International Jazz Day 2021, April 30st

Music Jazz originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime.

FORUM: Jazz Day10th anniversary.  International Day of Jazz 2021.

The Hancock Institute of Jazz brings respected jazz musicians and educators into a dozen public performing arts high schools in cities across the country to provide intensive jazz training for exceptionally gifted and motivated student musicians. This specialized performance-based program enables students to participate in small combos and receive instruction in theory, composition, improvisation, history, and styles, preparing them to attend leading college, university, and conservatory music programs. The program offers students the opportunity to participate in a highly specialized performance-based jazz curriculum, study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists, and perform in jazz combos comprised of their peers.

Celebrations again saw over 190 countries participate in the worldwide celebration, with a spectacular All-Star Global Concert for the first time featuring artists performing from cities across the globe. With segments shot on-location in New York, Los Angeles, London, Monaco, Paris, Moscow, Cape Town, Tokyo and Rio De Janeiro, among other locations, the 2021 concert showcased the universality of jazz in inimitable style. Hosted by Academy Award winner Michael Douglas from UN Headquarters in New York and with artistic direction from Herbie Hancock and musical direction from John Beasley, the concert featured an array of renowned artists representing more than 20 countries. In the lead-up to the All-Star Global Concert, students of all ages around the world benefitted from a series of free virtual education programs with acclaimed educators, musicians and public figures, including Herbie Hancock, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Kris Bowers, Terri Lyne Carrington, Antonio Sánchez, Linda Oh and many more.

The 2021 All-Star Global Concert featured an historic lineup of performances by some of the world’s greatest jazz masters. For the first time ever, in honor of the 10th Anniversary of International Jazz Day, the 2021 Concert showcased artists joining from an array of locations around the world–demonstrating the global reach and appeal of this special music.

The 2021 concert included stunning performances by Herbie Hancock (Artistic Director), John Beasley (Musical Director), Alex Acuña, Melissa Aldana, Justo Almario, Massimo Biolcati, Dee Dee Bridgewater, A Bu, Jonathan Butler, Cyrus Chestnut, Mahmoud Chouki, Gerald Clayton, Andra Day, Amina Figarova, Roberta Gambarini, Kenny Garrett, James Genus, Stefon Harris, Ingrid Jensen, Angelique Kidjo, Joe Lovano, Romero Lubambo, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Marcus Miller, Dianne Reeves, Antonio Sánchez, Veronica Swift, Francisco Torres, Justin Tyson and Ben Williams. Leading performances from their home countries were Igor Butman in Moscow (Russia), Jacob Collier in London (United Kingdom), Mandisi Dyantyis in Cape Town (South Africa), Ivan Lins in Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), John McLaughlin in Monaco, James Morrison in Mt. Gambier (Australia) and Junko Onishi in Tokyo (Japan), among others. The All-Star Global Concert served as the official culmination of International Jazz Day 2021, capping a program of performances, educational workshops, community service projects, panel discussions, jam sessions, radio and television broadcasts, virtual gatherings and more – all following recommended public health guidelines – taking place in all 50 U.S. states and more than 190 countries on all seven continents. As part of the lead-up to the concert, the Institute and UNESCO offered a series of free virtual educational programs, including master classes with renowned jazz musicians such as Antonio Sánchez, Linda Oh and Lionel Loueke; a children’s workshop with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater; and illuminating panel discussions featuring UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, pianist and composer Kris Bowers, hip-hop producer DJ Khalil and others. Check out the full suite of programs by visiting

World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021; April 28th

FORUM: Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises, Invest Now in Resilient OSH Systems.'World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work will focus on strategies to strengthen national occupational safety and health (OSH) systems to build resilience, in order to face crises now and in the future, drawing on lessons learned and experiences from the world of work.

The aim of the day is to stimulate dialogue on the importance of investing in safety and health at work in responding to emergencies and crises affecting workplaces, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. How investing in occupational safety and health, both programmatically and financially, contributes to a stronger infrastructure at the national level which is prepared to respond to crises such as COVID-19 and similar events?

CAMPAIGN: INVEST IN RESILIENT OSH Systems. World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021.  

EVENTS: Global dialogue on safety and health at work in response to emergencies and crises 

Statement by Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General on World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021; April 28th.

Safety and Health in the workplace has been massively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A strong, resilient, occupational safety and health environment is vital for crisis recovery and prevention says ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder in a video message to mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work. On 28 April, DG Ryder will address a global dialogue that will discuss how to strengthen occupational safety and health systems at the national level.

