2014 New Year's Messages : Let's make 2014 momentous.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Friday, 20 December 2013
International Human Solidarity Day 2013, December 20.
International Human Solidarity Day 2013 theme: Bridging the gaps to reach the Millennium Development Goals.
United Nations Secretary-General's Message for International Human Solidarity Day 2013.
At the dawn of this century, at the Millennium Summit, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security, human rights and good governance. They agreed on a set of time-bound targets, encapsulated in the Millennium Development Goals, to reducing extreme poverty, hunger, needless disease and other global social and environmental ills by 2015. And they recognized that these objectives demand that we must all practice mutual respect and accept shared responsibility.
This year we mark Human Solidarity Day with the resolve to work together to bridge the remaining gaps to reach the Millennium Development Goals and define the path we will follow after 2015 to achieve a more sustainable future for all. We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity.
On this Human Solidarity Day, I urge people from all nations, faiths, cultures and traditions to work together in common cause to keep the promise made at the turn of the Millennium and leave a legacy of peace, prosperity and sustainable progress for generations to come.
Día Internacional de la Solidaridad Humana, 20 de diciembre
Международный день солидарности людей, 20 декабря
Journée internationale de la solidarité humaine, 20 décembre
国际人类团结日, 12月20日
اليوم الدولي للتضامن الإنساني
United Nations Secretary-General's Message for International Human Solidarity Day 2013.
At the dawn of this century, at the Millennium Summit, world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to peace and security, human rights and good governance. They agreed on a set of time-bound targets, encapsulated in the Millennium Development Goals, to reducing extreme poverty, hunger, needless disease and other global social and environmental ills by 2015. And they recognized that these objectives demand that we must all practice mutual respect and accept shared responsibility.
This year we mark Human Solidarity Day with the resolve to work together to bridge the remaining gaps to reach the Millennium Development Goals and define the path we will follow after 2015 to achieve a more sustainable future for all. We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity.
On this Human Solidarity Day, I urge people from all nations, faiths, cultures and traditions to work together in common cause to keep the promise made at the turn of the Millennium and leave a legacy of peace, prosperity and sustainable progress for generations to come.
Ban Ki-moon
Международный день солидарности людей, 20 декабря
Journée internationale de la solidarité humaine, 20 décembre
国际人类团结日, 12月20日
اليوم الدولي للتضامن الإنساني
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
International Migrants Day 2013, December 18
United Nations Secretary-General’s Message for International Migrants Day 2013.
International migration is a powerful tool for reducing poverty and enhancing opportunity. That is why there are now some 232 million international migrants bringing consistent benefits to countries of destination and origin through their essential labour and remittances. Yet, this important population remains largely invisible and unheard in society. Too many live and work in the worst conditions with the least access to basic services and fundamental rights, making them disproportionately vulnerable to extortion, violence, discrimination and marginalization.
Almost half of migrants are women; one in ten is under the age of 15; forty per cent live in developing countries. Poor and low-skilled migrants face the highest barriers to social mobility. The United Nations is acting to safeguard the rights of migrants, lower the social and economic costs of migration, and promote policies that maximize the benefits of mobility. Migrants should not be forced to risk lives and dignity seeking better lives. Earlier this year, the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, many of whom are migrants, came into force. And, in October, United Nations Member States called for the post-2015 UN development agenda to take full account of the positive impact of international migration. They also committed to develop a framework for protecting migrants affected by humanitarian crises and recognized the need to facilitate international cooperation to address the challenges of migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, with full respect for human rights.
On this International Migrants Day, I urge Governments to ratify and implement all core international human rights instruments, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. And I call on people and Governments everywhere to reject xenophobia and embrace migration as a key enabler for equitable, inclusive and sustainable social and economic development. Migration is a reality of the 21st century. It is essential that we conduct an open debate on this important subject. Let us make migration work for the benefit of migrants and countries alike. We owe this to the millions of migrants who, through their courage, vitality and dreams, help make our societies more prosperous, resilient and diverse.
This year was costliest on record for lives of migrants who died while crossing international borders IOM says.
For several years I have been saying that migration can be summed up by a series of D words: Demographics, Disasters, Demand, Disparities and Dreams. This year I am adding a new D: Desperation.
The world watched in horror in October when some 360 African migrants lost their lives within sight of land while attempting to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. Untold hundreds have perished on the journey from Indonesia to Australia, or off the coast of Thailand. Migrants from Central America are raped, robbed, beaten and killed as they try to enter the USA from Mexico. African migrants die of thirst in the vast desert reaches – their bones the only testimony to their failed journey. Why do people risk their lives and the lives of their families, over and over, every hour of every day when the best that awaits them is a frosty welcome? The answer is simple: Desperation. They fear staying in a land where they face persecution, or where their family starves. That desperation makes the risk of death a gamble they believe worth taking. Migrants face death, danger and disappointment in search of their dreams. They may be materially poor, and lack hope, they may take on massive debts from corrupt recruitment agencies or traffickers and smugglers in the hope of getting to a safe place, for a new start. They are often forced by economics and lack of land to the most dangerous places – the shoreline, the mountain slope, the riverside – and migrate because their shacks are washed away by climate extremes. We believe that 2013 may have been the worst on record for migrant deaths. We will never know the true total, as many migrants died anonymously in deserts, in oceans or other accidents. However, our figures show that at least 2,360 migrants died this year, chasing the dream of a new life. That’s over six a day; one every four hours. We live in an era of unprecedented human mobility, with more people on the move than any other time in recorded history. Natural disasters and conflict are adding to levels of migration: some 5,000 people a day left the Central Philippines following typhoon Haiyan last month. A further 100,000 fled fighting in the Central African Republic in December alone. For the poorest, most desperate migrants, borders have been shut over the years as countries respond to political drumbeats of alarm and move to curtail immigration.
