The first Hague Peace Conference had limited, but nevertheless tangible results: adoption of a convention for the Pacific Settlement of Disputes; establishment of the Permanent Court of Arbitration; issuing of "Laws and Customs of War on Land" known as "The Hague Convention" which is the most important source of humanitarian law today. Hundred years later, the third Hague Peace Conference was a commemoration during which civil society organized its own event. It has resulted in "The Hague Appeal for Peace 1999" aiming at sending a clear message to the world's policy makers on issues with which they failed to address in the first two rounds: How to eliminate the causes of war, the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, improvements in humanitarian law, and the creation of a culture of peace for the world's war-oppressed people.

The first Global People's Assembly (GPA), that was held in Samoa in april 2000, has passed forty resolutions offering solutions for global problems. Some models for future development of the GPA were suggested: the election of delegates; participatory rather than representative processes; and a World Parliament approach, which could be initiated by a significant number of small nations. The next GPA is scheduled to be held in Mumbai (India) in february 2002. The GPA is an active proponent of the initiative taken by the Millenium Forum (New York, may 2000) to propose Heads of States the creation of a Global Civil Society Forum within the United Nations.

Charter 99, a worldwide campaign for global democracy, was launched on UN Day, 24 October 1999. The Charter provides the basis for a campaign encouraging governments to openly support and develop proposals for strengthening and democratizing the United Nations, thus making it both more efficient and accountable. It encourages governements to strengthen democratic accountability and participation in international decision-making; monitor and regulate international corporations and financial institutions; strengthen UN peace keeping force and multilateral global security; etc. It already has supporters in over 30 parliaments and 92 countries.

Earth Action was established at the 1992 Earth Summit Conference. It has over 1500 partner organizations in more than 140 countries. Earth Action works to protect the global environment, to prevent armed conflict, to safeguard human rights, and to help ensure that everyone has access to health care, education, family planning and economic opportunity. Its purpose and strategy is to enable thousands of organizations, individual citizens, journalists, and members of parliaments to act simultaneously around the world in order to generate the political will to solve global problems. Earth Action strengthen the capacities of partner organizations to participate in global political decision-making.

Civicus is an international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. The vision of Civicus is a worldwide community of informed, inspired, committed citizens engaged in confronting the challenges facing humanity. It is dedicated to pursuing a world such that:

• citizen action is a predominant feature of the political, economic and cultural life of all societies;
• private action for the public good is expressed by a rich and diverse array of organizations operating sometimes apart and sometimes in dialogue with governance and business; and
• a healthy society is one in which there is an equitable relationship among citizens, their associations and foundations, business and governments.

The Global Coalition World Democracy 2010, aiming at the creation of global and democratic sovereign institutions, was launched in the Hague on 14 May 1999. It is open to all organisations and individuals wishing to demonstrate their attachment to a world of peace in the 21st century through the democratic rule of law. All organisations, whether governmental, inter-governmental or of civil society, agreeing to a minimal common statement of goals and design principles for global democratic institutions are welcome to join this new and forward-looking cross-sectoral partnership. The Common statement on global and democratic sovereign institutions and invitation to participate can be obtained from:

A special dossier was dedicated to various projects of the Earth Charter in issue n°4 of Caravan. Within the Alliance, the reflection goes on with the process of drafting a Charter for a Responsible, Plural and United World, which aims to serve as a third pillar for international relations, besides the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A meeting of allies from various continents is planned in Greece in November 2000 to introduce better an intercultural dimension to this project.

Global Governance is a review of Multilateralism and International Organizations. It is one of the leading forum for practitioners and academics who want to explore the impact of international institutions and multilateral processes on economic development, peace and security, human rights, and the preservation of the environment. The journal maintains a truly global focus with contributions from a wide range of multidisciplinary and multicultural perspectives. It is published in association with the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) and the United Nations University (UNU).

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