Statement by Dr. Tedros, Director General of the WHO on World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021; April 28th.

On the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, shares this message of support with the ILO.

Statement by U.S. Secretary of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021; April 28th.

On the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021, US Secretary of Labour Marty Walsh shares this message of support with the ILO.

Statement by the Minister of Labour, Canada on World Day for Safety and Health at work; April 28th.

On the occasion of World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021, Minister of Labour for Canada Filomena Tassi shares this message of support with the ILO.

World Intellectual Property Day 2021, April 26

On April 26th. The World Intellectual Property Organization will highlight how smallbusiness can benefit from intellectual property under the theme " IPs and SMEs

taking your ideas to market.

FORUM:" IPs and SMEs, taking your ideas to market''  World Intellectual Property Day 

World Intellectual Property Day 2021 highlights the key role IP rights play in helping SMEs build stronger, more competitive businesses.

UNESCO's Director-General has welcomed the decision by the United States and many other countries to call for the lifting of patent protection on COVID-19 vaccines. This growing momentum comes in response to the joint appeal made by UNESCO, the WHO and the UNHCR to open up science and boost scientific cooperation. The idea behind Open Science is to allow scientific information, data and outputs to be more widely accessible (Open Access) and more reliably harnessed (Open Data) with the active engagement of all the stakeholders (Open to Society).

World Malaria Day 2021, April 25th

 

FORUM:" Reaching zero". World Malaria Day 2021

25 April is is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. It was instituted by WHO Member States during the World Health Assembly of 2007.Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, a growing number of countries are approaching – and achieving – malaria elimination. On 21 April 2021, ahead of World Malaria Day, country leaders, frontline health workers and global partners  joined together the "‎Reaching zero: virtual forum" to share experiences and reflections on efforts to reach the target of zero malaria.

EVENT:  Ahead of World Malaria Day, country leaders, frontline health workers and global partners came together in a Virtual forum to share experiences and reflections on efforts to reach the target of zero malaria. 

The  ‎Reaching zero event was co-hosted by WHO and the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.

See the programme in Virtual Forum on Malaria Elimination | French | Spanish | Arabic.

KEY MESSAGES: Reaching the zero malaria target. Key messages.

This year, WHO and other partners are marking World Malaria Day by celebrating the achievements of countries that are approaching, and achieving,malaria elimination. They provide inspiration for all nations that are working to stamp out this deadly disease and improve the health and livelihoods of their populations. The Communications toolkit contains key messaging and other resources which can be used around World Malaria Day 2021 to support your activities and outreach.

 CAMPAIGN: ‎WHO launches effort to stamp  

International Delegates Day 2021, April 25th

FORUM: Credentials Presented to the Secretary-General in 2021. International Delegate's Day 2021

 In order to raise awareness of the role of the representatives and delegates of the Member States to the United Nations, the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 25 April as International Delegate’s Day. The delegates represent their countries in meetings at the United Nations. Unless a politician of higher rank is present, the delegates speak and vote on behalf of their country at the U.N. General Assembly, and other fora, such as the UN Security Council.

On 16 November 2020, the UN diplomatic community achieved a milestone record of 52 simultaneously active women holding the post of Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. This is a long step from 8 August 1958, when H.E. Mrs. Agda V. Rössel of Sweden became the first female Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. It took sixteen years before H.E. Mrs. Marie-Jo McIntyre of Grenada became the second woman to represent her country at the United Nations. 'Even though we have not reached gender parity at PR-level yet, we have come a long way', remarked the President of the General Assembly on 16 October 2020.

The Protocol and Liaison Service contributes to the Delegates’ Handbook, a booklet that contains information of a general nature about United Nations Headquarters and is applicable throughout the current session.

The current meetings of the Security Council

The current meetings of the General Assembly

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2021; April 24

FORUM: ''Towards an inclusive Multilateralism''; International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2021. 

The General Assembly invites all Member States, observers and organizations of the United Nations to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner and to disseminate the advantages of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace, including through educational and public awareness-raising activities.

