Syed Ishtiaq Gilani, Chief Executive Officer of an NGO, United Global Organization of Development - GOOD  was invited to participate in WANGO Annual Conference 2002: Culture of Responsibility and the Role of NGOs. Leaders of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from throughout the world, as well as select Governmental, Intergovernmental and Corporate Leaders, converged on Washington, D.C. from October 18-20, 2002 in Capital Hilton, USA

By all accounts, WANGO Annual Conference 2002 was an outstanding success, and the reflections of those participating were generally highly laudatory. We found time to network and build partnerships, attend training sessions, and hear from a selection of an almost 70 presenters, including 48 international speakers, who graced the podium during the program. We also celebrated together select accomplishments in offering the inaugural WANGO Awards, with recognition being given to outstanding individuals and NGO leaders from throughout the world: Africa, Middle East, Europe, Latin America and North America. The business of the Association was advanced through our first membership meeting. Overall, there was a feeling of great hope in seeing the continuing evolution of the NGO community in playing a leading role in building a "Culture of Responsibility."

Of course, this being WANGO’s First Annual Conference as a Membership Organization -- since the approval of new bylaws less than one year earlier - there were areas in which our Association and its secretariat can develop and improve. Utilizing the recommendations received from those who attended this conference, the goal is to make WANGO Annual Conference 2003 a greater success, and for WANGO itself to grow to have even heightened value for its membership. As an Association, it is important that all members feel ownership of WANGO. The expressed commitment of the membership, the International Council members, and the International Secretariat personnel is to build on the success of this first conference in order to best support our NGO membership and the worldwide NGO community.

Leaders of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from throughout the world, as well as select governmental, intergovernmental and corporate leaders, converged on Washington, D.C. from October 18-20, 2002 for WANGO Annual Conference 2002, the flagship event of the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO). In all, 312 prominent leaders from 74 nations participated in this three-day gathering. Including WANGO staff, day guests, and speakers, a total of 353 individuals were involved in making this meeting of the Association one of the more memorable, unique and valuable programs since the organization’s founding.

WANGO’s Annual Conference is one of the world's leading meetings for NGOs dedicated to the ideals of service, world peace, and global well-being. The centerpiece of the Association’s activities, award presentations and professional development program, the forum offers a unique opportunity for WANGO to provide NGOs with the mechanism and support desired to assist them in addressing humanity’s problems.

This year’s conference took place at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C., two blocks from the White House, and was convened on the theme, Culture of Responsibility and the Role of NGOs. It provided a unique crossroads for representatives of civil society to meet, share innovative ideas and practices, and build strategic partnerships that can help NGOs better fulfill their missions. Its varied session formats included plenary sessions where leading authorities delivered presentations, panel sessions where NGO representatives introduced their organizations or discussed their activities or concerns, workshops where experts provided guidance on practical topics of importance to NGOs, and regional breakout sessions where NGOs could better network and explore regional concerns. This event was also the setting for the annual business meeting of the Association. Although WANGO has held other major programs, this was the first annual conference since the adoption of new bylaws on November 30, 2001, which established WANGO as a membership organization.

WANGO Annual Conference 2002 was particularly noteworthy in that it not only brought together major NGO leaders, but also involved them in interactive discussions with governmental representatives, designed to explore how the non-state and state actors could best cooperate to fulfill common objectives. Most of the attendees were executive officers of their NGO, with 194 serving in such a position (President, Secretary General, Director, Chairman of the Board, Founder, Deputy Director, etc.). However, the program also attracted 34 prominent governmental and intergovernmental representatives, including five Ambassadors.

The program was also noteworthy for the diversity of NGOs represented. The 189 NGOs that sent representatives to the conference span the range from large NGOs, with millions of members, hundreds of staff, and multi-million dollar budgets to small NGOs with few staff. They are active in third world nations and industrialized nations, and represent all geographical regions: Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Oceania, Latin America, the Caribbean, Central America and North America. And the participating NGOs encompass the spectrum of human activity: humanitarian aid, conflict prevention and resolution, health care, the environment, economic and social development, indigenous people, religion, media, women, youth, and so forth. WANGO Annual Conference 2002 provided an unprecedented opportunity for networking across barriers of nationality, culture, speciality, and economic status.

Among the highlights of WANGO Annual Conference 2002 was the Awards Banquet, where recognition was accorded to NGOs that have shown remarkable leadership and sacrifice in their field of endeavor. In this way WANGO recognized the spirit of service among NGOs and acknowledged particularly effective groups.