Chapter III. Engaging stakeholders in the work of the United Nations

Transcription

1 Chapter III Meeting in the Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. Engaging stakeholders in the work of the United Nations The efforts undertaken by the United Nations across its wide agenda, from disarmament to climate change, from human rights to coordination of humanitarian aid, can only be effective with the full support of all stakeholders. The United Nations cannot achieve the purposes for which it has been created unless the peoples of the world are fully informed and supportive of its aims and activities. As the largest duty station outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York, UNOG hosts numerous meetings and provides key infrastructure and support to the Organization s goals, to permanent missions and to other stakeholders. Well-structured and easily accessible information tools are therefore of paramount importance. Through press releases, publications, radio, television and information programmes and special events, UNOG works to promote an informed understanding of the work and purposes of the United Nations among the peoples of the world, paying particular attention to the main issues dealt with in Geneva: disarmament, human rights, humanitarian action and development, among many others. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 31

2 Informing on the multilateral process UNOG distributes news and information to the media, providing a constant flow of news in English and French, with up-to-date and accurate information about the work of the United Nations, so as to increase its visibility in the media across the world. Over the course of last year, UNOG issued some 1,194 press releases and meeting summaries overall (English and French). They concentrated mainly, but not exclusively, on the work of the Conference on Disarmament, the Human Rights Council, the human rights treaty bodies and OHCHR activities. UNOG press officers at work. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. UNOG produces and distributes radio, television and photo coverage to the media on the activities of the wider United Nations. It also provides radio and television studio and transmission facilities to broadcasters and accredited correspondents. Audio news reports, interviews and features are distributed mainly through United Nations Radio New York for broadcast by radio stations throughout the world and are published on the United Nations New York and UNOG websites. Television news reports are transmitted through UNifeed, the United Nations satellite and Internet TV broadcast news service, the European Broadcasting Union s Eurovision network and the Internet. Photos are made available through the United Nations multimedia site and the Flickr web page of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS). In, radio, television, photo and webcast coverage of the Human Rights Council and its Universal Periodic Review meetings were among the main activities of UNOG. The United Nations humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake and the floods in Pakistan were covered extensively, sometimes with live television transmission of press conferences and regular briefings. The Third World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments was another major focus. A UNTV staff member during a mission to Haiti after the 12 January earthquake. UN Photo/Koi Phan. 32 A partnership to overcome global challenges - UNOG

3 Television productions on the work of the United Nations in different parts of the world included a story for United Nations Television (UNTV) s 21st Century series, on UNECE strategies to help the elderly in Armenia. UNTV Geneva also made a number of films and features for the CNN World Report and United Nations in Action programmes on information communications technologies for development, in countries including China, India, Kenya, Malaysia and the United States; and on UNCTAD biotrade projects in Ecuador. UNTV Geneva also filmed features on the preservation of Haiti s cultural heritage following the earthquake. In the lead-up to the football World Cup in June, UNOG produced radio features on projects to combat AIDS and tuberculosis in South Africa. Facilitating the work of the global media At the United Nations, we attach great significance to the work of the media. The messages we need to get across make a real difference to the lives of people across the world. The media help to link us with the global public that we serve. They connect global developments with the local context, which makes multilateral activities meaningful for those they are intended to benefit. Director-General s remarks at the thirteenth Fête de la Communication (28 September ). UNTV at work. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. The international press is the primary client of UNOG in the media area. It plays a central role in disseminating news and information about the activities of the United Nations to the wider public. More than 200 permanently accredited journalists work at the Palais des Nations. Another 250 or so come for temporary assignments. UNOG provides them with offices and working space, and maintains a documentation centre to support their work and ensure that they receive the latest and most precise information. UNOG also closely cooperates with the public information services of other organizations in the United Nations system present in Geneva to formulate comprehensive, coordinated, coherent and carefully designed systemwide communication strategies for achieving the greatest possible impact. Through press briefings held twice a week, chaired by the Director of UNIS and attended by spokespersons for the different funds, programmes and specialized agencies, the press is kept informed about the latest developments and ongoing efforts of the United Nations. UNOG also organizes press conferences for visiting United Nations officials and experts, as well as specialized press conferences on topics of interest to the media and for the launches of major reports. Such conferences provide the opportunity for permanent missions and other international organizations to address the press corps to explain their activities or positions on international affairs. A total of 248 press conferences took place at the Palais des Nations in. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 33