Statement by the U.N Seretary General on International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace 2021; April 24rd.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a tragic reminder of how deeply connected we are.
There is a clear and urgent need for concrete multilateral solutions, based on common action across borders for the good of all humanity, starting with the equitable distribution of vaccines as a global public good.
This need goes far beyond the pandemic. It applies to all the transnational threats we face: the climate crisis; air and water pollution; the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; the development of new technologies in the absence of agreed principles and norms.
We need a more networked multilateralism, with stronger coordination between regional and international organizations, international financial institutions and public/private alliances.
We need an inclusive multilateralism, that draws on civil society, business, local and regional authorities and others, and shares power more broadly and fairly.
And we need strong multilateral action now, to emerge from the pandemic safely, to address the climate crisis, and to build stronger, safer communities and societies.
Today, as we mark the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, let’s renew our commitment to global multilateral solutions that deliver for people and planet.

António Guterres

Statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross, delivered by Laetitia Courtois, Permanent Observer, to the Interactive Dialogue to commemorate and promote the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace.

Thank you, Mr. President, for inviting the International Committee of the Red Cross to participate in today's event on this International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy.
Today, I will provide examples of effective multilateralism and the important role it plays in alleviating suffering and creating conditions for peace. I will close with a word on the future of consensus-building and multilateralism.
First, let us look at some multilateral diplomacy success stories.
The quintessential example and proof that multilateralism and diplomacy can work is in the universally ratified Geneva Conventions. Adopted in 1949, the Conventions form the core of international humanitarian law. These rules created important multilateral consensus on the limits of violence to reduce human suffering and protect essential infrastructure.
The Geneva Conventions also gave a clear mandate to the ICRC and to the National Societies of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to prevent and alleviate suffering. With the inclusion of this mandate, States recognized the importance of impartial humanitarian action.
Indeed, humanitarian actors are not peace builders: neutral, impartial, independent humanitarian action is distinct from political agendas and must remain so.
Yet, while States and others make peace, humanitarian action can help make peace possible.
Frontline humanitarian action can be a stabilizing factor in fragmented environments and a building block towards stability. Principled humanitarian action serves to protect against development reversals or societal division caused by the effects of armed conflict.
Humanitarian actors can also help facilitate confidence-building measures such as in keeping families connected by addressing the issue of missing persons. We also act as neutral intermediaries to facilitate the release and return of people detained in relation to fighting, as we saw in October 2020 when the ICRC helped facilitate the release of more than 1,000 people detained in relation to the conflict in Yemen. The operation was a result of talks that built upon the Stockholm Agreement of 2018.
Mr. President,
Multilateralism works when states pursue a common goal. It happened recently in March 2021 when states adopted by consensus the report of the Open-ended Working Group on ICTs (cyber). States shared the view that there are potentially devastating humanitarian consequences of malicious ICT activities on critical infrastructure supporting essential services to the public. States concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the importance of protecting healthcare infrastructure including medical services and facilities through the implementation of relevant norms.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is another example of multilateralism in action. It is the promise that one day we will be freed of the dark shadow of these indiscriminate and inhumane weapons. Our collective work is far from complete. We must intensify our efforts to promote adherence to the Treaty, ensure that its provisions are faithfully implemented and take the Treaty all the way to its goal: a world without nuclear weapons.
I raise these examples to illustrate that multilateral diplomacy agreements developed by States create norms and develop international humanitarian law to ensure that legal limits are in place. I also raise these examples because in them we see that IHL is integral to multilateralism and that multilateralism is integral to IHL.
Next, I want to say a word on the global challenges we face and the future of consensus-building. Climate change, the pandemic, protracted conflicts, rising inequality are incredibly complex, interconnected and often transnational issues. To address these challenges, States must work together through the international system to preserve hard-won gains and to break through deadlocks. But States cannot do this alone.
The future for consensus-building cannot just be multilateral: it also must be multistakeholder. It must bring together different actors to unlock solutions. One group's response will not be enough on its own. We must involve local institutions and nongovernment actors, the UN, development actors, civil society, the private sector and others.
In this way the international community can address key challenges of today, whether they be flash points arising from protracted or new conflicts, or promoting and ensuring respect for human rights and IHL.
As we've seen in the past, multilateralism can work. And the people caught in armed conflict or suffering from the impacts of COVID, climate change, food insecurity or other challenges – they depend on multilateral, multi-stakeholder diplomacy that works.
Thank you.

World Book and Copyright Day 2021, April 23

 WHY READING IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER!

