002

Launch of the "2002 Media Guide to Disarmament and Arms Control"

At a reception in front of the meeting room of the Conference on Disarmament in the Palais des Nations, the Geneva Forum launched its "2002 Media Guide to Disarmament in Geneva," the first edition of this guide to appear.  The Media Guide is designed to assist journalists in covering disarmament and security processes in Geneva.  It contains an overview of the principal disarmament events and meetings scheduled to take place in 2002 in Geneva and elsewhere, the names and contact details of over 200 experts in 15 different fields of disarmament and 6 geographical regions who are willing to act as media contacts, as well as links to useful information on the web.  The Geneva Forum plans to bring out a new edition of the Guide at the beginning of each year.

Participants:
Journalists accredited to the UN in Geneva - Representatives of government permanent missions to the UN in Geneva - Geneva-based nongovernmental organisations

Speakers:
Ms. Patricia Lewis, Director, UNIDIR

Ms. Marie Heuzé, Director, UN Information Service, Geneva

Informal working lunch with journalists

The purpose of this informal meeting with key journalists covering disarmament issues in Geneva was threefold:  First, to familiarise them with the types of work in which the Geneva Forum is engaged in order to find out whether this work could be expanded or fine-tuned in such a way as to assist them in their reporting work; second, to ask their advice on how to engage a greater number of Geneva-based journalists in disarmament-related reporting and, finally, to solicit their feedback on the first draft of the Geneva Forum Media Guide to Disarmament in Geneva, scheduled for release early in 2002.  In general, the journalists present expressed interest in and support of the work of the Geneva Forum and provided positive feedback on the Media Guide.  They also asked, among other things, that the Geneva Forum endeavour to provide more expert background briefings to journalists in advance of important disarmament negotiations and meetings

Participants:
Andreas Zumach (Tageszeitung) - John Zarocostas (Journal of Commerce) - Frances Williams (Financial Times) - Elizabeth Olson (New York Times) - Alexander Higgins (Associated Press) - Yasushi Fuji (Kyodo News Agency) - Peter Capella (Agence France Presse) - Deborah Berlinck (O Globo) - Preeta Bannerjee (UN Information Service) - Jenni Rissanen (Acronym Institute)