Mandat International, also known as the International Cooperation Foundation, is an international non-governmental organization

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 based in Geneva

Geneva

Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...

, Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 with consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council

United Nations Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...

, the UNDPI, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....

).

Aims

It is independent from any political or religious affiliation, and aims:

• To promote international dialogue and cooperation.
• To welcome, inform and facilitate the participation in international conferences.
• To support and provide budget accommodation to delegates from developing countries
  Developing country
  A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
  
  .

Activities

Increasingly, non-governmental representatives are invited by international organizations to attend conferences because of their expertise, grass-roots knowledge and the vital role they play in the elaboration and implementation of international policies. But this participation is often complicated and difficult for grass root organizations. It is the main reason why Mandat International was created in 1995. Its main activities include:

• The Welcome Centre for Non-Governmental Organizations and Delegations, which provides information and budget accommodation to non-governmental representatives and delegates attending international meetings in Geneva.
• Several multilingual information websites: Legal search engines on Human rights and humanitarian law, Information and cooperation platform, Calendar of international conferences, Geneva international portal with over 1'000 useful links, information guides, etc.
• A documentation centre with over 10'000 reference documents from both NGOs and international organizations
• Educational programmes to explain the United Nations System
  United Nations System
  The United Nations system consists of the United Nations, its subsidiary organs , the specialized agencies, and affiliated organizations...
  
   and other international organizations to teenagers and students.
• Indigenous Peoples' Cultural Day, organized every year in the framework of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations
  Working Group on Indigenous Populations
  The Working Group on Indigenous Populations was a subsidiary body within the structure of the United Nations. It was established in 1982, and was one of the six working groups overseen by the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the main subsidiary body of the United...
  
  , in cooperation with the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights
  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
  The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is a United Nations agency that works to promote and protect the human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948...
  
  , the UNESCO
  UNESCO
  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
  
  Swiss Commission and Traditions pour Demain.
• Volunteers and Internship programmes

As well as various projects to bringing the various stakeholders and sectors of the international arena closer together.