Commonwealth People's Forum

We are finally meeting again!

About the Commonwealth People's Forum

Want to Feel More Represented as A Civilian? Learn More About the People’s Forum

The CPF brings together civil society representatives from around the Commonwealth to examine fundamental challenges plaguing Commonwealth citizens. It is the most critical single occasion for civil society to connect with Commonwealth leaders on global development challenges.

The forum is designed around plenary presentations, interactive conversations, and participant-led policy dialogues. The CPF will fixate on the theme: Advancing Together: Delivering people-centered governance through the Commonwealth. For the sake of our wellbeing, our ecosystem, and our future.

The CPF will pose and attempt to address our generation's most pressing concerns. Specifically, to answer this question: How can we bring the finest of humankind, the powers of love, compassion, equality, and justice, to bear on our shared future?

Quick info

Transport information

Programme

Delivering a Common Future: Our health, Our planet, Our future

Kigali, Rwanda 21-22 June 2022

Tuesday

21 June 2022

Wednesday

22June 2022

09:00 – 09:45

MC

- Victoria Rubadiri, Broadcast Journalist

- Mark de Lisser, Founder of London-based Singology Choir

Speakers:

- Remarks by Dr. Anne T. Gallagher, Director General, Commonwealth Foundation

- Creative performance by Agahozo Shalom Village Students

- Official Opening Remarks by the GoH

Theme One: Health Justice

09:45 – 11:00

Session One: Building Resilient and Equitable National Health Systems

Moderator: Dr Ines Hassan, Senior Policy Researcher at the Global Health Governance Programme at the Usher Institute

Panellists:

Prof. Senait Fisseha, MD/JD:
Director of Global Programs at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Dr Ravi Rannan-Eliya:
Executive Director & Fellow of the Institute of Health Policy (IHP), Sri Lanka.
Justin Koonin:
President of ACON (formerly AIDS Council of New South Wales
Dr Richard Mihigo:
Director C-19 Vaccine Delivery, Coordination & Integration - COVAX; GAVI, The Vaccine Allinace & Deputy Global Coordinator C19 Vaccine Delivery Partnership

11:00 – 11:30

Health Break

Theme Two: Climate Justice

11:30 – 13:00

Session Two: Climate Justice and Leadership for Change in the Commonwealth

Moderator: Dr. Marlene Attzs:
Development Economist, Strategist and lecturer of West Indies University

Panellists:

-Dr Jimmy Fletcher
a former Minister for Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology in Saint Lucia.
-Harjeet Singh:
Global lead on climate change for ActionAid, India.
-Maxwell Gomera:
Resident Representative, UNDP Rwanda
-Dr. Ugirashebuja Emmanuel:
Member of the Global Judicial Institute on the Environment, Emeritus president of the East African Court of Justice and current Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Republic of Rwanda.

13:00 – 14:30

Lunch Break

Theme Three: Making Change Happen: Accountable and People-Centred Governance

14:30 – 16:30

Session Three: Health and Climate: Meeting the Immediate Challenge of Financing

Moderator: Heidi Chow:
Executive Director Jubilee Debt Campaign, UK.

Speakers:

Dr. Donald Kaberuka:
Economist and former President of the African Development Bank and Chair of the Global Fund (AIDS, TB Malaria).
Dr Jimmy Fletcher
a former Minister for Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology in Saint Lucia.
Alvin Mosioma:
is the founding Executive Director of Tax Justice Network Africa

16:30 – 17:00

Wrap up of Day One

18:00 – 20:30

Cocktail and Short Story Prize Event

MC

- Mark De-Lisser, Host of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize

Speeches

- Welcome Remarks, Dr. Usta Kaitesi,CEO/RGB

- Brief overview of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Dr. Anne Gallagher , DG, Commonwealth Foundation Louise Overview of the judging process and the regional winners, Ms. Louise Umutoni-Bower

- Short video clip of the five regional winners and judges

- Louise introduces the winner of the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize

- Winner says a few words and gives a short reading

09:00 – 10:30

Session Four: Innovations in Participatory Governance

Moderator

-Dr. Linda Yueh:Executive Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society, UK

Speakers:

Hon. Protais Musoni:Chairperson of Pan African Movement Rwanda Chapter

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone

Beth Chitekwi-Biti:Managing Director Slum Dwellers International Secretariat

Sohela Nazneen: A Research Fellow in Gender and Sexuality at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) (Sussex, UK

10:30 – 10:55

Health Break

11:00 – 12:30

Session Five: Advancing Freedom of Expression in the Commonwealth

Moderator: Victoria Rubadiri

Speakers:

Dionne Jackson Miller: Former President of the Press Association of Jamaica

Dr. Anne Gallagher, DG. Commonwealth Foundation

Sa’eed Husaini Researcher and Consultant

12:30 – 13:45

Lunch Break

14:00 – 15:30

Session Six: A Commonwealth for All

Moderator: Victoria Rubadiri

Panellists:

H.E. Sudha Devi Vasudevan Chairperson of the Common Wealth Foundation

Ms. Ineza Grace, Youth and Legal Representative of The Green Protector Organisation

Ms. Alicia Wallace, a queer Black feminist, gender expert, and research consultant. She is the Director of Equality Bahamas.

15:30 – 15:55

Break

16:00 – 16:45

Closing ceremony

- CPF Recommendations- in form of a Video

- Remarks by Dr. Anne Gallagher, DG, Commonwealth Foundation

- Remarks by Dr. Usta Kaitesi, CEO Rwanda Governance Board