The paradox is that at a time when one in seven people around the world are migrants in one form or another (and more than 232 million people live outside their country of birth), we are seeing a harsh response to migration in the developed world. The few developed countries that are prepared to increase immigration levels generally want only highly-skilled, knowledge workers. The result is tightened border surveillance and reduced opportunities for would-be migrants. This, combined with political and economic upheaval, drives people into the hands of people smugglers whose unscrupulous trade is the fastest-growing sector in the organized crime world, estimated to be worth $35 billion a year. Migration is as old as humanity but we need to start thinking about it in new, smarter ways.
On this International Day we focus on the well-being and safety of migrants, IOM calls for strengthening of existing policies or develop new ones to protect human rights of those who leave home to seek better opportunities. We are ready to assist our member states and other partners in the development and implementation of those policies. We need measures that will enable employers in countries with labor shortages to access people desperate to work, and we need to ensure that these people are not exploited or exposed to gender based violence. We must work in a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach in the best interests of countries, communities and people, in particular migrants themselves. I am not naïve. Managing migration is complicated and we may need hybrid scenarios. Short-term migration visas, seasonal visas, portable social welfare – all these things are being pioneered in different parts of the world and I believe they are moves in the right direction. In 2016 there will be a World Humanitarian Summit: IOM will be asking how the global humanitarian community can ensure that political upheaval, economic stress and natural calamities do not always lead to a second round of challenges whereby desperate migrants, abandoned to their fate, are forced to take desperate measures.
Reject Xenophobia, Embrace Migration as Key Development Enabler, United Nations Secretary-General Says in Message on International Migrants Day 2013.
International migration is a powerful tool for reducing poverty and enhancing opportunity. That is why there are now some 232 million international migrants bringing consistent benefits to countries of destination and origin through their essential labour and remittances. Yet, this important population remains largely invisible and unheard in society. Too many live and work in the worst conditions with the least access to basic services and fundamental rights, making them disproportionately vulnerable to extortion, violence, discrimination and marginalization.
Almost half of migrants are women; one in ten is under the age of 15; forty per cent live in developing countries. Poor and low-skilled migrants face the highest barriers to social mobility. The United Nations is acting to safeguard the rights of migrants, lower the social and economic costs of migration, and promote policies that maximize the benefits of mobility. Migrants should not be forced to risk lives and dignity seeking better lives. Earlier this year, the Convention Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers, many of whom are migrants, came into force. And, in October, United Nations Member States called for the post-2015 UN development agenda to take full account of the positive impact of international migration. They also committed to develop a framework for protecting migrants affected by humanitarian crises and recognized the need to facilitate international cooperation to address the challenges of migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, with full respect for human rights.
On this International Migrants Day, I urge Governments to ratify and implement all core international human rights instruments, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. And I call on people and Governments everywhere to reject xenophobia and embrace migration as a key enabler for equitable, inclusive and sustainable social and economic development. Migration is a reality of the 21st century. It is essential that we conduct an open debate on this important subject. Let us make migration work for the benefit of migrants and countries alike. We owe this to the millions of migrants who, through their courage, vitality and dreams, help make our societies more prosperous, resilient and diverse.
Ban Ki-moon
This year was costliest on record for lives of migrants who died while crossing international borders IOM says.
 |
| Calculating migrant deaths in border regions is a great challenge and the true number of deaths remains unknown. |
For several years I have been saying that migration can be summed up by a series of D words: Demographics, Disasters, Demand, Disparities and Dreams. This year I am adding a new D: Desperation.
The world watched in horror in October when some 360 African migrants lost their lives within sight of land while attempting to reach the Italian island of Lampedusa. Untold hundreds have perished on the journey from Indonesia to Australia, or off the coast of Thailand. Migrants from Central America are raped, robbed, beaten and killed as they try to enter the USA from Mexico. African migrants die of thirst in the vast desert reaches – their bones the only testimony to their failed journey. Why do people risk their lives and the lives of their families, over and over, every hour of every day when the best that awaits them is a frosty welcome? The answer is simple: Desperation. They fear staying in a land where they face persecution, or where their family starves. That desperation makes the risk of death a gamble they believe worth taking. Migrants face death, danger and disappointment in search of their dreams. They may be materially poor, and lack hope, they may take on massive debts from corrupt recruitment agencies or traffickers and smugglers in the hope of getting to a safe place, for a new start. They are often forced by economics and lack of land to the most dangerous places – the shoreline, the mountain slope, the riverside – and migrate because their shacks are washed away by climate extremes. We believe that 2013 may have been the worst on record for migrant deaths. We will never know the true total, as many migrants died anonymously in deserts, in oceans or other accidents. However, our figures show that at least 2,360 migrants died this year, chasing the dream of a new life. That’s over six a day; one every four hours. We live in an era of unprecedented human mobility, with more people on the move than any other time in recorded history. Natural disasters and conflict are adding to levels of migration: some 5,000 people a day left the Central Philippines following typhoon Haiyan last month. A further 100,000 fled fighting in the Central African Republic in December alone. For the poorest, most desperate migrants, borders have been shut over the years as countries respond to political drumbeats of alarm and move to curtail immigration.