4 Alex Van Meeuwen, President of the Human Rights Council from 19 June 2009 to 18 June, speaks during a press conference. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. Reaching out to the public The wider public is a key target audience for UNOG. As part of ongoing efforts to reach out to the general public, 74 individual information programmes organized by UNOG and lasting from one to five days were conducted throughout the year. These programmes are intended to provide an introduction to the work of the United Nations family in Geneva and are tailored specifically to the needs of different audiences, such as diplomats, civil servants, students and NGOs from all over the world. From 2006 to, the number of visitors increased by over 2 per cent to reach almost 95,000 in as a reflection of the growing interest of the public in the activities of the United Nations. The expansion in the number of visitors has accelerated since the beginning of with an 8 per cent growth by June compared to The summer was also the backdrop to a few records in terms of the number of visitors in one day and the number of individual visitors (walk-ins) in one day. NUMBER OF VISITORS TO THE PALAIS DES NATIONS PER YEAR 100,000 95,000 90,000 85,000 80,000 75,000 Visitors Visitors listen to a tour guide during a visit of the Palais des Nations. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. The Visitors Service at UNOG continues to serve as a public outreach tool by providing guided tours of the Palais des Nations in more than 15 languages. The information given during the tour covers the history, structure and current activities of UNOG, as well as information about the Palais and its surroundings. 70, Ultimately, the aim is to cater more specifically to the different types of audiences at the Palais des Nations. To this end, an analysis of the client base was undertaken. In parallel, four specific tours are being developed, focusing on youth, history, art and Ariana Park. 34 A partnership to overcome global challenges - UNOG

5 Our visit was a great opportunity to meet very important and interesting officials working at the United Nations and learn more about the overall structure of the Organization. A visitor after a tour of UNOG. Since 2008, UNOG and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have been organizing a unique series of open lectures at the Palais des Nations. The Geneva Lecture Series aim at bringing awareness of pressing global challenges to the public and civil society in Geneva. It also offers an intellectual anchor for the work of the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva and a mechanism to channel current thinking and research into policy-making. The Geneva Lecture Series was inaugurated in April 2008 by the Secretary-General who focused on the MDGs, our common blueprint for progress by the target date of The second Lecture was delivered in December 2008 by Nobel Prize laureates Shirin Ebadi and Wole Soyinka, who spoke on human rights. The Secretary-General also participated in the third edition of the Series which took place in October 2009, with the former President of the Soviet Union and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mikhail Gorbachev, who spoke on resetting the nuclear disarmament agenda. In, three editions of the Geneva Lecture Series were held at the Palais des Nations: Dr. Jane Goodall, United Nations Messenger of Peace and Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, on the topic Nature s wake-up call: why we must heed the warning. In her lecture on 26 May, Dr. Goodall underscored the outcome of the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, which had created a collective realization, particularly among young people, of the urgency of saving the planet. Stressing that poverty was a huge destroyer of the environment, she called on younger generations not to follow the example of those in the past. She also underlined the need for engaging local communities in finding solutions to problems such as deforestation and climate change. Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, on the topic Building bridges: intercultural dialogue, identities and migration. In his lecture on 16 September, Professor Ihsanoglu noted with concern a growing aversion to migrants and immigrants. He warned that instead of finding common ground with a focus on shared values and experiences, identities were being promoted and protected on the basis of differences. Denouncing islamophobia as a contemporary manifestation of racism, he identified the rise of hatred and intolerance towards religious and cultural diversity as one of the gravest threats to peace and security. Prof. Ihsanoglu called for a historic reconciliation between Islam and Christianity, aimed at bringing about an environment of concord, understanding [and] mutual respect. Europe has to decide whether it is a host for Islam or a home for Islam, he concluded. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organization on the topic The impact of the financial crisis on global economic governance. Almost 1,900 people the largest audience to date attended this sixth edition of the Geneva Lecture Series, held at the Palais des Nations on 8 December. Warning that the global financial turmoil was far from over, Mr. Strauss-Kahn emphasized that the economic situation in Europe remained troubling and called for stronger economic and financial oversight, noting that without proper supervision disaster could be just around the corner. However, despite the crisis in the European Union, he reaffirmed his confidence in the euro. Mr. Strauss-Kahn also stressed that reforming banking sector regulations was urgent and necessary, and he emphasized the need for supervision that is not afraid of saying no to powerful interests. Mr. Lamy highlighted 60 years of erosion of coherence and governance and stressed that the latest economic developments had revealed a number of major deficiencies both within the international system, and between national systems and the global system. In modern history, crises have been both the result of failures of governance and the cause of progress in governance, Mr. Lamy said. Good international governance is not about globalizing local problems, but localizing global problems, he concluded. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 35

