The General Assembly approved today a budget of $5.15 billion for the period of 2012-2013

As General Assembly adopts leaner UN budget, Ban vows to do ‘more and better with less’

27 December 2011

The General Assembly approved today a budget of $5.15 billion for the period of 2012-2013, a move that was welcomed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as a collective achievement and a commitment to “do more and better with less.” 

“All budget years are tough. But this year was especially difficult,” Mr. Ban said in his remarks to the General Assembly this morning. “Governments and people everywhere are struggling. It is a time of global financial austerity,” he said, commending the Assembly for its willingness to make hard choices.

Full article: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=40837&Cr=General 

 

UN Days, Weeks and Years > International Decades

As well as the annual celebration of certain UN-designated days and weeks, we find ourselves in the midst of celebrating several on-going internationally-declared decades (proclaimed by the UN General Assembly). Often, an international decade is launched by either an international year or on an international day.

1993-2002	Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa
1993-2002	Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons
1993-2003	Third International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
1994-2003	International Decade for the World's Indigenous People (following 1993 International Year for World's Indigenous People)
1995-2004	United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
1997-2006	United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (following 1996 International Year for the Eradication of Poverty)
2001-2010	International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (following 2000 International Year for the Culture of Peace)
2001-2010	Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism
2001-2010	Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa
2003-2012	United Nations Literacy Decade: Literacy for All (from 8 September 2003 - International Literacy Day)
2005-2014	Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People
2005-2014	United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
2005-2015	International Decade for Action, “Water for Life” (from 22 March 2005 - World Water Day)
2006-2015	Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Affected Regions (relating to the Chernobyl disaster)
2008-2017	Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty
2010-2019	United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification
2011-2020	United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety

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For further information, we suggest you visit the UN's Conferences and Events site. Specifically you should check out "Conferences and Observances" in the "Background Information" section. (As the UN changes the URL of this page at least once a year we choose not to give you a direct link that may soon become dated.)

UN Days, Weeks and Years > International Years

Since 1959 the UN has designated International years in order to draw attention to major issues and to encourage international action to address concerns which have global importance and ramifications. There is a concerted effort not to designate every year - for fiscal reasons and to avoid any process of trivialization. The following is the chronological list of years designated to date:

1959/60	World Refugee Year
1965	International Cooperation Year
1967	International Tourism Year
1968	International Year for Human Rights
1970	International Education Year
1971	International Year for Action to Combat Racism & Racial Discrimination
1974	World Population Year
1975	International Women’s Year
1978	International Anti-Apartheid Year
1979	International Year of the Child
1981	International Year of Disabled Persons
1982	International Year of Mobilisation for Sanctions Against South Africa
1983	World Communications Year
1985	International Youth Year
1986	International Year of Peace
1987	International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
1990	International Literacy Year
1992	International Space Year (endorsed, not declared)
1993	International Year for World’s Indigenous People
1994	International Year of the Family; and International Year of Sport & Olympic Ideal
1995	United Nations Year for Tolerance
1996	International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
1998	International Year of the Ocean
1999	International Year of Older Persons; and Centennial of the First International Peace Conference
2000	International Year for the Culture of Peace; and International Year of Thanksgiving
2001	International Year of Volunteers; and United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations; and International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2002	International Year of Mountains; and International Year of Culture Heritage; and International Year of Ecotourism (http://www.world-tourism.org/index.htm or http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/ecotourism/iye.htm)
2003	International Year of Freshwater
2004	International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and Its Abolition; and International Year of Rice
2005	International Year of Microcredit; and International Year for Sport and Physical Education
2006	International Year of Deserts and Desertification
2008	International Year of the Potato; and International Year of Planet Earth; and International Year of Sanitation; and International Year of Languages
2009	International Year of Human Rights Learning - from 10 December 2008 (Human Rights Day) to 10 December 2009 International Year of Reconciliation; and International Year of Natural Fibres; and International Year of Astronomy
2010	International Year of Biodiversity; and International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding - from 12 August 2010 (International Youth Day) to 11 August 2011
2011	International Year of Forests; and International Year of Chemistry; and International Year for People of African Descent
2012	International Year of Cooperatives

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For further information, we suggest you visit the UN's Conferences and Events site. Specifically you should check out "Conferences and Observances" in the "Background Information" section. (As the UN changes the URL of this page at least once a year we choose not to give you a direct link that may soon become dated.)

UN Days, Weeks and Years > International Days and Weeks

 

Since the early days of the United Nations system, the UN has established a set of Days and Weeks (as listed below), Years and Decades to help focus the world on the issues in which the UN has an interest and commitment. The UN calls on Member States and other organizations to mark these days in ways which reflect their priorities. 

Sometimes the promotion of a specific day is led by a specific UN agency or programme, for example the World Health Organization (WHO) leads World Health Day and World No-Tobacco Day, UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) leads World Water Day and International Literacy Day, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) leads World Environment Day etc.

