World Post Day 2014, October 9th

‪Всемирный день почты‬, ‪9октября‬.
 世界郵政日,10月9日.
Día Mundial del Correo‬, ‪‎9 de octubre.
 ‎Journée mondiale de la poste‬, ‪‎9 octobre‬.
World Post Day, October 9.
باليوم العالمي للبريد

 

El tema de 2014 es: «El servicio postal reclama su lugar en el cambiante mundo de las comunicaciones».

Тема Дня в 2014 году «Почта заявляет права на свое место в меняющемся коммуникационном пространстве».

2014年主题:邮政在变化的世界格局争取一席之地.

Thème 2014 : Les postes se positionnent dans le paysage évolutif de la communication.

Theme 2014 : Posts claim their place in the changing communication landscape.

موضوع اليوم العالمي للبريد لعام 2014: لخدمات البريد مكانتها في مجال الاتصالات المتغير

Each day the United States Postal Service processes hundreds of millions of pieces of mail and delivers to over 150 million addresses. At the center of this bustling postal network are more than a hundred Processing and Distribution Centers spread across the United States. Follow these letters, catalogs, magazines, and parcels as they make their way through the Postal delivery network.

See the giant screen exhibit in person at the National Postal Museum in Washington DC! Visit the entire Smithsonian online exhibit: http://npm.si.edu/systemsatwork

National Postal Museum in Washington DC

Universal Postal Union. : Director General Bishar A. Hussein delivers his 2014 annual message for World Post Day.

Posts claim their place in the changing communication landscape.

Postal services have always been important motors of economic activity and growth.

The very creation of the Universal Postal Union 140 years ago established a multilateral framework for the exchange of documents and goods across borders. It helped postal services pave the way to globalized trade and commerce.

Today, Posts are poised to play a very important role in a new wave of globalization being ushered in by the Internet, which calls for greater inclusion of citizens everywhere.

With half of the world’s population living in rural areas, the postal network is well placed to reach them. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, 80% of post offices are located in smaller cities and rural areas, where the majority of people live.

For postal services to flourish, electrical and Internet connectivity is essential, especially in developing countries, where only 32% of the population has access to the Internet.

The global postal network is a tremendous asset for extending this digital reach – not only for the benefit of citizens and businesses, but also for governments, development agencies and other stakeholders looking for solutions to many of the challenges our world is grappling with.

According to the World Bank, post offices are the cheapest providers of remittance services, ahead of banks and money transfer operators.

Posts are also the second biggest contributors to financial inclusion after banks, with one billion people holding a postal account.

And there are new opportunities with cross-border e-commerce. Although this business is still relatively new, global online sales should reach 1.5 trillion dollars by year end. More often than not, online purchases are delivered by the Post.

Postal activities stimulate the global economy and improve livelihoods. And, with 640,000 post offices worldwide, we find them where they can make a difference.

By increasing post offices’ electrical and Internet connectivity, governments can ensure that post offices make a major contribution to efforts to bring communication, financial, social and economic services to rural populations.

As the communication landscape evolves, I see an important place in it for Posts, especially in this new globalized world.

I urge governments to carry on investing in their national postal network so that citizens and businesses continue to benefit from a most essential and affordable public service.

I wish you a happy World Post Day.

Resources :

Postal contacts for international customers, Universal Postal Union .

Forum :  World Post Day - 9 October


This event is celebrated every year since 1969, on the anniversary of the founding of the UPU (Universal Postal Union), and commemorates all the hard work and social contributions of the postal services worldwide.
So across the world, post offices celebrate this special day in many different ways. This includes special philatelic exhibitions, free entrance in postal and communications museums, introducing new products and services, special cancellation marks, seminars, workshops and more!

We are currently gathering information for the events for 2014, so if you know of some, please let us know so that we can mention it on this page.

These are the events we are aware of in 2014:
                      Belarus

Belpochta will release a special World Post Day stamp and cancellation mark, available at the main post office in Minsk 

Czech Republic

Česká Pošta will have a special cancellation mark with the UPU logo. It will be available from 9-17th October, on Prague's main post office.
Finland

The Finnish Post is celebrating its national Stamp Day, by offering unique postage stamps with local attractions in 60 of their Post offices (these can also be ordered online). Special cancellation marks will also be available on this day.

          Germany

Deutsche Post has a special cancellation stamp to mark the occasion.
The Museum für Kommunikation in Berlin will hold a conference at 5pm on the theme "Die Post geht um die Welt. 140 Jahre Weltpostverein" in cooperation with Deutsche Post.

           Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Post will issue a set of joint stamps together with Pos Malaysia, celebrating local food.
Also, the Hong kong post office will allow everyone to post one personal local letter for free on the World Post Day.

          Ireland

An Post is producing free international, postage-paid postcards which will be available to customers at the GPO, Dublin and in the Main Post Offices in Cork, Galway, Athlone and Letterkenny. Also, visitors can avail of free admission to the Letters, Lives & Liberty exhibition at the An Post Museum in Dublin’s GPO.

