In Room 3 of the Conference of NGOs (CONGO) invited South Africa's Minister of Foreign Affairs NC Diamini Zuma and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson. Neither were able to attend, but South Africa and the United Nations were represented by Myume Dandala, presiding Bishop of Methodist churches, and Nafis Sadik, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General to the WCAR, respectively.

"First of all, as a South African, I convey my own appreciation of the conference," Dandala said. Calling the defeat of apartheid a "leap" in the struggle for justice, Dandala said South Africa understands that it is now accountable to the world. He praised the WCAR, saying it was a great forum where Dalits, refugees, victims of war as well as descendants of slaves had their say and the world listened to them.

"No one in the world can say that they did not know," he said.

Dandala then praised the work of the Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) saying there is a need for them because "The fight against racism will not see the light of day if it wasn't for ordinary people."

But, Dandala said, the fight against racism isn't complete because racism in the media, academia and scientific research is the "most stubborn because it enjoys some type of rationalization. It's easier to come against apartheid or the caste system then the stereotyping of Hollywood.

"We may still be disconnected but the dim lines that connect us are finally starting to emerge. Historical tragedies may have torn us apart but our humanity brings us back together."

Despite the complaints and the perceived failings of the conference, Sadik said, many issues have been brought up and that made the conference a success.

"We should remember how far we come in such a short time," Sadik said. "In the last decade, the UN held a series of conferences on a variety of social issues such as human rights, population and women."

Sadik said that many issues in the WCAR have been around "since history began" and the world had high expectations. She said that the WCAR was the place where solutions came together, despite differences, and she hopes that the delegates will follow the lead of the NGOs and draft a final Plan of Action.

"National NGOs have found their voice," she said. "NGOs have a better grasp on issues."

Sadik said in NGOs keep delegates from saying their respective countries don't have certain problems. "The delegate would say, 'This doesn't happen in my country' and the person from the NGO would say 'What country are you living in?' "

"I believe this conference is a major move forward," said Alfredo Sfeir Younis, World Bank representative to the United Nations and Director of the World Bank in Geneva. "No one can leave and not understand what racism is."

Younis then went on to explain that the world is changing radically, saying the world celebrated the 3 billion population mark in 1953 and in 1999 celebrated 6 billion. Afterward, he explained

the legacy of the WCAR, what he dubbed, "Post Durban." Post Durban, he said, will leave an "imprint" and it's not enough to simply talk about it, there needs to be measures to ensure all the goals in Durban are enacted in Post Durban.

"If we plan to cut poverty in half, we must do that," Younis said. "We can't keep putting Plans of Action and setting goals that we don't achieve."