6 Dominique Strauss Kahn (left), Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and Pascal Lamy (right), Director General of the World Trade Organization, take part in a public discussion as part of the sixth edition of the Geneva Lecture Series, moderated by Darius Rochebin from the Télévision Suisse Romande, 8 December. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. Promoting understanding through cultural exchange The UNOG Cultural Activities Programme continued to thrive in, which was designated as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. In the spirit of exchange, dialogue and celebration of diversity, the Palais des Nations hosted 70 events with the participation of 33 Member States and 7 international organizations. Through art, photography, performances, films and conferences, the international community at UNOG continued to experience the richness of our various cultures and traditions, and to gain special insight into the key themes on which the United Nations is working. The promotion of tolerance, of creativity, and of the value of each human story are the central objectives of the Programme, and UNOG is proud to host a series of events each year which foster mutual understanding and build upon our appreciation and respect for cultural diversity. Participation in the Cultural Activities Programme was active as always; with an average of 350 music-lovers at each concert, 150 visitors to each exhibition opening, and hundreds of eager filmgoers and lecture-goers, the Programme provided an important forum for discussion, debate and cultural formation for over 10,000 delegates, United Nations staff members, NGOs and members of the public. Among the series of exhibitions, the topic of human security stood out as one of the most prominent themes. Member States presented paintings or photographs exploring wideranging issues such as domestic slavery, the status of minorities, and the right to clean drinking water. Both Member States and international organizations focused on the status of women across the world. From a celebration of the life of Frida Kahlo, to the difficulties and sadness of daily existence for women in many countries, the exhibitions of paintings and photographs depicted women s experiences, and the hardship as well as the happiness which mark their lives. The Cultural Activities Programme provided an important platform for the discussion of achievements in the advancement of women and of the many challenges to equality which women still face (see the Special Feature on the empowerment of women). 36 A partnership to overcome global challenges - UNOG

7 Youth has always had a special place in the Cultural Activities Programme. Many young musicians have passed through the Palais des Nations to entertain audiences. In, several exceptional concerts were organized, involving young talents from several continents. These young participants in the UNOG cultural calendar showcased not only their musical gifts, but brought with them the spirit and enthusiasm characteristic of youth participation, spreading a positive message about cultural exchange and dialogue (see the Special Feature on engaging youth in the work of the United Nations). sections: News and media, United Nations family in Geneva, Permanent missions, The United Nations and civil society and Disarmament. Placing the links as tabs along the top of the web page has also allowed users to view the content of these core sections through dropdown menus without having to navigate away from the home page. As always, the state of our environment was a topical issue and many cultural events echoed the international community s concerns about climate change, conservation and biodiversity. As the International Year of Biodiversity, provided the perfect opportunity for UNOG to open its doors to the public; on 5 June, World Environment Day, a record number of concerts took place in Ariana Park that day, with 6,500 visitors enjoying the 13 open-air concerts held across three stages (see the Special Feature on greening the blue). Finally, in response to a growing demand, the Cultural Activities Programme included a greater number of side events, providing support to exhibitions set up in the margins of conferences held at UNOG. Total number of events 68 Exhibitions 38 Concerts and performances 24 (including World Environment Day) Films 4 Conferences 2 Member States participating 33 International organizations participating Interacting online The year has seen a major change in the design of the UNOG website ( A more lively, graphic approach has been adopted, with the home page now featuring a photograph related to specific events taking place at the Palais des Nations or to key issues at the United Nations in general. In response to needs expressed by stakeholders through surveys undertaken in previous years, UNOG key information has been regrouped under five main 7 UNOG Homepage. A section for hot topics, In focus at UNOG, has also been introduced, to provide direct access to specific information related to events occurring at UNOG. Resources and services have been regrouped logically on the home page, providing more direct access to information related to resources and services available to Member States, permanent missions, international organizations, and the general public. The ergonomics of the UNOG website were also improved, making core information accessible to readers with fewer mouse clicks. A new feature has also been introduced, allowing readers to adjust the size of characters on the web pages. The Disarmament section remains the reference website for disarmament issues within the United Nations. It provides the most accurate information relating to the Conference on Disarmament, headquartered in Geneva, as well as to a number of disarmament-related matters: the Biological Weapons Convention, the Mine Ban Treaty, the Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the Convention on Cluster Munitions. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 37