          Japan

Four new stamps celebrating "International Letter Writing Week" will be issued by Japan Post. A special cancellation stamp will be available from 9-15th October, on the mail post offices throughout the country.

          Latvia

The Latvijas Pasts is holding its 9th Postcrossing meeting to celebrate the World Post Day 2014. Participants will have the chance to tour the mail sorting center in Riga and gain some insight into the company’s daily operations.

           Macao

Macao Post will have a special postcard, commemorative envelope and cancellation mark, available at Macao Post's Headquarters and the Communications Museum on 9th October 2014.

          Philippines

PHLPost is holding its second Letter Writing Day, in various malls around the country.

          Thailand

Thailand Post is launching a World Post Day-themed stamp, and allowing its users to send one free postcard during World Post Day.

          Ukraine

Ukraine Post has a special cancellation stamp for October 9th, which will be available at the main post office in Kharkiv (Kirova, 6).

           U.S.A.

The Smithsonian National Post Museum will host a meeting of the Mail Social Club, with mail workshops & passionate experts to share their skills & love of the post.

World Habitat Day 2014, October 6th.

Всемирный день Хабитат, 6 октября 2014 года.

 世界人居日, 2014年10月6日.

Journée mondiale de l'habitat, 6 octobre.

Día Mundial del Hábitat, 6 de octubre 2014.

World Habitat Day, 6 October 2014.

 اليوم العالمي للموئل 6 أكتوبر

 

Voices from slums - World Habitat Day 2014

Тема 2014 года: Голоса из трущоб

2014年主题: 来自贫民窟的声音.

Thème de la Journée 2014 : « Donnons la voix aux bidonvilles »

Tema de 2014: «Voces de los suburbios».

2014 Theme: Voices from Slums

 اختارت الأمم المتحدة موضوع "أصداء من الأحياء الفقيرة"

United Nations Secretary-General's message for the World Habitat Day 2014.

Over the past decade, efforts under the Millennium Development Goals have cut the proportion of people living in slums by more than half.  Yet, over the same period, rapid urbanization, especially in the developing world, has seen overall slum populations rise.  In some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 70 per cent of urban dwellers live in slums and informal settlements.
Slums are often located on the least desirable and appropriate land, such as flood plains and steep hillsides, and are inherently vulnerable to the increasingly severe weather events that climate change is causing.  Many of the people who inhabit slums were pushed to migrate by the lack of opportunities in rural areas or their countries of origin.  They regularly lack basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity and street lighting.  Crime is often endemic, with women and girls particularly at risk.  Unemployment, under-employment and the cost of transport to distant places of work add further hardship.
To achieve sustainable development and a life of dignity for all, we must address these issues.  This year, World Habitat Day is devoted to giving a voice to slum dwellers.  Often, people in the slums live in near-anonymity -- no address, no census and no idea when their living conditions will improve.  By learning from their experiences, city planners and policy makers can enhance the well-being of a significant portion of the human family.  Let us hear from people who live in slums what has worked and what has not – and what we need to do.
On this World Habitat Day, I encourage governments, businesses, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations to give slum dwellers a voice – and to listen to what they have to say.  We have the technology and the know-how to build economically, socially and environmentally sustainable cities based on local solutions.  Ensuring that our towns and cities expand in a well-planned and managed way is not only necessary to meeting the housing needs of our growing urban population, it is also vital for combatting climate change, protecting the environment and supporting sustainable development.  Let us focus on a new urban agenda that leaves no-one behind.

 

From World Habitat Day to World Cities Day, 31 days for promoting a Better Urban Future

World Habitat Day 2014 Message of the UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos

Monday, 6 October 2014

Every year on the first Monday of October we reflect on the state of our human settlements and what we want the cities of our future to look like. This year, the United Nations has chosen to turn the spotlight on the people who live or have lived in informal settlements, listening to “Voices from Slums”.
The goal is to raise awareness of life conditions in some areas of the planet which are crowded, with inadequate housing, poor or no water and sanitation facilities and no security of tenure. There is rarely any public space in these areas and no allocation for streets, meaning no public transport and no access for emergency services.
As part of the Millennium Development Goals, the world pledged to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by the year 2020. By 2010 we had achieved this by more than 2 fold. However, with growing urbanisation, the number of people being born in or moving into these areas is also increasing and the overall number of people living in slums continues to rise. Estimates claim that there are already one billion people living in slums.
People in slums are also disproportionately affected by climate change, with houses often built precariously on slopes or unsuitable building space and with inadequate materials making them vulnerable to landslides, floods and earthquakes.
Great efforts are being made to improve many slums around the world and better the lives of those that live there. But slums are a manifestation of rapid unchecked urbanisation – a result of allowing our cities to expand without design or regulation and with disregard to their citizens. While continuing to upgrade the slums we have, we urgently need to focus our efforts on robust urban planning and the provision of safe, affordable housing that is appropriate and adequate for our citizens’ growing needs.
Through real stories it is possible to demonstrate to decision makers in the urban arena that slum upgrading programmes can achieve better life conditions for slum dwellers, and greater economic and social impacts.
In 2016, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III will set us on the path for a new urban agenda. But we cannot wait until then to stop the spread of slums. Our urban citizens have the right to adequate housing and basic services and we need to make sure that our cities and towns are planned appropriately to provide these.
Nearly one billion urban slum dwellers are counting on it. We should hear their voices.

