Annual Global NGO Statelessness Retreat, France ©UNHCR On 25-26 June, UNHCR convened the 7th Annual Global NGO Statelessness Retreat. Participants from 27 NGOs based in 20 different countries and UNHCR staff working in different locations met in Divonne-lesBains, France. There were many first-time participants, including both grassroots and global NGOs, who shared their achievements, challenges and future outlook in advancing the goal of ending statelessness. Aside from exchanging insights and updates from their respective regions, participants discussed NGO participation in the 2019 High Level Event, and made commitments to engage in concrete advocacy activities before, during and after the event. On 27 June, UNHCR and the European Network on Nationality organized a session called “Addressing statelessness through a whole-of-society approach” at UNHCR’s Annual Consultations with NGOs in Geneva, Switzerland. The session explored means to ensure that stateless persons and community groups play a prominent role in responding to statelessness, as well as new tools to prevent and resolve statelessness, including a Community Based Practitioner’s Guide on Documenting Citizenship and Other Forms of Legal Identity and a Statelessness Index for Europe. Panelists included members of the Open Society Justice Initiative, the European Network on Statelessness, the Haki Centre and Mr. Thomas Nguli, the Chairman of the formerly stateless Makonde community in Kenya. Mr. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and Mr. Thomas Nguli display the Kenyan passport Mr. Nguli recently received ©UNHCR/S.Hopper 6