The World Book Capital programme will involve numerous events, with some of the most notable ones including the following:

• Urban Stories - a series of literary-musical performances involving authors and musical artists in Old Town districts of Tbilisi - scheduled for June 2021
• Book Flea Market - showcasing handcrafted items on the theme of books, plus "select books from personal libraries" - June-September 2021
• Professional Programme for Foreign Publishers - as part of Tbilisi Book Fair, foreign publishers and editors will be involved in a fellowship programme, with the winning participants meeting their Georgian counterparts at the fair - June 2021
• Literary Forum-Dialogue - networking opportunity for publishers, agents and authors from abroad and local professionals of the field - June 2021
• Festival of Illustrations - displays and workshops involving Georgia, British and German illustrators - September 2021
• International Literary Festival of Tbilisi - authors from across the world will feature in the event aiming to expand from its usual scope - September 2021
• Fairy Tale Festival - exhibitions, workshops, meetings and events for kids will comprise the programme - October 2021
• Residency Programme for International Authors - residency programmes will see Georgian authors introduced abroad, while their foreign counterparts will take up residencies in Georgia - November 2021
• International Conference for Publishers - professionals of the field will be invited to talk freedom of expression, copyright and intellectual property, publishing, and textbooks at the event - January 2022

World Book Capital was launched by a UNESCO General Conference in 2001. The project promotes the book culture worldwide and takes place in different cities every year. Its aims include encouragement of book culture among readers of all ages, and promotion of the development of the library sectors and publishing industry.

The success of World Book and Copyright Day, launched in 1996, encouraged UNESCO to develop the concept of World Book Capital City, selecting Madrid as the Capital for 2001. This was again a success, and so UNESCO's General Conference resolved to make the designation of a World Book Capital City an annual event

 

Spanish Language Day 2021, 23 April

FORUM:¡Mejore sus habilidades lingüísticas! Spanish Language Day 2021.

 The choice of the day attends the anniversary of the death of the great genius of Spanish letters, Miguel de Cervantes. 

Spanish Language Day; 23 April : An opportunity to sensitize the United Nations community to the history, culture and use of the Spanish language.

English Language Day 2021; April 23

English Language Day at the UN is celebrated on 23 April, the date traditionally observed as both th birthday and date of death of William Shakespeare. The Day is the result of a 2010 initiative by the Department of Global Communications, establishing language days for each of the Organization's six official languages.

Virtual Music Performance: The UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNCMS) presents a virtual concert in celebration of the English and Spanish Language Days at the United Nations, which will celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity of humanity, particularly through English and Spanish language and music.

World Creativity and Innovation Day 2021, April 21st

  The United Nations is marking the day with the "International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development."

FORUM:  "How COVID-19 is boosting Innovation". World Creativity and Innovation Day 2021.

Covid-19 has accelerated the adoption of technologies and pushed the world faster into the future. As businesses and organisations look towards the post-pandemic era, what lessons can be learned about innovation?

Chapters 00:00 - How has covid-19 boosted innovation? 01:20 - Drone deliveries 04:20 - How crises lead to innovation 06:47 - How restaurants have innovated 09:29 - Inequality between companies 10:48 - Some start-ups have thrived 12:57 - Working from home 14:15 - E-learning: benefits and challenges

As we mark the 2021 as International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Explore creativity and its role in rebuilding a better world.

Chinese Language Day 2021; April 20

 FORUM: Commemorating the contribution of Cangjie, the "ancestor of Chinese characters".   Chinese Language Day 2021

On Tuesday, 20 April 2021, the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNCMS) will present a virtual concert in celebration of UN Chinese Language Day, which will celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity of humanity, particularly through Chinese language and music. Chinese Language Day has been set as the "Gu Yu" of the twenty-four solar terms of the lunar calendar, to commemorate the contribution of Cangjie, the "ancestor of Chinese characters". Over the years, the UN Chinese Language Day has become a window for people to understand Chinese culture.

As music is a universal language, the concert’s all-Chinese music programme symbolizes the spiritual connection between music and the Chinese language, one of the most widely spoken languages in the world – and will provide a window for people to understand the richness of Chinese culture and way life. The ancient text of the “Tao Te Ching” states that the Tao is the eternal, changeless spirit that runs through all life and matter. It further says that the task of life is to bring ourselves into attunement with the Tao, so that we are always moving in harmony with the universe, and not in dissonance against it. The music programme will help provide inspiration to the beauty of Chinese Taoism, which treasures 3 things in human beings: compassion, economy, and humility.