8 UNOG WEBSITE STATISTICS Jan Fev Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Unique visitors Number of visits Pages Hits Bandwith in GB January February March April May June July August September October November December Total Focusing on priorities through commemorative events In, UNOG celebrated a number of International Days to promote the work of the United Nations, reach out to the public and raise awareness of specific issues. The celebration of these Days, held with the help and support of the UNOG Library, also provided the opportunity to continue working with different stakeholders. Observance of International Days organized by UNOG in General Assembly resolution 60/7 27 January International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust General Assembly resolution 32/142 8 March United Nations Day for Women s Rights and International Peace General Assembly resolution 2142 (XXI) 21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination General Assembly resolution 58/234 7 April International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda Resolution 3.18 of the Twenty-eighth Session of the UNESCO General Conference 23 April World Book and Copyright Day General Assembly decision 48/432 3 May World Press Freedom Day General Assembly resolution 57/ May International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers General Assembly resolution 2994 (XXVII) 5 June World Environment Day General Assembly resolution 55/76 20 June World Refugee Day General Assembly resolution 49/214 9 August International Day of the World s Indigenous People General Assembly resolution 36/67 21 September International Day of Peace General Assembly resolution 47/ October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty General Assembly resolution 168 (II) 24 October United Nations Day General Assembly resolution 32/40 B 29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People General Assembly resolution 423 (V) 10 December Human Rights Day 38 A partnership to overcome global challenges - UNOG

9 This year s observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust focused on the central theme of Remembrance and beyond. It emphasized the universal lessons that survivors are passing on to succeeding generations, encouraging respect for diversity and human rights in the future, and it reasserted the United Nations commitment to uphold the values of human rights. The Director- General opened the ceremony, which began with a video message from the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon. The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Israel to UNOG, Mr. Aharon Leshno-Yaar, and Mr. Noah Klieger, a Holocaust survivor, also addressed the meeting. In line with the Secretary-General s priorities for, UNOG focused on promoting gender equality and empowering women with the celebration of International Women s Day on 8 March. More details on this particular International Day can be found in the Special Feature on empowering women for our collective future. The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, with its theme, Disqualify racism, drew attention to the interface between racism and sports. OHCHR sponsored the day s events at the Palais des Nations. Opening remarks by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, were followed by the screening of the short movie Colour Blind. On 22 March the film Invictus was screened at the Palais des Nations. The High Commissioner for Human Rights also participated in this event, along with the Permanent Representative of South Africa, Mr. Jerry Matjila, and the Permanent Representative of the United States, Ms. Betty King. On the International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda on 7 April, a ceremony was held at the Palais des Nations, in the presence of the Director-General of UNOG, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The ceremony opened with a screening of a short documentary, and a minute of silence in honour of the victims of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda was observed. The event was also addressed by Ms. Venetia Sebudandi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to UNOG; Mr. Michel Gakuba, President of IBUKA: Memory and Justice (Swiss section); and a survivor of the genocide, Ms. Esther Mujawayo, social worker, specialist in trauma counselling and author of the book SurVivantes. World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April was the occasion for the Library to organize an exhibition on Landmark books in economics: from Adam Smith to the XXIst century, which displayed rare book editions on the subject from May to October. For World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, a special Open House event was organized by the Library to highlight the services and resources it makes available to support journalists accredited by UNOG in their work. This event included tours of the Library and the newly reopened League of Nations Museum. There were also two Library information session presentations during the day: one describing the Library s print and electronic collections and how journalists can access these resources, and the other explaining how to search for and access official United Nations documents. UNOG marked the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on 31 May. The theme this year was Haiti standing. The day s events were an opportunity to pay tribute to the 96 peacekeepers of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) who lost their lives in the tragic earthquake in Haiti in January and to highlight the ongoing contribution of the United Nations to the country s recovery. A flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony took place in Ariana Park in honour of all the peacekeepers who have lost their lives on duty. Former Blue Helmets from around the world also participated in the commemoration. In the afternoon, a round-table discussion on peacekeeping included the Director-General of UNOG, Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Canada, Chile, France and Rwanda, as well as a representative from the Permanent Mission of China to UNOG. A short documentary film depicting the tragic reality of the previous months in Haiti was also shown. The Director General at the Memorial in honour of United Nations staff who have lost their lives in the service of peace, as part of the commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, celebrated on 31 May. UN Photo/Patrick Bertschmann. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 39