The paradox is that at a time when one in seven people around the world are migrants in one form or another (and more than 232 million people live outside their country of birth), we are seeing a harsh response to migration in the developed world. The few developed countries that are prepared to increase immigration levels generally want only highly-skilled, knowledge workers. The result is tightened border surveillance and reduced opportunities for would-be migrants. This, combined with political and economic upheaval, drives people into the hands of people smugglers whose unscrupulous trade is the fastest-growing sector in the organized crime world, estimated to be worth $35 billion a year. Migration is as old as humanity but we need to start thinking about it in new, smarter ways.
On this International Day we focus on the well-being and safety of migrants, IOM calls for strengthening of existing policies or develop new ones to protect human rights of those who leave home to seek better opportunities. We are ready to assist our member states and other partners in the development and implementation of those policies. We need measures that will enable employers in countries with labor shortages to access people desperate to work, and we need to ensure that these people are not exploited or exposed to gender based violence. We must work in a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach in the best interests of countries, communities and people, in particular migrants themselves. I am not naïve. Managing migration is complicated and we may need hybrid scenarios. Short-term migration visas, seasonal visas, portable social welfare – all these things are being pioneered in different parts of the world and I believe they are moves in the right direction. In 2016 there will be a World Humanitarian Summit: IOM will be asking how the global humanitarian community can ensure that political upheaval, economic stress and natural calamities do not always lead to a second round of challenges whereby desperate migrants, abandoned to their fate, are forced to take desperate measures.
On the occasion of International Migrants Day, the UN Human Rights
Office and the International Labour Organization launch a series of
cartoons to challenge myths and encourage a positive public perception
of migration.
ILO/OHCHR Cartoon key messages
“The public debate is dominated by xenophobic attitudes and
discrimination, both in and outside the workplace,” said UN Human Rights
Chief Navi Pillay and ILO Director-General Guy Ryder in a joint statement.
Reject Xenophobia, Embrace Migration as Key Development Enabler, United Nations Secretary-General Says in Message on International Migrants Day 2013.
United Nations Audio Library : Special event on the occasion of the International Migrants Day on “Classroom conversation on migration and development”
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
International Mountain Day 2013, December 11
The theme 2013 is 'Mountains - Key to a Sustainable Future'
Join the Forum : 11 december is International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day (IMD) is meant raise awareness about the importance of mountains, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world's mountains and highlands.
For more on the challenges of sustainable development in mountain regions, the importance of mountain ecosystems and FAO's related work, read the articles and fact sheets featured in this Focus.
Related Links
Join the Forum : 11 december is International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day (IMD) is meant raise awareness about the importance of mountains, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build partnerships that will bring positive change to the world's mountains and highlands.
Related Links
Monday, 9 December 2013
Human Rights Day 2013, December 10
United Nations Secretary-General's Message
Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption by the General Assembly of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year’s observance also marks 20 years since a bold step forward in the struggle to make rights a reality for all: the adoption by the World Conference on Human Rights of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. Drawing on the participation of more than 800 non-governmental organizations, national institutions, treaty bodies and academics, Member States adopted a far-reaching vision and created the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) – thereby realizing one of the international community’s long-held dreams.
In OHCHR’s two decades of existence, five dedicated High Commissioners have spearheaded the work of the United Nations to further human rights globally. Through a wide range of norms and mechanisms, OHCHR advocates for victims, presses States to live up to their obligations, supports human rights experts and bodies, and -- through presences in 61 countries -- helps States to develop their human rights capacity.
Promoting human rights is one of the core purposes of the United Nations, and the Organization has pursued this mission since its founding. Then, as now, the key to success is the political will of Member States. It is States, in the first instance, that are obliged to protect human rights and prevent violations at a national level, and to stand up when other States fail to live up to their commitments. This is not always easy, and over the past 20 years we have seen genocide and many other appalling and large-scale violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Improving how the UN system prevents and reacts to impending catastrophes is at the heart of a new initiative, the Rights Up Front Action Plan. The Plan aims to ensure the UN system and all staff recognize the central place of human rights in the Organization’s collective responsibilities. Above all, it seeks to strengthen our responses to widespread abuses and prevent such situations from arising in the first place through an emphasis on rights-based early warning and action.
On Human Rights Day, I call on States to fulfil the promises they made at the Vienna Conference. I reiterate the commitment of the UN Secretariat, funds and programmes to vigilance and courage in the face of human rights violations. Finally, I pay tribute to one of the great symbols of human rights of our time: Nelson Mandela, whose passing has plunged the world into sorrow but whose lifelong commitment to human dignity, equality, justice and compassion will forever remain an inspiration as we continue to build a world of all human rights for all.
Ban Ki-moon
Join the Forum Human Rights Day - December 10
Sunday, 8 December 2013
International Anti-Corruption Day 2013, December 9
United Nations Secretary-General's Message for 2013
Corruption suppresses economic growth by driving up costs, and undermines the sustainable management of the environment and natural resources. It breaches fundamental human rights, exacerbates poverty and increases inequality by diverting funds from health care, education and other essential services. The malignant effects of corruption are felt by billions of people everywhere. It is driven by and results in criminal activity, malfunctioning state institutions and weak governance.Good governance is critical for sustainable development, and vital in combating organized crime. Every link in the trafficking chain is vulnerable to corruption, from the bribes paid to corrupt officials by dealers in arms and drugs to the fraudulent permits and licenses used to facilitate the illicit trade in natural resources.
Corruption is also rife in the world of sport and business, and in public procurement processes. In the last decade, the private sector has increasingly recognized its role in fighting corruption. A Call to Action launched by the United Nations Global Compact and partners is mobilizing businesses and Governments to engage in transparent procurement. Guidelines are also being developed to help business fight corruption in sport sponsorship and hospitality.
