The purpose of this event is to explore the work of mass atrocity prevention across the UN system, with a focus on the role of the new Office of the Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities (SRPGMA).

During the conference, a series of high-level panel discussions will touch upon key questions involving the prevention mandates and roles of relevant UN departments. Themes will include: what are departments across the UN system currently doing in terms of prevention; what obstacles do they face; and in what ways these actors best interact with the new and enhanced office of the Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.

Speakers will include: Francis Deng, the Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, Gareth Evans, President of International Crisis Group, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, David Hamburg, Chair of the Advisory Committee to the Secretary General on Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, Edward Luck, Vice President and Director of Studies, International Peace Academy, as well as Senior Officials from relevant UN departments.

Participants will discuss the ways in which UN departments individually and collectively address issues of mass atrocity prevention; they will examine successes and challenges to this work in the context of recent case studies; they will discuss the unfinished agenda in implementing paragraphs 138 and 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document; and they will foster dialogue about the ways in which these actors can best interface with the new Special Representative’s office going forward to ensure that the world body has the capability to respond quickly and effectively to potential and manifest instances of mass atrocity.

Interested parties from the UN Secretariat, UN Member-states, NGOs, academia, and field practitioners are invited to attend.

9:30-10:15 Welcome & Introductory Remarks
Welcome: Donald Steinberg & Jean-Marc Coicaud --What is the event about?  Why is it

useful?  What do we expect from the day?  Why are we partnering?
Keynote address:  Gareth Evans, International Crisis Group

10:15-11:00 Panel 1: Spotlight: The new Office of the Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities
Discussants: Iain Levine (moderator), Francis Deng, Edward Luck
The enhanced role of the SRPGMA office
The tools and mechanisms of the SRPGMA (monitoring, early warning, info collection)
Partnership on the Responsibility to Protect
Collaborating across the UN system: key institutional relationships

11:00-11:15     BREAK

11:15-13:15 Panel 2: Mass Atrocity Prevention: the UN system:
Discussants: Colin Keating (moderator), Jean-Marie Guehenno (DPKO), Haile Menkerios (DPA), Pierre Bertrand (UNHCR), Ngonlardje Mbaidjol (UNHCHR) , Eloho Otobo (PBSO) and Hansjoerg Strohmeyer (OCHA)                     
What are DPKO/ DPA/ UNHCR/ UNHCHR/ PBSO/ OCHA currently doing in terms of genocide prevention? What should they be doing? What obstacles do these departments face?
How does their work best interface with the Office of the SRPGMA?
Speakers will frame their comments as much as possible in the context of real-life case studies

13:15-14:30     BREAK FOR LUNCH

14:30-15:30 Panel 3: Mass Atrocity Prevention: Civil Society
Discussants:  Suliman Baldo, David Hamburg, Tori Holt, Edward Joseph              
What are some preventive practices/tools that have been used effectively in recent history in the face of mass atrocity? Where are there existing gaps, and how do we fill them?
How can the Office of the SRPGMA best interface with civil society actors on the ground?
Speakers will frame their comments as much as possible in the context of real-life case studies

 15:45-17:00 Summary, Discussion, & Closing:
Open Discussion
Summary and context of key themes discussed: Donald Steinberg
Concluding remarks: Jean Marc Coicaud, Colin Keating, Donald Steinberg

Confirmed Speakers (in alphabetic order):

Suliman Baldo - International Center for Transitional Justice
Pierre Bertrand - Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
Francis Deng - Office of the Special Representative for the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.
Gareth Evans - International Crisis Group
Jean-Marie Guehenno - Department for Peacekeeping Operations
David Hamburg -  Chair, Advisory Committee to the Secretary General on Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities.
Tori Holt - Henry L. Stimson Center
Edward Joseph - Johns Hopkins SAIS, Foreign Policy Institute
Colin Keating - Security Council Report
Iain Levine - Human Rights Watch
Edward Luck - International Peace Academy
Ngonlardje Mbaidjol - Office of the High Commission for H.R.
Haile Menkerios - The Department of Political Affairs
Eloho Otobo - Peacebuilding Support Office
Hansjoerg Strohmeyer - Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Donald Steinberg - International Crisis Group
Jean-Marc Coicaud - United Nations University

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