03/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - "The Millennium Assembly will mark a unique opportunity for the world's leaders to seize: namely to look beyond their own preoccupations, however pressing, and to try to envisage the kind of UN they would like to see, and be prepared to support, into the next century", said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on 31 December. He recalled that the UN has decided to designate its 55th session, which begins on 5 September 2000, as the "Millennium assembly" and to hold a millennium Summit, which will open on 6 September 2000 in New York. This summit, said Mr. Annan, should allow the 188 members of the UN to "reaffirm their moral attachment" to the principles of the United Nations Charter and to blow new political life into international cooperation. Before the summit, a millennium Forum will be held at UN headquarters from 22-26 May, to allow civil society to give its views on the future role of the Organisation.