The UN is strongly committed to fulfilling its own obligations. Operating in some of the world’s most unstable environments, the UN faces multifaceted corruption risks that can undermine our efforts to advance development, peace and human rights. We have developed a robust system of internal controls and continue to remain vigilant and work hard to set an example of integrity.
Corruption is a barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and needs to be taken into account in defining and implementing a robust post-2015 development agenda. The UN Convention against Corruption, adopted 10 years ago, is the paramount global framework for preventing and combating corruption. Full implementation depends crucially on effective prevention, law enforcement, international cooperation and asset recovery. On this International Anti-Corruption Day, I urge Governments, the private sector and civil society to take a collective stand against this complex social, political and economic disease that affects all countries. To achieve an equitable, inclusive and more prosperous future for all, we must foster a culture of integrity, transparency, accountability and good governance.
Día Internacional contra la Corrupción, 9 de diciembre - Tema para 2013: Cero corrupción - 100% Desarrollo
Journée Internationale de la lutte contre la Corruption, 9 Décembre - Zéro corruption - 100% Développement
اليوم الدولي لمكافحة الفساد
国际反腐败日, 12月9日
Международный день борьбы с коррупцией, 9 декабря
Resources :
Join the Forum " Zero Corruption - 100% Development."
People often think that they are at the mercy of corruption and that it is just a “way of life”. However, every society, sector and citizen would benefit from saying “NO” to this crime.
Here are some examples of how you can say “NO” to corrruption.
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| Zero Corruption - 100% Development - Government officials, Policy-makers and Civil Servants can fight corruption and ... |
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| Zero Corruption - 100% Development. NGOs (Non-Governmental organizations) and Civil society can fight corruption and ... |
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| Zero Corruption - 100% Development. The Media and Social Media Today can fight corruption and ... |
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| Zero Corruption - 100% Development. The Private-sector can fight corruption and ... |
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| Zero Corruption - 100% Development. Trade union can fight corruption and ... |
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Zero Corruption - 100% Development. Everybody can fight corruption and.. |
Friday, 6 December 2013
International Civil Aviation Day 2013, December 7
To celebrate International Civil Aviation Day (ICAD) for 2013, an occasion which helps to commemorate the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on 7 December 1944, the UN civil aviation body announced today that the 2013 ICAD theme has been confirmed by its Governing Council as:
Evolving to Meet the Challenges of 21st Century Air Transport
“This
theme recognizes the significant re-evaluations which ICAO and the
entire air transport sector are now undertaking, as aviation seeks to
forge wider consensus and practical strategic planning to address its
imminent challenges,” remarked ICAO’s Council President, Roberto Kobeh
González.
And
those challenges will be many. In line with aviation’s historic role as
a critical driver of economic and social development, the global air
transport network is presently projected to double in size by 2030. This
means that the 30 million flights it now manages annually will grow to
60 million over the next 16 years, while the total annual passengers
served will rise to 6 billion from today’s 3 billion.
For
ICAO, air transport’s evolution will have important impacts on all of
its key areas of strategic priority, which were recently confirmed by
the 38th ICAO Assembly as: Safety; Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency; Security and Facilitation; the Economic Development of Air Transport; and Environmental Protection.
Accordingly,
ICAO’s ongoing Safety and Air Navigation global plan roll-outs, the
fostering of more effective, affordable and therefore sustainable
security and facilitation solutions, its revisions to applicable
economic policy tools and frameworks and its progress on a varied range
of environmental programmes will all play important roles in how the UN
agency continues to evolve for its States over the near-term.
The
2013 theme is also seen as supporting ICAO’s ongoing formalization of
more comprehensive, cooperative ties with relevant stakeholders in
support of its global goals, in addition to reinforcing the realities of
the contemporary public sector funding environment and the
Organization’s fine-tuning of its internal operations to become more
efficient.
“Innovation,
imagination and flexibility will be critical to our internal and
external success as we continue to adapt to a very rapidly changing
world,” stressed ICAO Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin. “And ICAO is
well on its way to establishing these values as permanent aspects of our
working and planning environments.”
Background notes for editors:
° ICAO Assembly Resolution A29-1 (1994) first declared 7 December International Civil Aviation Day.
° Pursuant
to a further ICAO initiative and with the assistance of the Government
of Canada, in 1996, the United Nations General Assembly recognized 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day through an official resolution.
ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin's Keynote Address to ICAN2013
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Tuesday, 3 December 2013
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2013, December 3.
- Theme: "Break Barriers, Open Doors: for an inclusive society and development for all"
Opening ceremony at the United Nations Headquarter in New York.
- United Nations Enable Theatre performance: “Breaking through the barriers”
- Panel discussion on “Mental well-being, disability and development”
- United Nations Enable Film: “Gold: You can do more than you think”
- Panel discussion on “WIPO Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works, intellectual property and the inclusion of persons who are visually impaired or otherwise print disabled”
Persons with disabilities must be able to reap benefits of development, UN officials stress.
There are at least one billion people with disabilities across the
globe around 785 million of whom are of working age, the International
Labour Organization’s (ILO) chief Guy Ryder says in a message marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
But he says while they represent a large, diverse pool of talent, too many are denied the dignity of work.
“The ILO promotes decent and productive work for all, including people with disabilities. Experience tells us that more often than not, they can perform the same tasks as the non-disabled. To have a fair chance they need access to skills and entrepreneurship development programmes, as well as to business development services and credit. The doors of enterprises and workplaces must also be open to them. All together such measures will greatly help jobseekers with disabilities to compete successfully in their search for decent work, and entrepreneurs to develop viable, sustainable businesses.” (44″)
Ryder says the ILO aims to integrate disability issues in all relevant areas of its work: from the promotion of international labour standards…to knowledge development and research; advocacy and technical cooperation.