Manifesto for cities - The Urban Future we want

 Forum :Join us this World Habitat Day - October 6

 Please download the World Habitat Day 2014 Press Release

World Habitat Day provides an excellent opportunity to highlight key human settlement issues. Each year UN-Habitat calls upon its partners in central government, local government, civil society, the private sector and the media to take part in organizing activities to raise awareness and stimulate debate on the selected theme of the year.

 Mr.Joan Clos, UN-HABITAT Executive director message for World Habitat Day 2014.

World Teachers' Day 2014, October 5th

Всемирный день учителя, 5 октября 2014.

世界教师日,10月5日

Día Mundial de los Docentes, 5 de Octubre.

Journée mondiale des enseignants, 5 Octobre.

World Teacher Day, October 5th.
 اليوم العالمي للمعلمين

• 
  

Всемирный день учителя 2014 г.: Инвестируйте в будущее, инвестируйте в учителей!

 2014 世界教师日：投资未来、投资教师！

Día Mundial de los Docentes 2014: ¡Invierta en el futuro, invierta en los docentes!

Journée mondiale des enseignants 2014 : Investir dans l'avenir, investir dans les enseignants !

World Teacher's Day 2014 : Invest in the future, Invest in Teachers!

اليوم العالمي للمعلمين 2014: الاستثمار في المستقبل، الاستثمار في المعلمين! -

 

5 October 2014 marks the 20th anniversary of World Teachers’ Day.

An education system is only as good as its teachers. Teachers are essential to universal and quality education for all: they are central to shaping the minds and attitudes of the coming
generations to deal with new global challenges and opportunities. Innovative, inclusive and results-focused teaching is crucial for 2015 and beyond if we are to
provide the best possible opportunities for millions of children, youth and adults worldwide.
In many countries, the quality of education is undermined by a deficit of teachers. An extra 1.4 million teachers are needed in classrooms across the world to achieve universal primary education by 2015, and 3.4 million additional teachers will be needed by 2030, according to the
UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Added to the challenge of numbers is the issue of quality. All too often, teachers work without resources or proper training. The stakes are high: we face today a global learning crisis, with 250 million children not learning the basics, over half of whom have spent four years in school. Equipping teachers to succeed is therefore a priority. This means rigorous training, better conditions for employment, quality-based teacher recruitment, thoughtful deployment and attracting new teachers and talents, especially young people and women from under-represented communities.

 Reflecting on the lead-up to, and looking beyond, 2015, the Global Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post-2015 Development Agenda aptly sums up the essentials for supporting teachers’ effectiveness as follows:

 (1) decent conditions of employment, including appropriate contracts and salaries, and prospects for career progression and promotion; 
(2) good conditions in the work environment, based on creating school contexts that are conducive to teaching;
 (3) high-quality pre-and in-service training for teachers, based on respect for human rights and the principles of inclusive education; and 
(4) effective management, including teacher recruitment and deployment.

Moreover, quality teaching depends on teachers enjoying basic rights, such as protection from violence, academic freedom and the freedom to join independent unions. Protecting teachers' rights also helps them to promote the safety and security of the girls and boys in their charge; we must insist that schools remain a protective space for children and teachers.
Children and young people are at the heart of society. A good education enables them, as global citizens, to respond to the challenges of a complex world, and contribute to building peaceful and sustainable communities.
The teachers of today and tomorrow need the skills, knowledge and support that will enable them to meet the diverse learning needs of every girl and boy. We must remember that teachers are an investment for the future.

The international community and governments must stand united to support teachers and quality education worldwide, and especially in those countries where the highest number of out-of-school
children exists. We invite you to join us in spreading the message that 5 October is World Teachers’ Day and that investing in teachers means investing in the future.

Irina Bokova, Director -General, UNESCO
Guy Ryder, Director-General, ILO
Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF
Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP
Fred van LEEUWEN, General Secretary, Education International

Data shows standards being sacrificed to fill teacher shortage gap.


 In the rush to fill the chronic, global shortage of teachers many countries are sacrificing standards and undermining progress by hiring people with little or no training, concludes a new UNESCO policy paper, published on World Teachers Day 2014.

Prepared by UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics (UIS) and the EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR), it shows that at least 93 countries have an acute teacher shortage, and need to recruit some four million teachers to achieve universal primary education by 2015.