Some UN agencies also have their own international days (e.g. WHO's World TB Day and UNESCO's World Philosophy Day), established and promoted by the agency but not designated by the UN General Assembly for the full UN system. While equivalent in purpose, the following list does not include agency-specified days.

January
27	International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
February
20	World Day of Social Justice (as of 2009)
21	International Mother Language Day
March
8	International Women's Day and United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace
21	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21-28	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination
22	World Water Day
23	World Meteorological Day
April
4	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
7	World Health Day
23	World Book and Copyright Day
May
3	World Press Freedom Day
15	International Day of Families
17	World Information Society Day (formerly World Telecommunication Day)
21	World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22	International Day for Biological Diversity (formerly December 29, changed in 2001)
25-June 1	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
29	International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
31	World No-Tobacco Day
June
4	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5	World Environment Day
17	World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20	World Refugee Day
23	United Nations Public Service Day
26	International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
July
First Saturday	International Day of Cooperatives
11	World Population Day
August
9	International Day of the World's Indigenous People
12	International Youth Day
23	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
September
8	International Literacy Day
15	International Day of Democracy
16	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
21	International Day of Peace (formerly the opening day of the UN General Assembly, changed to a set date as of 2002)
During last Week	World Maritime Day
October
1	International Day for Older Persons
4 - 10	World Space Week
5	World Teacher's Day
First Monday	World Habitat Day
Second Wednesday	International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
9	World Post Day
10	World Mental Health Day
16	World Food Day
17	International Day for the Eradication of Proverty
24	United Nations Day and World Development Information Day
24-30
	Disarmament Week
November
6	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
14	World Diabetes Day
16	International Day of Tolerance
Third Sunday	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
20	Universal Children's Day, and Africa Industrialization Day
21	World Television Day
25	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
December
1	World AIDS Day
2	International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3	International Day of Disabled Persons
5	International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
7	International Civil Aviation Day
9	International Anti-Corruption Day
10	Human Rights Day
11	International Mountain Day
18	International Migrants Day
19	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
20	International Human Solidarity Day

Looking back at major events of 2011

United Nations Year in Review: Looking back at major events of 2011

2011 - Earth's 7 billionth resident was born into a world of contradiction and change. There could be enough for all, yet a billion people remain hungry. Around the world protestors fought for freedom and better opportunities. From conflict in Libya to nuclear disaster in Japan and famine at the Horn of Africa - the UN provided relief and solutions. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared sustainable development and lifting people out of poverty the main goals of his second term in office.

Script: http://www.un.org/webcast/pdfs/yir2011.pdf

Running time: 00:12:14

Language(s) available:

• English
• Caption: Russian
• Caption: Spanish
• Caption: Arabic
• Caption: French
• Caption: Chinese

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Programme Budget for 2012-2013 - General Assembly (93rd Plenary Meeting)

United Nations General Assembly (93rd Plenary Meeting)
24 December 2011



Statement by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the General Assembly following the adoption of the Programme Budget for 2012-2013.

Your Excellency, General Assembly Vice-President Gary Quinlan,

Excellencies, Chairman H.E. Tommo Monthe and distinguished delegates of the Fifth Committee

Ladies and gentlemen, friends

I am here to thank you all.

I am here to thank you for your dedication, your flexibility and your hard work.

Above all, I am here to thank you for solidifying, with me, our compact to make the most of our resources … to cut fat … and to continue fulfilling every one of the critical global mandates entrusted to the United Nations.

We have fulfilled the compact between the Member States and the Secretariat.

But it is also a compact with all United Nations staff.

I am grateful for their hard work and dedication … even at grave risk … to ensure that UN delivers for the world’s people.

All budget years are tough. But this year was especially difficult.

Governments and people everywhere are struggling.

It is a time of global financial austerity.

We rose to this challenge with energy … creativity … and the indispensible willingness to make hard choices.

We found savings … while protecting our ability to get the job done.

We worked together … and we made history.

The budget approved by the Fifth Committee is lower than the one from the previous biennium.

This was a collective achievement of all the Member States.

Your hard work …your late nights … and your round-the-clock negotiations all paid off.

This keeps our promises to you, the Member States, and to the world’s people.

Excellencies,

The task at hand is complete … but the imperative “to do more and better with less” remains.

That is why I give you my pledge:

I will instruct all of my managers to continue finding new ways to make the most of our precious resources.

I will ensure that we optimize your contributions.

I will ensure that all mandates given to the Secretariat will be delivered in full and with efficiency.

And one year from now, I will return to you with greater cost savings.

You can count on my commitment.

Allow me to wish you all Merry Christmas and a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

Thank you.
Running time: 00:03:09
Language(s) available:

English

Christmas message

The Queen has praised the bravery of Australian volunteers during her annual Christmas message.



The full 2011 Christmas message by Queen Elizabeth of Australia. Broadcast on December 25th 2011. Recorded in South Queensland via satellite from an ABC New south Wales transponder.