This article describes three different uses of the term:

as a description of varieties of association

as a value advocating the advantages of cooperation

as democratic ecosystem – a public sphere in which engagement with the whole future and shape of society takes place (or could take place).

“Civil society”, Edwards argues, “is the story of ordinary people living extraordinary lives through their relationships with each other, driven forward by a vision of the world that is ruled by love and compassion, non-violence and solidarity.”

The global information society is evolving at breakneck speed. The accelerating convergence between telecommunications, broadcasting multimedia, and information and communications technologies (ICTs) is driving new products and services, as well as ways of conducting business and commerce. At the same time, commercial, social, and professional opportunities are exploding, as new markets open to competition, foreign investment, and participation.

The US based, non-profit organisation, “The Transnational Diplomatic Network,” offers an interesting interpretation of what transnational diplomacy is all about. It intertwines very much with the concept of multistakeholder diplomacy.

“Examines how the processes of globalisation and fragmentation have affected the nature of diplomatic activity. In particular, attention is paid to three aspects of transnational diplomacy; (1) the development of cross-border and cross-cultural partnerships and relationships between state and non-state actors; (2) the contribution of formalised "second-track" diplomacy to the management of relations between nation states, as well as between state and non-state actors; and 3) the relationship between professional diplomats and non-governmental entities in the implementation of projects and actions at the international level.”

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada was formed in 1984 by an Act of Parliament, with a mandate to promote Canadians' understanding of the Asia Pacific region. At the time, Canada's involvement with Asia was slight compared to its long-standing relationships with Europe and the United States. Accordingly, the Foundation's emphasis in its first decade was on raising the awareness and basic skills level of Canadians, enabling them to operate more effectively in Asia and with Asians. The types of programmes it promoted include language training, curriculum development, media exchanges, and cross-cultural skills. (...) In addition to the multidisciplinary approach inherent in the research agenda of the Foundation, a conscious effort has been made to bring in voices from other segments of civil society in public policy discussions. This multistakeholder approach is essential in modern-day policy making, not least for policies to gain public support and legitimacy. All too often, however, multistakeholder discussions end up either as a cacophony of divergent viewpoints or as a fait accompli for policies already decided upon. The Foundation's approach has been to ensure that multistakeholder discussions are well-informed, clearly purposed, and ably-led. This boils down to having well-framed questions and issues for discussion; careful (but not biased) selection of participants; preparation of balanced, readable, and sufficiently in-depth background materials in advance of the meeting; the use of competent discussion starters; and the direction of a skilful moderator.

Source: Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Author: Dr. Yuen Pau Woo

Mulitstakeholder processes are conducive to sustainable development because they are able to incorporate the needs and concerns of a wide variety of people into planning and development processes. The articles in this section discuss the intricacies of establishing successful multistakeholder initiatives and provide examples of initiatives that have been undertaken at local, regional, national, and international levels.