He says the situation of women and men with disabilities in the labour market is a cause for concern as they are far less likely than non-disabled people to be employed.
Donn Bobb, United Nations.
Duration: 1’28″
Opening ceremony at the United Nations Headquarter in New York.
/
- United Nations Enable Theatre performance: “Breaking through the barriers”
- Panel discussion on “Mental well-being, disability and development”
- United Nations Enable Film: “Gold: You can do more than you think”
- Panel discussion on “WIPO Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works, intellectual property and the inclusion of persons who are visually impaired or otherwise print disabled”
Persons with disabilities must be able to reap benefits of development, UN officials stress.
 |
| 3 December is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. P.Brown/ILO |
But he says while they represent a large, diverse pool of talent, too many are denied the dignity of work.
“The ILO promotes decent and productive work for all, including people with disabilities. Experience tells us that more often than not, they can perform the same tasks as the non-disabled. To have a fair chance they need access to skills and entrepreneurship development programmes, as well as to business development services and credit. The doors of enterprises and workplaces must also be open to them. All together such measures will greatly help jobseekers with disabilities to compete successfully in their search for decent work, and entrepreneurs to develop viable, sustainable businesses.” (44″)
Ryder says the ILO aims to integrate disability issues in all relevant areas of its work: from the promotion of international labour standards…to knowledge development and research; advocacy and technical cooperation.
He says the situation of women and men with disabilities in the labour market is a cause for concern as they are far less likely than non-disabled people to be employed.
Donn Bobb, United Nations.
Duration: 1’28″
International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2013, November 29
Join the Forum : November 29 - International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Reaching a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the problems of the Middle East.
Reaching a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the problems of the Middle East.
Thursday, 21 November 2013
World Fisheries day 2013, November 21
World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout
the world by the fisherfolk communities. This day is celebrated through
rallies, workshops, public meetings, cultural programs, dramas,
exhibition, music show, and demonstrations to highlight the importance
of maintaining the world's fisheries. World Fisheries Day helps in
highlighting the critical importance to human lives, of water and the
lives it sustains, both in and out of water. Water forms a continuum,
whether contained in rivers, lakes, and ocean.
Join the Forum : Discussions on World Fisheries Day.
From Sea to Source : Internationa Guidance for the restoration of fish migration highways.
Under the 'Voices of Fishers' project conducted in relation to the development of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security , the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) produced a number of testimonies from fishing communities. Members from fishing communities around the world were asked to talk about their perceptions on issues relating to tenure and rights over fisheries and riparian lands on which they live.
A selection of these from India, Panama, South Africa, Spain and Thailand is made available:
Join the Forum : Discussions on World Fisheries Day.
From Sea to Source : Internationa Guidance for the restoration of fish migration highways.
Under the 'Voices of Fishers' project conducted in relation to the development of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security , the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) produced a number of testimonies from fishing communities. Members from fishing communities around the world were asked to talk about their perceptions on issues relating to tenure and rights over fisheries and riparian lands on which they live.
A selection of these from India, Panama, South Africa, Spain and Thailand is made available:
World Philosophy Day 2013, November 21
World Philosophy Day 2013 theme: Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet.
Join the forum : Discussions on World Philosophy Day - November 21
Celebrated every year on the third Thursday of November, the World Philosophy Day will be held in 2013 on Thursday, 21 November. The day after the closure of the 37th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, the celebration will be a unique opportunity to reflect on the greatest contemporary challenge, to which UNESCO and the entire United Nations system seeks to respond, namely: building inclusive societies on a sustainable planet.
Celebrated on 21 November 2013, the 11th edition of the World Philosophy Day will be an opportunity to organize, on all continents, various events under the general theme of the 2013 World Philosophy Day “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”. They will enable their participants to share a multitude of views and experiences, fully respecting cultural diversity.
At UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the celebration will be marked by the organization of a round table on the topic of the Day - “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”, which will welcome, on 21 November 2013, from 11am to 1pm, distinguished philosophers and scholars of international repute, including Ms Tannella Boni (Côte d'Ivoire), Ioanna Kuçuradi (Turkey) and Yves Charles Zarka (France).
Opened by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, this round table - moderated by Ali Benmakhlouf (Morocco), Professor of Arab Philosophy at the University of Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne (France) - will be directly related to a subject which is at the heart of public debates around the world and within the United Nations: the growing inequalities between rich and poor within many countries and between countries and sustainable development.
Participants in the round table will discuss the concepts of social justice, solidarity, exclusion and inclusion in different societies, as well as issues related to the vulnerability of various groups - including women, children, young people, people with disabilities, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, people living in poverty - and the interfaces between these issues and sustainable development.
Together, they will explore such questions as: are there moral or ethical principles to be taken into account in public policies aimed at combatting exclusion and building inclusive societies? If there are such principles, how can philosophy contribute to identifying them?
Over two days of the following week, on 26 and 27 November, UNESCO House will also host a series of events which echo the main themes of the 2013 World Philosophy Day “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”, including building inclusive societies on a sustainable planet..
On 26 November, UNESCO will organize a round table on “Thinking the Anthropocene” which will discuss, from the philosophical and ethical perspective, issues related to the new role of human beings as a force of nature which has pushed the Earth into a new geological era referred to by scientists as the “Anthropocene”. The round table will be held with the participation of philosophers who have written extensively about the Anthropocene, including Clive Hamilton (Australia) and Christophe Bonneuil (France).