 If the deadline is extended to 2030, more than 27 million teachers need to be hired, 24 million of whom will be required to compensate for attrition, according to UIS data. At present rates, however, 28 (or 30%) of these 93 countries will not meet these needs. Sub-Saharan Africa faces the greatest teacher shortage, accounting for two-thirds of the new teachers needed by 2030. The problem is exacerbated by a steadily growing school-age population.

 “A quality universal primary education will remain a distant dream for millions of children living in countries without enough trained teachers in classrooms,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO. “Teachers are the core of any education system. Hiring and training new and already established teachers is fundamental to protecting children’s ability to learn in school.

’ Under pressure to fill gaps, many countries are recruiting teachers who lack the most basic training. According to UIS data, in one-third of countries with data, fewer than 75% of primary school teachers were trained according to national standards in 2012. In Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and South Sudan, this figure falls below 50%. As a result, in roughly a third of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the GMR shows that the challenge of training existing teachers is greater than that of recruiting new teachers to the profession.

 “Putting well-intentioned instructors in front of huge classrooms and calling them teachers will not deliver our ambitions to have every child in school and learning,” said Aaron Benavot, director of the EFA Global Monitoring Report. “We have prepared a new Advocacy Toolkit for teachers to help us relay these messages to their governments. Teachers, better than anyone else, can relay how teacher shortages and a lack of training are making it just about impossible to deliver a quality education”.

 Countries must ensure that all new teacher candidates have completed at least secondary education. Yet the GMR shows that the numbers of those with this qualification in many countries are in short supply: eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa would have to recruit at least 5% of their secondary school graduates into the teaching force by 2020. Niger would need to recruit up to 30%.


 In sub-Saharan Africa, the cost of paying the salaries of the additional teachers required by 2020 totals an extra US$5.2 billion per year, according to UIS projections, before counting for training, learning materials and school buildings. With the greatest number of children out of school in the world, Nigeria alone will need to allocate an extra US$1.8 billion per year.

“The good news is that most countries can afford to hire the extra teachers if they continue to steadily increase investment in education,” said Hendrik van der Pol, director of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. “Over the past decade, education budgets across Sub-Saharan Africa have been growing by 7% in real terms, reflecting the commitment to get more teachers and children in classrooms. However four countries will need to significantly increase their education budgets if they’re to cover the bills and provide training to new recruits: the Central African Republic, Mali, Chad and Malawi.”

Contacts:
 Kate Redman EFA Global Monitoring Report,  Email: k.redman@unesco.org Phone: +33602049345
Amy Otchet UNESCO Institute for Statistics , Email: a.otchet@unesco.org Phone: +15144027836
Sue Williams Chief, Media Relations, UNESCO,  Email: s.williams@unesco.org Phone: +33145681706


Related Links 

"Investing in teachers means investing in the future" ILO.

ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, 1966

Wanted: Trained teachers to ensure every child’s right to primary education - The full paper.
Infographics on Education
Advocacy Toolkit for Teachers
eATLAS for Teachers - Interactive maps 
 The Global Partnership for Education

Forum :  5 October, World Teachers' Day.

 On World Teachers' Day, tell the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, that you support quality education for all, a post-2015 development goal on education, and the global campaign to get all children into school.

Events : 06 October 2014 to 07 October 2014, Paris, France.

Upcoming Live Webcast - World Teacher's Day

 List of all Prizes and Celebrations

International Day of Non-Violence 2014, October 2nd

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the International Day of Non-Violence 2014.

On this International Day of Non-Violence, we commemorate the philosophy of the late Mahatma Gandhi, who through his example proved that peaceful protests could accomplish much more than military aggression.
The principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, the year of Gandhi’s death, owe much to his beliefs.
At this time of increased sectarian violence and the wanton destruction of cultural sites and heritage, it is timely to recall Gandhi’s call for peace and reconciliation, and his warning that, “An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind.”
We have to foster a culture of peace, built on dialogue and understanding, for living together in harmony while respecting and celebrating humanity’s rich diversity.
There is no greater tool than education to enhance human dignity, promote a culture of non-violence, and build lasting peace. Through education, we can craft new ways of living with each other and the planet. Education can also lay the foundation for developing new forms of global citizenship and solidarity that are so essential in today’s world.
On this Day, I call on all people to counter the forces of intolerance, advance global citizenship and forge human solidarity based on Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence.

Ban Ki-moon

Honouring Gandhi’s legacy, Deputy Secretary-General reaffirms power of peaceful protest.

