Opened in the General Assembly Hall by UN Under-Secretary General for Communications and Public Information, Mr. Kensaku Hogen of Japan, the NGOdelegates were first welcomed in a short speech by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Keynote addresses were then given by HM Queen Noor of Jordan and Mr. Oscar Arias, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former President of Costa Rica on the subject of globalization, recognizing its present successes and future possibilities, but also calling for increased vigilance to protect all sections of human society, cultural institutions, and the environment from the destructive aspects of globalization.

     Subsequent conference sessions over the following two days were devoted to consideration of "Trade and Finance", "Labor", "Culture and Communications", and the effects of globalization on each of these. Unfortunately, a vital fourth session on "Food and Agriculture" had to be cancelled on Thursday afternoon due to the driving rain and winds of Hurricane Floyd, as most of New York City closed down for the day.

     The two final sessions on Friday afternoon, "New Partnerships and Structures for the 21st Century" and "Globalization in the 21st Century", concentrated on the future shape of world society and interaction. Perhaps the most applauded speech of the conference was the final one of the day given by Ms. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, Vice-President of the Republic of Uganda, as she described how Africans of the developing world viewed the effects of a largely Western developed-nation driven economic globalization.

     The International Shinto Foundation was represented at the conference by Vice President Kathy C. Hobbs and Paul H. Sherbow. ISF was also honored to donate a small sum to DPI for conference operating expenses.