This round table will be followed by the opening of a contemporary art exhibition, specially put together for World Philosophy Day 2013 by the French association Coalition for Art and Sustainable Development - COAL. This exhibition entitled “Adapting in the Anthropocene” will present projects by the artists nominated for the COAL Art & Environment Prize 2013, as well as for the COAL Prize in previous years, and will be open to the public from 25 to 29 November 2013. It will feature several artistic projects that capture major societal and contemporary environmental issues and contribute to the emergence of a new culture of nature and ecology.
On 26 and 27 November 2013, UNESCO Headquarters will also host the 13th International Workshop on New Philosophical Practices. Organized by the French association Philolab, and many other partners, in cooperation with the Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO, these meetings will explore new philosophical practices in schools and in the city, and, at the same time, implement them.
Furthermore, on 26 and 27 November, UNESCO will host of the 13th International Meeting on New Philosophical Practices (NPP). Organized by the French association Philolab and in cooperation with UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector and other partners, the NPP events will explore the developments of New Philosophical Practices in schools and in the city.
Finally, on 27 November 2013, an international round table entitled "Paul Ricoeur: Ethical Knowledge", organized by the Paul Ricoeur Fund, in cooperation with the Sector for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, will pay tribute to one the greatest French philosophers of the twentieth century, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth with the participation of philosophers who are recognized experts in the work of Ricoeur: Tasso Beatriz Contreras (Chile); André Duhamel (Canada); Peter Kemp (Denmark); and Claire Marin ( France ).
Programme : http://www.unesco.org/new/
Contact : John Crowley, wpd@unesco.org
Join the forum : Discussions on World Philosophy Day - November 21
Celebrated every year on the third Thursday of November, the World Philosophy Day will be held in 2013 on Thursday, 21 November. The day after the closure of the 37th session of the General Conference of UNESCO, the celebration will be a unique opportunity to reflect on the greatest contemporary challenge, to which UNESCO and the entire United Nations system seeks to respond, namely: building inclusive societies on a sustainable planet.
Celebrated on 21 November 2013, the 11th edition of the World Philosophy Day will be an opportunity to organize, on all continents, various events under the general theme of the 2013 World Philosophy Day “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”. They will enable their participants to share a multitude of views and experiences, fully respecting cultural diversity.
At UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the celebration will be marked by the organization of a round table on the topic of the Day - “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”, which will welcome, on 21 November 2013, from 11am to 1pm, distinguished philosophers and scholars of international repute, including Ms Tannella Boni (Côte d'Ivoire), Ioanna Kuçuradi (Turkey) and Yves Charles Zarka (France).
Opened by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, this round table - moderated by Ali Benmakhlouf (Morocco), Professor of Arab Philosophy at the University of Paris-Est Créteil Val de Marne (France) - will be directly related to a subject which is at the heart of public debates around the world and within the United Nations: the growing inequalities between rich and poor within many countries and between countries and sustainable development.
Participants in the round table will discuss the concepts of social justice, solidarity, exclusion and inclusion in different societies, as well as issues related to the vulnerability of various groups - including women, children, young people, people with disabilities, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, people living in poverty - and the interfaces between these issues and sustainable development.
Together, they will explore such questions as: are there moral or ethical principles to be taken into account in public policies aimed at combatting exclusion and building inclusive societies? If there are such principles, how can philosophy contribute to identifying them?
Over two days of the following week, on 26 and 27 November, UNESCO House will also host a series of events which echo the main themes of the 2013 World Philosophy Day “Inclusive Societies, Sustainable Planet”, including building inclusive societies on a sustainable planet..
On 26 November, UNESCO will organize a round table on “Thinking the Anthropocene” which will discuss, from the philosophical and ethical perspective, issues related to the new role of human beings as a force of nature which has pushed the Earth into a new geological era referred to by scientists as the “Anthropocene”. The round table will be held with the participation of philosophers who have written extensively about the Anthropocene, including Clive Hamilton (Australia) and Christophe Bonneuil (France).
This round table will be followed by the opening of a contemporary art exhibition, specially put together for World Philosophy Day 2013 by the French association Coalition for Art and Sustainable Development - COAL. This exhibition entitled “Adapting in the Anthropocene” will present projects by the artists nominated for the COAL Art & Environment Prize 2013, as well as for the COAL Prize in previous years, and will be open to the public from 25 to 29 November 2013. It will feature several artistic projects that capture major societal and contemporary environmental issues and contribute to the emergence of a new culture of nature and ecology.
On 26 and 27 November 2013, UNESCO Headquarters will also host the 13th International Workshop on New Philosophical Practices. Organized by the French association Philolab, and many other partners, in cooperation with the Social and Human Sciences Sector of UNESCO, these meetings will explore new philosophical practices in schools and in the city, and, at the same time, implement them.
Furthermore, on 26 and 27 November, UNESCO will host of the 13th International Meeting on New Philosophical Practices (NPP). Organized by the French association Philolab and in cooperation with UNESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector and other partners, the NPP events will explore the developments of New Philosophical Practices in schools and in the city.