In these dramatic and perilous times, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson urged the international community to reaffirm the power and potential of bringing about change through peaceful means, following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who inspired today’s International Day of Non-Violence.
“The response to violence is all too often more violence when, in fact, reconciliation and dialogue is needed,” Mr. Eliasson said in a special event for the occasion, held at UN Headquarters in New York.
He called for embracing the fundamental values embodied by Mr. Gandhi: passion, compassion, and belief in the dignity and equal worth of all human beings.
Mr. Eliasson recalled Mr. Gandhi’s warning that “an eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind.”
The International Day, marked annually on Mr. Gandhi’s birthday, celebrates his non-violent philosophy and tactics have been adopted by leaders around the world. It was established by the General Assembly as an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness,” and has been observed annually since 2007.
Mr. Gandhi’s historic “Salt March” against unfair colonial taxation, and his other non-violent resistance inspired change in countries from the Georgia to South Africa, Northern Ireland and the United States, Mr. Eliasson said.
This year’s event is particularly relevant given the resurgence of exceptionalism and sectarianism in parts of the world, the senior UN official said. He added that many minorities find themselves under attack, and civilizations are being displaced as conflicts force them to flee.
“We must reject violence as the futile and default means to bring about change,” Mr. Eliasson said. “We must embrace the path to non-violence and peaceful settlements as the road to sustainable and equitable transformations of societies.”
The UN is strengthening its efforts to bring non-violence to concrete action through preventive diplomacy and the recent “Human Rights up Front” initiative which highlights the need for early action, and the crucial role of responding early to human rights violations.
In his message Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, the year of Gandhi’s death, owe much to Mr Ghandi’s beliefs.
At this time of increased sectarian violence and the wanton destruction of cultural sites and heritage, “We have to foster a culture of peace, built on dialogue and understanding, for living together in harmony while respecting and celebrating humanity’s rich diversity,” the UN chief said.
Stressing that there is no greater tool than education to enhance human dignity, promote a culture of non-violence, and build lasting peace, Mr. Ban said: “Through education, we can craft new ways of living with each other and the planet. Education can also lay the foundation for developing new forms of global citizenship and solidarity that are so essential in today’s world.”


Forum :  2 October - International Day of Non-Violence

 Special event on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence - 2 Oct '14

International Day of Older Persons 2014, October 1st

 


 

Realizing the Human Rights and Well-Being of Older Persons.

 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Encourages Governments to Ensure Older People’s Full Participation in Society on International Day of Older Persons 2014.

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki‑moon’s message on the International Day of Older Persons, to be observed on 1 October:

Older persons are playing an increasingly significant role in society as they grow in number and as health care improves in some parts of the world.

The number of older persons is expected to more than double, globally, from 841 million people in 2013 to more than 2 billion in 2050. By that year, nearly 8 in 10 of the world’s older population will live in the less developed regions.

The steady increase in human longevity represents one of the greatest transformations and challenges of our time. However, failure to keep pace with changing demographic trends will make it difficult to achieve a sustainable, secure and fulfilling future for people of all ages.

Older persons make wide-ranging contributions to economic and social development. However, discrimination and social exclusion persist. We must overcome this bias in order to ensure a socially and economically active, secure and healthy ageing population.

The post-2015 development agenda offers a historic opportunity for the United Nations and its Member States to strengthen the rights and role of older persons in society as an integral part of our commitment to “leave no one behind”.

On this International Day, I encourage Governments and people everywhere to ensure the full participation of older persons in society while protecting their rights and dignity.

* *** * United Nations


Forum :  International Day of Older Persons, 1 October.
What will matter to you in old age? 

On this International Day for Older Persons the OECD Insights blog discusses challenges for ageing populations  #IDOP2014

World Rivers Day 2014, September 28

‪
‪‎世界河流日‬,
‪Всемирный день Реки‬,
‪‎Día Mundial de los Ríos‬, ‪
Journée Mondiale des rivières‬, ‪
World Rivers Day 2014‬,

World Rivers Day is a global celebration of the world's waterways, it highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness while encouraging the improved stewardship of River basins around the world. World Rivers Day has been endorsed by various agencies of the United Nations is intended to complement the broader efforts of the United Nations Water for Life Decade.


Forum :   28 September is World Rivers Day.
We asked three questions:
a) what are the key pressures on and drivers of change in freshwater ecosystems, 
b) what are the most illustrative examples of these threats, and
c) what recommendations or solutions can we pose to address these threats?

Events :

• 34th annual BC Rivers Day celebrated on September 28th 2014
• World Rivers Day fun includes entertainment, hands-on activities, displays and demonstrations - Burnaby Village Museum
• Participate in the Shoreline Cleanup and see what other community groups are doing to be more sustainable.
• In 2014, the International River Foundation  is partnering with our corporate partners to celebrate World Rivers Day under the theme "Partnerships for Rivers"

 Prizes : Riverprize Judging Panels

The International RiverFoundation sincerely thanks our past and present judges for contributing their time and expertise. Please note that the final judging panels for the 2014 Riverprize round are yet to be confirmed.

• European Riverprize Winners
• Thiess International Riverprize Winners
• Australian Riverprize Winners

 “What makes a river so restful to people is that it doesn’t have any doubt - it is sure to get
where it is going, and it doesn’t want to go anywhere else.” 

