E/2018/43 E/C.19/2018/11 Chapter IV Organization of the session A. Opening and duration of the session 132. The Permanent Forum held its seventeenth session at United Nations Headquarters from 16 to 27 April 2018. It held 15 formal meetings, including 5 closed meetings, to consider the items on its agenda. 133. At the 1st meeting, on 16 April, the session was opened by the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development. At the opening ceremony, a representative of the Onondaga Nation, Tadodaho Sid Hill, delivered a welcoming address. The President of the General Assembly and the Vice -President of the Economic and Social Council (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) delivered statements. 134. At the same meeting, the President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma, addressed the Forum. Statements were also made by the Chair of the Forum and the Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development. B. Attendance 135. Members of the Permanent Forum and representatives of Governments, intergovernmental organizations and bodies, United Nations entities and non-governmental and indigenous organizations attended the session. The list of participants will be published at a later date. C. Election of officers 136. At its 1st meeting, on 16 April, the Forum elected the following members of the Bureau by acclamation: Chair: Mariam Wallet Mohamed Aboubakrine Vice-Chairs: Anne Nuorgam Zhang Xiaoan Dmitrii Kharakka-Zaitsev Tarcila Rivera Zea Rapporteur: Brian Keane 18-07701 25/26