Finally, on 27 November 2013, an international round table entitled "Paul Ricoeur: Ethical Knowledge", organized by the Paul Ricoeur Fund, in cooperation with the Sector for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO, will pay tribute to one the greatest French philosophers of the twentieth century, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth with the participation of philosophers who are recognized experts in the work of Ricoeur: Tasso Beatriz Contreras (Chile); André Duhamel (Canada); Peter Kemp (Denmark); and Claire Marin ( France ).
 |
| Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Philosophy Day 2013 |
PROGRAMME
UNESCO PARIS
21 November 2013
21 November 2013
25-29 November 2013
26 November 2013
26-27 November 2013
- 13th International Meetings on New Philosophical Practices
- Master classes: demonstration of philosophy teaching for children
27 November 2013
AROUND THE WORLD
Organizer UNESCO - Social and Human Sciences SectorProgramme : http://www.unesco.org/new/
Contact : John Crowley, wpd@unesco.org
Key Documents
- Arab-Muslim Civilization in the Mirror of the Universal: Philosophical Perspectives
- Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Culture of Peace and Human Dignity [PDF, 2.7 MB]
- Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Globalization, Democracy and Human Rights [PDF, 1.9 MB]
- Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on War and Peace [PDF, 1.1 MB]
- UNESCO Study “Philosophy: A School of Freedom” [PDF, 14 MB]
- Squaring the circle, Women Philosophers’ Journal, Issue N° 1, November 2011
- Teaching Philosophy in Europe and North America [PDF, 1.8 MB]
- Teaching Philosophy in Latin America and the Caribbean [PDF, 699 KB]
- Teaching Philosophy in Africa: Anglophone Countries [PDF, 439 KB]
- Teaching Philosophy in Asia and the Pacific [PDF, 529 KB]
- Teaching Philosophy in the Arab Region [PDF, 940 KB]
- The UNESCO Courier - Humanism, a new idea [PDF, 5.6 MB]
- The UNESCO Courier - Philosophy, a cosmic responsibility [PDF, 906 KB]
Tuesday, 19 November 2013
WORLD TELEVISION DAY 2013, November 21.
WORLD TELEVISION DAY occurs annually on November 21th.
Join the Forum : World Television Day - November 21.
In recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day (through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996).
World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.
UNTV programmes being prepared for shipment to television stations in many parts of the world.
01 November 1957. UN Photo
Imagine for a moment that, as of tomorrow, your television set stopped working. What’s the first thing you’d miss? Your favourite drama series? Staying in touch with the news? Seeing your sports club in action?
Maybe. But TV’s importance in society goes deeper than that. Television is a medium that improves the world, triggers imagination, raises curiosity, encourages education and gathers millions around common interests.
We believe in television as a medium that does good, we believe in television as a medium that triggers imagination, arises curiosity, encourages education and gathers millions around common interests. Here are nine good reasons why we should celebrate television today.
° TV has authority :
Today information is everywhere. But television has a particular authority. If you see something on TV, you know that millions of others are also seeing it, and that it has been verified, produced and created by professionals. That’s why television remains the most popular and trusted platform for news, culture, sports and entertainment.
° TV creates communities :
Great television programmes create communities around them. TV shows, live events and news make animated conversation for friends, family and colleagues. They bind people together and trigger reactions on social networks..
° TV inspires the mind :
Television is a fantastic educational tool. It broadens knowledge of different cultures, promotes tolerance and global understanding of international issues. Through current affairs, discovery, lifestyle, cooking shows and children’s programmes, television encourages scientific and cultural curiosity.
° TV delivers quality :
Thanks to the hard work of talented people on and off-screen, building on decades of experience and on new ways of working and communicating with audiences, the production quality of television programming has never been better than it is today.
° TV gives a voice to good causes :
Thanks to its unrivalled reach and emotional power, television enables effective calls for action during humanitarian crises, natural disasters and social emergencies. It reaches out to society through programmes and communication campaigns on environment, healthy eating, physical activity, responsible sexual attitudes and responsible alcohol consumption, and many others.
° TV goes hand-in-hand with sport :
Without television, professional sport would be unrecognisable. Millions enjoy watching live sport every week from all parts of the world in ever-higher picture quality, and enjoy the sense of unity that sports coverage creates. Televised sport has other benefits: it promotes sport’s values and ethics, and it inspires people to follow healthy role models.
° TV stimulates the economy :
The global media sector of which television is a major part employs millions of skilled workers across the world; over 1.2 million people are estimated to work in the audiovisual sector in the European Union alone*. In addition, the success of commercial television as an advertising medium generates revenue which can be reinvested in even more great programming for viewers.
° TV embraces the digital age :
Consumers now have more opportunities to enjoy television content than ever before. Viewers can watch on multiple screens and interact within fan communities and social platforms. The social television experience is completed with exclusive online content, pre-release of sequences before linear-TV broadcast, digital video interviews, making of videos, backstage photos and many others.
° TV reaches consumers & builds brands :
Television ensures that consumers know about new products, services, ideas and projects. It strengthens the position of existing brands and reassures consumers about the choices they make.
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Join the Forum : World Television Day - November 21.
In recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day (through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996).
World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather the philosophy which it represents. Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.
UNTV programmes being prepared for shipment to television stations in many parts of the world.
01 November 1957. UN Photo
Maybe. But TV’s importance in society goes deeper than that. Television is a medium that improves the world, triggers imagination, raises curiosity, encourages education and gathers millions around common interests.
We believe in television as a medium that does good, we believe in television as a medium that triggers imagination, arises curiosity, encourages education and gathers millions around common interests. Here are nine good reasons why we should celebrate television today.
° TV has authority :
Today information is everywhere. But television has a particular authority. If you see something on TV, you know that millions of others are also seeing it, and that it has been verified, produced and created by professionals. That’s why television remains the most popular and trusted platform for news, culture, sports and entertainment.
° TV creates communities :
Great television programmes create communities around them. TV shows, live events and news make animated conversation for friends, family and colleagues. They bind people together and trigger reactions on social networks..
° TV inspires the mind :
Television is a fantastic educational tool. It broadens knowledge of different cultures, promotes tolerance and global understanding of international issues. Through current affairs, discovery, lifestyle, cooking shows and children’s programmes, television encourages scientific and cultural curiosity.