 Hal Boyle, Pulitzer prize-winning columnist.

World's Top 10 Rivers at Risk.

The report, World's Top Rivers at Risk, lists the top ten rivers that are fast dying as a result of climate change, pollution and dams.

Five of the ten rivers listed in the report are in Asia alone. They are the Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Ganges and Indus. Europe’s Danube, the Americas’ La Plata and Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, Africa’s Nile-Lake Victoria and Australia’s Murray-Darling also make the list.

The report calls on governments to better protect river flows and water allocations in order to safeguard habitats and people’s livelihoods.

The Danube River Basin

 The most multinational river basin in the world, the Danube basin is roughly twice the size of California and its basin covers part or all of 19 riparian countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Ukraine, of which eight are EU member states (in italics) and two are EU accession countries. The river is a principle resource for industry, agriculture, transport and power generation (Environment for Europeans 2004). The Danube delta supports both fishing and tourism (FAO 2000b). Approximately 60 of its 300 tributaries are navigable including the Inn, Morava, Drava, Tisza, Sava and Prut (ICPDR 2006a). It is home to 47 cities18, and passes through four national capitals: Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary), and Belgrade (Serbia) (WRI 2003).

The Ganges river basin

The Ganges river basin runs from the central Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, and covers parts of Nepal, India, China and Bangladesh (Newby 1998; WRI 2003). The Ganges fl ows through northeastern India to the Bangladesh border, east-southeast 212 Km to its confl uence with Brahmaputra, and continues as the Padma River for another 100 Km to its confl uence with the Meghna River at Chandpur (Food & Agricultural Organization (FAO) 1997; FAO 1999). The basin occupies 30% of the land area of India (Revenga 1998; United States Central Intelligence Agency 2006) and is heavily populated, increasing in population density downstream to Bangladesh, the most densely populated country in the world (WRI 2003; Rashid & Kabir 1998). Approximately one in twelve people in the world (8%) live in its catchment area (Newby 1998). The cultural and economic signifi cance of the Ganges is enormous. The river is a centre of social and religious tradition (Adel 2001) and is particularly sacred in Hinduism.

The Indus river basin

The Indus river basin spans parts of four countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and China) in an area that is more than 30% arid, and much drier than the nearby Ganges river basin (WRI 2003). The Indus River is critical for Pakistan’s 160 million people, and irrigates 80% of its 21.5 million ha of agricultural land (Rizvi 2001; CIA 2006a). The watershed is also an area of rich biodiversity, particularly where it opens to the Arabian Sea. The Indus river delta is a highly productive area for freshwater fauna and an important region for water birds (Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 2003). The Indus is home to 25 amphibian species and 147 fish species of which 22 are found nowhere else in the world. It harbors the endangered Indus River Dolphin, one of the world’s rarest mammals, with a population of no more than 1,100 individuals (WRI 2003; Ramsar Convention on Wetlands 2003; WWF 2005f). Due to reduced river infl ows, the delta has lost significant portions of its mangroves (WWF 2004).

 

 The La Plata basin is the second largest river basin in South America, crossing fi ve countries: Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Bolivia (Bereciartua and Novillo 2002). The Rio de la Plata basin has three main tributaries, the Paraná, the Paraguay and the Uruguay Rivers. The Paraná tributary river basin supplies the Brazilian cities Sao Paolo and Brasilia (Hulme 1999). Although the Paraná basin alone supports 19 large cities of more than 100,000 people, the per capita water supply per person is ample (WRI 2003).

Freshwater biodiversity is rich. There are over 350 fi sh species– the third highest among medium sized basins (WRI 2003). Of these, 85 are found nowhere else in the world (Revenga et al. 2000). This basin is also home to the rare La Plata River Dolphin (Reeves et al. 2003), and the only species of lungfi sh found in the Neotropics, Lepidosiren paradoxa (WWF 2005d). La Plata’s Pantanal wetlands, located mostly in southwest Brazil but also extending to southeast Bolivia and northern Paraguay, are the largest freshwater wetland in the world, covering 140,000 Km2, and home to a vast array of wildlife (Bennett & Thorp no date; Living Lakes Partnership 2005). This biological diversity encompasses 650 species of birds - including parrots, hawks, eagles, kites, 260 species of fi sh, 90 species of reptiles, over 1,600 species of fl owering plants, and over 80 species of mammals - including ocelots, jaguars, and tapirs (Hulme 1999; Living Lakes Partnership 2005). Thousands of permanent and semi-permanent lakes and ponds supporting the most diverse floating aquatic plant community in the world cover the Pantanal’s lowest areas (Por 1995 in WWF 2001a). During the wet season, this wetland acts as a gigantic natural control mechanism for the floodwaters of the Paraguay River (Hulme 1999).

