Delegates and activists arrived in Beijing Monday ready to begin the United Nation’s Fourth World Conference on Women. Approximately 24,000 activists are expected to participate in the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum, which begins Wednesday and runs through September the eighth. The conference itself, which runs from September the fourth to the fifteenth, is expected to draw 6,000 delegates. Though last minute changes by the Chinese government of the NGO Forum’s site and trouble by many participants with hotel reservations and visas caused early speculation of a chaotic conference, the initial arrival of persons was handled in an organized fashion. Conference organizers prepared the meeting hall and directed participants towards registration tables and buses without long delays or confusion.
The Feminist Majority’s own delegation arrived in Beijing safely and travels to the NGO Forum site today. Look at our Fourth World’s Conference on Women section for our delegation’s up-to-the-minute Forum news, platform information and reports.