° TV delivers quality :
Thanks to the hard work of talented people on and off-screen, building on decades of experience and on new ways of working and communicating with audiences, the production quality of television programming has never been better than it is today.
° TV gives a voice to good causes :
Thanks to its unrivalled reach and emotional power, television enables effective calls for action during humanitarian crises, natural disasters and social emergencies. It reaches out to society through programmes and communication campaigns on environment, healthy eating, physical activity, responsible sexual attitudes and responsible alcohol consumption, and many others.
° TV goes hand-in-hand with sport :
Without television, professional sport would be unrecognisable. Millions enjoy watching live sport every week from all parts of the world in ever-higher picture quality, and enjoy the sense of unity that sports coverage creates. Televised sport has other benefits: it promotes sport’s values and ethics, and it inspires people to follow healthy role models.
° TV stimulates the economy :
The global media sector of which television is a major part employs millions of skilled workers across the world; over 1.2 million people are estimated to work in the audiovisual sector in the European Union alone*. In addition, the success of commercial television as an advertising medium generates revenue which can be reinvested in even more great programming for viewers.
° TV embraces the digital age :
Consumers now have more opportunities to enjoy television content than ever before. Viewers can watch on multiple screens and interact within fan communities and social platforms. The social television experience is completed with exclusive online content, pre-release of sequences before linear-TV broadcast, digital video interviews, making of videos, backstage photos and many others.
° TV reaches consumers & builds brands :
Television ensures that consumers know about new products, services, ideas and projects. It strengthens the position of existing brands and reassures consumers about the choices they make.
+-+Source+-+Digital+TV+research.png)
+-+Source+-+Digital+TV+research.png)
+-+Source+-+Digital+TV+research.png)
Africa Industrialization Day 2013, 20 November
Día de la Industrialización de África, 20 de noviembre.
El tema de 2013 es: «La creación de empleos y el desarrollo empresarial: un medio para acelerar la industrialización de África»
День индустриализации Африки, 20 ноября.
Тема Дня в 2013 году: создание рабочих мест и развитие предпринимательской деятельности как способ активизации процесса индустриализации Африки.
Journée de l’industrialisation de l’Afrique, 20 novembre.
Thème 2013 : Création d’emplois et développement de l’entreprenariat comme moyen visant à accélérer l’industrialisation en Afrique.
Africa Industrialization Day, 20 November.
Theme 2013: Job creation and entrepreneurship development: a means to accelerate industrialisation in Africa
非洲工业化日, 11月20日.
2013年主题：创造就业机会和创业发展以加速非洲工业化.
موضوع عام 2013: خلق فرص عمل وتنمية المشاريع الصغيرة لدفع عجلة التصنيع في أفريقيا
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2013, Year of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance. - Celebrating Success - Afric's voice over 50 Years (1963-2013)
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United Nations Secretary-General's Message for Africa Industrialization Day 2013
Job creation and entrepreneurship development: a means to accelerate industrialisation in Africa
On this year’s Africa Industrialization Day, we are highlighting
the crucial role of job creation and entrepreneurship in eradicating
poverty.Although Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies – with growth across a variety of sectors – too many people are still being left behind. The region is affected by widespread unemployment – particularly among youth. Many, especially women, are engaged in vulnerable forms of work with low and unstable pay.
As we strive to meet the Millennium Development Goals and shape the post-2015 agenda, we must address the challenges of joblessness, youth unemployment and the shortcomings of a large informal economy. By focusing on job creation, entrepreneurship and the promotion of small and medium enterprises, we can boost inclusive and sustainable industrial development across the continent.
Africa’s economic dynamism, young population and potential for innovation form the foundation for stronger and competitive industries. As we mark this 50th anniversary year of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity, the United Nations renews our commitment to Africa’s development and the African Union’s efforts to achieve inclusive growth.
Let us work together to foster job creation and entrepreneurship throughout the continent as critical ways to build a more prosperous and sustainable future for all.
Ban Ki-moon
This year’s Africa Industrialisation Day highlights the crucial role of
job creation and entrepreneurship in eradicating poverty and will be
observed in New York on 22 November 2013.
Join the Forum : Africa Industrialization Day - November 20.
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Universal Children's Day 2013, November 20th.
- Universal Children's Day, 20 November.
- Día Universal del Niño, 20 de noviembre.
- Всемирный день ребенка, 20 ноября.
- Journée mondiale de l’enfance, 20 novembre.
- 国际儿童日,11月20日.
- اليوم العالمي للطفل - 20 تشرين الثاني
By resolution 836(IX) of 14 December 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It recommended that the Day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the Charter and the welfare of the children of the world. The Assembly suggested to governments that the Day be observed on the date and in the way which each considers appropriate. The date 20 November, marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.
In 2000 world leaders outlined the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015. Though the Goals are for all humankind, they are primarily about children. UNICEF notes that six of the eight goals relate directly to children and meeting the last two will also make critical improvements in their lives.
At the 2013 UN Treaty Event, which were held 24–26, and 30 September and 1 October at New York Headquarters, United Nations officials urged Member States, which have not done so, to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Child and its three Optional Protocols, stressing that this is vital to protect children from abuse and mistreatment worldwide.
Additional Resources
UN Global Issues - ChildrenCyberSchoolBus
MDG Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
MDG Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
20 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
The State of the World’s Children 2009: Maternal and Newborn Health
Voices of Youth
UNICEF and Say Yes for children
UN Study on Violence against Children (UNICEF | OHCHR)
UN Special Session on Children
GA on Children
World Summit for Children
The UN Works for Children
Securing the future – advocating for children (UNAIDS)
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