10 On 5 June, World Environment Day successfully drew attention to the International Year of Biodiversity, as 6,500 visitors enjoyed the good weather in a record number of activities and concerts that took place in Ariana Park (see the Special Feature on greening the blue). World Refugee Day (20 June) provided an opportunity to have activities organized both within the Library and at UNHCR. Videos produced by UNHCR were displayed at door 20 and a slideshow of UNHCR photos was set as the desktop background for all public workstations in the Library. A slideshow on refugee collections developed by the UNOG Registry, Records and Archives Unit was shown and Library information sessions were offered to staff at UNHCR. On 9 August, International Day of the World s Indigenous People, the Library, together with the Indigenous Peoples Center for Documentation, Research and Information (DOCIP), organized a presentation entitled Through documentation, we can prove our existence. In addition, several specialized bibliographies were prepared in connection with the themes of international days and other events organized at the Palais des Nations, such as the Geneva Lecture Series. The following subjects were covered in the bibliographies: biodiversity and nature conservation; copyright; economic crisis, development and trade; indigenous people; intercultural dialogue, identities and migration; landmark books in economics; population; League of Nations; United Nations Intellectual History project; women and gender equality. These are also available on the UNOG Library website. A unique football match was organized on 17 September to mark the International Day of Peace, the start of the International Year of Youth and the Stand Up against Poverty campaign. More details on this event can be found in the Special Feature on engaging youth in the work of the United Nations. One hundred young people, representatives of permanent missions and NGOs, journalists and United Nations staff members, observed International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 18 October at the Palais des Nations. Children and young adults made their voices heard with speeches, music and artistic presentations, expressing with strong conviction their views on this year s theme: From poverty to decent work: bridging the gap. The sixty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations was celebrated in Geneva with a series of events in which staff members, the diplomatic community and students from various countries reaffirmed their collective commitment to the enduring values, principles and mission of the Organization. The Director General, Sandrine Salerno (front, third from left), Mayor of the City of Geneva, and Cécile Molinier, Director, United Nations Development Programme Geneva Office, pose for a group photo with two football teams before their match to mark the International Day of Peace, 17 September. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. 40 A partnership to overcome global challenges - UNOG

11 The celebrations culminated in a birthday party on Monday 25 October, at which long-serving staff members were honoured with certificates, as well as medals produced especially for the occasion by the Staff Coordinating Council. In a ceremony attended by the UNOG Director-General and the Under Secretary-General for Management, colleagues saluted the dedication of staff members with more than 25 or 30 years of service, and the Staff Coordinating Council offered a large birthday cake to mark the Organization s special day. Also on United Nations Day, at the Palais des Nations students from ten countries placed bags of pebbles in a globe-shaped porcelain vase named the Blue Star of Life, in a symbolic tribute to the Organization s work. This event was attended by the Ambassadors of Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines and the United States, as well as by the Permanent Representatives of China and the Republic of Korea. The vase had been donated to UNOG by Japan in 2000 and sits in the lobby adjacent to the Council Chamber, which hosts the meetings of the Conference on Disarmament, where it draws attention to the urgent need to revitalize multilateral disarmament. The globe already contains a collection of pebbles from around the world. As ishi in Japanese means stone, phonetically the same as will in that language, these pebbles symbolize the will of the international community to seek peace and to preserve the environment. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 32/40 of 2 December 1977 and in keeping with past practice, UNOG commemorated the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November. The Director-General delivered the Secretary-General s message on this occasion. On 10 December Human Rights Day the adoption by the General Assembly in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was marked at the Palais des Nations with a series of events, in the presence of a variety of stakeholders. UNOG A partnership to overcome global challenges - 41