The Murray and Darling Rivers

 Despite these variable conditions, the Murray-Darling is home to abundant aquatic plant and animal life. In the Murray-Darling basin, there are around 30,000 wetlands, 12 of these are internationally recognized Ramsar sites (Australian Government 2005a). The basin is known for its diversity of crayfish and freshwater snails (Revenga et al. 2000; WRI 2003), and is home to 16 mammal and 35 bird species that are nationally endangered (Australian Government 2005a). Despite the relatively low number of endemic fish species (seven in total), it is home to fl agship species such as the Silver Perch, Freshwater Catfish and the large Murray Cod all of which are in rapid decline (WRI 2003; Barrett 2004).

The Mekong River Basin

The exceptional fishery in the Mekong River is based on the ecological boost provided by the annual wet season flood of its extensive floodplain, particularly the back flow of the river into the Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. The scale of this beneficial flooding and consequent fish harvest is threatened by the present and potential impoundment of floodwaters behind 58 existing and 149 proposed large dams, and by roads in the floodplains.

The Nile River -Lake Victoria Basin

 The Nile River-Lake Victoria basin falls within ten countries (Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea) (WRI 2003), and is roughly the size of India. The Nile is also the longest river on earth, and meanders through a watershed that is more than 30% arid (Encyclopedia Britannica 2006a; Revenga et al. 1998). The longer of two branches, the White Nile, extends from the mountains east of Lake Tanganyika, through Lake Victoria, to the Nile delta at the Mediterranean Sea (WWF 2001). The shorter branch, the Blue Nile, springs from the Ethiopian Highlands, joining the longer branch in central Sudan, and contributes the majority of water entering Egypt (WWF 2001)52The Nile River-Lake Victoria basin falls within ten countries (Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea) (WRI 2003), and is roughly the size of India. The Nile is also the longest river on earth, and meanders through a watershed that is more than 30% arid (Encyclopedia Britannica 2006a; Revenga et al. 1998). The longer of two branches, the White Nile, extends from the mountains east of Lake Tanganyika, through Lake Victoria, to the Nile delta at the Mediterranean Sea (WWF 2001). The shorter branch, the Blue Nile, springs from the Ethiopian Highlands, joining the longer branch in central Sudan, and contributes the majority of water entering Egypt (WWF 2001).

Rio Grande - Rio Bravo

 The second longest river in the United States, the Rio Grande flows from the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, south through New Mexico. Turning to the southeast, it forms the border between the United States (Texas) and Mexico for approximately two thirds of its course, opening into a small sandy delta at the Gulf of Mexico (United States Geological Service (USGS) no date; Horgan 1991; Saunders 1996). The basin is more than 30% arid and drains an area greater than the size of California (WRI 2003; Saunders 1996; Revenga et al. 1998). Through the stretch from Laredo/Nuevo Laredo to the mouth, the river constitutes the primary source of drinking water for communities in both Mexico and the United States (Saunders 1996). Despite the rapidly growing economy, the basin is one of the poorest regions in the US, where many live in shanties without access to running water (WWF 2004d). The basin is facing per capita water scarcity (WRI 2003), and by 2025, will likely descend into further water scarcity (Revenga et al. 2000). The Rio Grande basin is a globally important region for freshwater biodiversity (Revega et al. 2000). The Rio Grande supports 121 fi sh species, 69 of which are found nowhere else on the planet. There are three areas supporting endemic bird species as well as a very high level of mollusk diversity (Revenga et al. 1998; WRI 2003; Grommbridge & Jenkins 1998).

Salween, Nujiang or Nu River

The Salween river basin is more than twice the size of England, the second largest river basin in southeast Asia and one of the last free-fl owing international rivers in Asia5 (WWF 2005b;
Goichot 2006). Shared by China, Myanmar (formally Burma) and Thailand, 6 million people live in the Salween watershed and depend on the river for their livelihoods, dietary protein, and nutrient rich food particularly during the dry season (IRN 2004).

The Salween flows from the Tibetan Plateau adjacent to the Mekong and the Yangtze, in the “Three Parallel Rivers” World Heritage area, at the epicentre of biodiversity in China6 (Kunming Institute of Botany & University of Bern 2005; IRN 2004). In the upper Salween’s Nujiang Prefecture in China, 92% of the population consists of ethnic and religious minorities (Public Open Letter 2005). Along the Thai and Myanmar border, there are over 13 ethnic groups living in traditional communities on the river’s banks (EarthRights International 2004). Currently, there is also ample water per person (WRI 2003).

World Tourism Day 2014, 27 September

世界旅游日, 9月27日.

Всемирный день туризма, 27 сентября.

Día Mundial del Turismo, 27 de septiembre.

Journée mondiale du tourisme, 27 septembre.

World Tourism Day, 27 September.
يوم السياحة العالمي - 27  أيلول/سبتمبر

 

2014年主题：旅游和社区发展.

Тема Дня 2014 года «Туризм и развитие общин».

Tema de 2014: «Turismo y Desarrollo Comunitario».

