Proposals for spotlight sessions - Global refugee forum

Speeches and statements

Proposals for spotlight sessions - Global refugee forum

7 August 2019

Introduction

Organized independently by interested Member States and other stakeholders, spotlight sessions will take place on the day before the Global Refugee Forum on 16 December 2019, and during the Forum on 17 and 18 December, at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva. Access to the spotlight sessions will require a Global Refugee Forum conference badge.

Submission of proposals

If you wish to submit a proposal for a spotlight session, please fill out the form below and send it to [email protected] by 30 September 2019.

All submitted proposals will be reviewed by the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team in light of the key considerations listed below. Due to space constraints, we will not be able to accommodate all proposals, so please do not begin organizing your event until your proposal has been approved. Only one proposal per organizer will be considered. You will be notified by 15 October 2019 of the decision regarding your proposal. If we receive proposals for similar events, we may suggest that organizers work together.

The final concept note/flyers and list of spotlight session speakers and moderators should be communicated no later than 30 November 2019 to the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team for security and coordination purposes. Organizers will be encouraged to share this information as soon as possible so that the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team can communicate about the spotlight sessions on the Global Refugee Forum website and through other channels.

Due to registration and security constraints, only registered participants at the Global Refugee Forum will be able to take part in the spotlight sessions on Monday, 16 December.

Key considerations

Please bear the following key considerations in mind in developing the proposals for the spotlight sessions.

Area of focus:

The topic of the spotlight session should relate to the areas of focus of the Global Refugee Forum and/or the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees more broadly.

Partnership and inclusiveness:

Spotlight sessions that are organized in a spirit of inclusiveness and multi-stakeholder partnership – featuring, inter alia, Member States and other stakeholders, including refugees – are particularly encouraged.

Level of participation:

A high level of participation is encouraged, such as Ministers and global representatives of civil society organizations, private sector entities, and international organizations. Participation should also reflect age, gender, and diversity considerations.

Moderator:

Moderation is key to the success of spotlight sessions. The moderator will introduce and close the discussions, facilitate the discussion with the speakers, and lead the Q&A with the audience. We highly recommend experienced moderators for this role.

Format:

We aim to make the Global Refugee Forum as interactive as possible, and spotlight sessions should also reflect this. We recommend ample time for Q&A.

Capacity:

The organizer(s) has sufficient administrative and logistical capacities to organize the spotlight session.
The organizer(s) will promote the spotlight session through their own channels.
The organizers are liable for reference and security checks on any participants or panellists they invite to take part in the spotlight session.

Room capacity:

There will be rooms of varying sizes reserved for spotlight sessions on Monday 16 December. Rooms will be assigned by the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team.

Duration:

Spotlight sessions can be organized in 1.5-hour sessions.

16 December:

09:00 – 10:30
10:45 – 12:15
12:30 – 14:00
14:15 – 15:45
16:00 – 17:30

17 December:

13:00 – 14:30

18 December:

13:30 – 15:00

Communications and outreach:

To engage the wider community, we encourage spotlight session organizers to promote their session and the Global Refugee Forum overall by sharing key information on what they will discuss. Selected spotlight session organizers are encouraged to issue press releases announcing their events and the speakers involved. Infographics and other data visualization tools could be also produced to illustrate key facts and figures related to the topic of the spotlight session. Organizers are encouraged to share this information through their own communication channels.

Proposal for Global Refugee Forum Spotlight session

Organizer(s)	Please list all of the organizers involved.
Title of event
Background and theme (150 words)	Please provide a short description of the background and key theme(s) to be explored during the spotlight session.
Content and expected outcomes (250 words)	Please explain how the topic of the spotlight session aligns with and contributes to the focus areas of the Global Refugee Forum and/or objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees more broadly.
Level and nature of participation	Please indicate who is expected to participate in the event. To the extent possible, we would strongly encourage that the spotlight sessions are multi-stakeholder and be co-designed with and include the refugee co-sponsors or other refugee communities.
Number of participants	Please indicate the number of people expected to attend.
Format	We wish to make the Forum interactive and interesting. Please set out the format you intend to use (i.e. for a Davos-style or café-style discussion format, a TED-style talk, or other).
Envisioned programme	Please provide a short outline of the program or run-of-show for the spotlight session, including the order in which you expect the speakers to appear and the time slots allotted to them. We are hoping to create interactive spotlight sessions that would allow high-level participants to engage from the floor, as well as providing enough space for speakers to discuss the themes. There is a limited number of seats available on the podium. Before transmitting invitations to moderators and panellists, please check with the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team regarding the number of seats available in the assigned room. ------------------------------ *For example:* Introduction of theme and speakers by moderator (5 mins) Speaker 1: refugee-hosting country (5 minutes) Speaker 2: donor country (5 minutes) Brief summary and highlights of high-level contributions made by the two speakers by the moderator to the theme (3 mins) Speaker 3: Multi-stakeholder partner 1 (5 minutes) Speaker 4: Multi-stakeholder partner 2 (5 minutes) Speaker 5: Refugee (co-sponsor, or other) (5 minutes) Brief summary by the moderator and initial set of questions to the speakers (3 minutes) Initial responses by speakers (15 minutes in total) Moderated discussion with participants 45 minutes) Summary and wrap-up by moderator (5 minutes)
Logistical and technical requirements	Please indicate here if you need special equipment, aside from a computer, projector, and a screen, to be set up in the room. Video links to allow for remote participation (of refugees, for example) will be provided upon request. Any use of PowerPoint presentations or slides should be supported and managed by the organizer(s).
Other specific needs (including CART captioning)	Please indicate if you are expecting the participation of persons with disabilities who may require tailored assistance, or if you require support to ensure the event is generally accessible.

Please send the complete proposal to the Global Refugee Forum Coordination Team at [email protected] by 30 September 2019.

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