Thème 2014 : Tourisme et développement communautaire.

Theme for 2014: Tourism and Community Development.

موضوع عام2014:السياحة وتنمية المجتمعات المحلية

  

United Nations Secretary-General Message for World Tourism Day 2014.

This year's observance of World Tourism Day focuses on the ability of tourism to fully empower people. Engaging local populations in tourism development builds stronger and more resilient communities.
Tourism helps people to develop a variety of skills. As a service sector with cross-cutting impact on agriculture, construction or handicrafts, tourism creates millions of jobs and business opportunities. Its capacity to lift people from poverty, promote gender empowerment and help protect the environment has made it a vital tool for achieving positive change in communities across the world. 
Harnessing tourism's benefits will be critical to achieving the sustainable development goals and implementing the post-2015 development agenda.
On World Tourism Day, I encourage the international tourism community to commit to sustainable policies and ensure that host communities worldwide share in the benefits generated by tourism.

Ban Ki-moon

 Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General, message for 2014 observance.

Each time we travel, use local transport at a destination or buy products from a local market we are contributing to a long value chain that creates jobs, provides livelihoods, empowers local communities, and ultimately brings in new opportunities for a better future.

The theme of World Tourism Day 2014 – Tourism and Community Development – brings to the forefront the potential that tourism has to promote new socio-economic opportunities and better livelihoods for communities around the world while highlighting the critical role that community engagement has in advancing sustainable development.

Tourism is a people-based economic activity built on social interaction, and as such can only prosper if it engages the local population by contributing to social values such as participation, education and enhanced local governance. At the same time, there can be no real tourism development if such development damages in any way the values and the culture of host communities or if the socio-economic benefits generated by the tourism sector do not trickle down to the community level. As stated in the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, “local populations should be associated with tourism activities and share equitably in the economic, social and cultural benefits they generate”. 

As we approach the 2015 deadline established for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and prepare to embrace the new Sustainable Development Goals, this year’s World Tourism Day represents an opportunity to further advance tourism’s contribution to economic, social and environmental sustainability. Empowering individuals and communities around the world at all levels through tourism can be a fundamental step towards these goals.  

On the occasion of World Tourism Day 2014, I would like to invite all tourism stakeholders and host communities to come together and celebrate this day as a symbol of our common efforts in making tourism a true pillar of community development and community development the basis of a more sustainable tourism sector. 

Taleb Rifai
Secretary-General
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

This year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) draws special attention to the role of tourism in contributing to one of the building blocks of a more sustainable future for all: Community development. This focus is in line with the global transition to the Sustainable Development Goals as the guiding principle promoted by the UN from 2015 and beyond.

As a sector representing 9% of global GDP, one in 11 jobs worldwide, and a key revenue sector for developing and emerging economies, tourism is widely acknowledged for its capacity to respond to global challenges. The consolidation of tourism’s economic influence has built up its social responsibility and political relevance, with a growing number of countries allocating a stronger mandate to tourism in economic and development policy planning.

With the special focus on the community, WTD 2014 highlights how tourism can be conducive to advancing sustainable development from the grassroots level. Community based tourism involves the local population in the decision making process according to local priorities. The opportunity to become part of the tourism value chain actively involves host communities in the development process. Tourism thus becomes a catalyst of social cohesion, going beyond the immediate impact of job creation and its positive economic consequences and enhances, for instance, local governance capabilities which multiply the tourism impact even further.

This year's official celebrations will take place in Guadalajara, Mexico and include a high-level Think Tank on the 2014 theme with the participation of tourism Ministers, international experts and policy makers in the field of tourism and development.

To keep up-to-date with this year’s WTD activities, and to learn more about the theme Tourism & Community Development, bookmark the WTD website and follow UNWTO on Facebook and Twitter (hashtag #WTD2014).

Join the Forum : 27 September is World Tourism Day.

 World Tourism Day (WTD) is held annually on 27 September.

Its purpose is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value

 Livestream of the Official WTD 2014 Celebrations.

Partners Voices : 

 WTD 2014: It Takes a Village to Raise a Destination
CNN TASK Compass Article by Anita Mendiratta, Lead Consultant of CNN TASK

What Does Community Mean to You?
Opinion piece by Fiona Jefferey OBE, Tourism For Tomorrow WTTC/World Committee for Tourism Ethics UNWTO

Video Messages :
Message by Arancha González, Executive Director of International Trade Centre (ITC)
Message by David Scowsill, President and CEO of the World Travel &Tourism Council (WTTC)

World Tourism Day 2014 Official Event : Programme and Registration

The official 2014 WTD celebrations will be held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, on 27 September.
Interested in attending?  Please send your full name and contact details to dmt@sectur.gob.mx in order to receive an online registration link.


Accreditation desks will be open in Guadalajara, at locations to be determined, one day before the celebration.
The preliminary version of the programme of the official WTD celebrations;