Happiness is a fundamental human goal. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes this goal and calls for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.” Follow the conversation with the hashtags; #HappinessDay, #20March, #IntDayofHappiness
This year marks the 11th anniversary of the World Happiness Report, which uses global survey data to report how people evaluate their own lives in more than 150 countries worldwide.
Join the Editors of the World Happiness Report 2023 as we launch our 11th edition. Moderated by Sarah Jones, we will go through the themes of this year's report.
What is the consensus view about measuring national happiness, and what kinds of behaviour does it require of individuals and institutions? (Chapter 1)
How have trust and benevolence saved lives and supported happiness over the past three years of COVID-19 and other crises? (Chapter 2)
What is state effectiveness and how does it affect human happiness? (Chapter 3)
How does altruistic behaviour by individuals affect their own happiness, that of the recipient, and the overall happiness of society? (Chapter 4)
How well does social media data enable us to measure the prevailing levels of happiness and distress? (Chapter 5)
Nowruz marks the first day of spring. The Celebration of the Day plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. Its traditions and rituals reflect the cultural and ancient customs of the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values.
Statement from the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres for International Day of Nowryz 2023; March 20th.
Nowruz marks new beginnings. A "new day". A new year. The arrival of spring and rebirth of nature.
For more than 300 million people around the world, it is a time for family and friends to come together, reflect on the past and look forward to a brighter future.
Nowruz is also a celebration of humanity’s rich cultural heritage and diversity. And a chance – for all of us – to be guided by its values of peace, dialogue and solidarity:To reaffirm our commitment to human rights and dignity; To promote mutual respect and reconciliation; To protect the planet and live in harmony with nature.
As we celebrate Nowruz, let us choose hope and compassion, embrace the opportunities that lie ahead, and work together to building a more peaceful, more sustainable and more inclusive world for all.
May this Nowruz bring you joy, good health and prosperity.
U.N. Secretary-General.
EVENTS: Celebrating Nowruz means the affirmation of life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labour and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life. United Nations Information Centres in Teheran
World Poetry Day, which takes place each year on March 21, was first declared by UNESCO during its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999, with the aim of supporting linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard.
EVENTS AND POETRY READINGS
Granada City of Literature in Spain leads the Cities of Literature World Poetry Day activity each year, and in 2023 their chosen theme is “Poetry for Life.” Granada’s celebrations commence with an opening ceremony at the City Hall central court, with the attendance of the City Mayor and other authorities from the cultural sphere where three poets will perform a poetry reading. This will be followed by 90 poets reading f in the gardens of the University of Granada Law School, 18 city bookstores and the long-running Poetry Slam Granada, in which 10 poets will compete to be judged the winner by public vote.
In all, a dozen of the 42 Cities of Literature are marking World Poetry Day with programs;
Dunedin, New Zealand: Dunedin has filmed performance poet David Eggleton, New Zealand Poet Laureate 2019-22, reading his iconic poem “What the future holds,” for sharing with our friends around the city, across the country and in other UNESCO Cities of Literature.
Durban, South Africa: Durban will celebrate with a short educational cartoon audio book compiled and written by Qap’s Mngadi and Artmatem Projects and Tradings Pty LTD that is based on true life issues that reflect peer pressure and teaches youth about the dangers of drugs.
Heidelberg, Germany: Heidelberg celebrates with a variety of events, embracing readings, poetry exhibitions and lectures organized by stakeholders such as the Heidelberg Forum for Arts, private initiatives and by writers from the city and the region.
Melbourne, Australia: Celebration includes an online video series with five poets from the cities of Heidelberg and Melbourne, to celebrate the culmination of a unique online writers room, Expedition Poetry.
Milan, Italy: Milan will hold several events between March 14-25 that feature poetry performances with poets and citizens, at Fondazione Mudima and at Triennale Milano.
Nanjing, China: Nanjing Literature Hall will receive a group of student visitors from special education institutes, Nanjing School for the Blind and Nanjing School for the Deaf for a shared poetry reading.
Nottingham, England: Nottingham Playhouse, Writing East Midlands and Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature join efforts for the project “Speak Easy for World Poetry Day,” a spoken world open mic night for young writers.
Seattle: Seattle City of Literature will celebrate by hosting bilingual readings in Spanish and English according to the theme “Poetry for life.”
Tartu, Estonia: Tartu will celebrate with a diverse program that involves different venues, age groups and audiences. The celebrations begin with poetry performances by children and youth at Tartu Literature House, including members of Tartu Poetry Theatre carrying out poetry happenings in cafés and restaurants.
Wonju, South Korea: Wonju will celebrate with written poems and promotion on the Wonju city-run Facebook. The participants will be citizens from Wonju. Each participating citizen will contribute a poem of their own creation which will be illustrated by Wonju City of Literature posted between March 17-21.
Le 20 mars, l'ONU célèbre la Journée de la langue française; Les Journées des langues aux Nations Unies ont été introduites en 2010 pour célébrer le multilingualisme et la diversité culturelle. L’ONU célèbre chaque année six « Journées de la langue », consacrées aux six langues officielles des Nations Unies, qui sont l’arabe, le chinois, l’anglais, le français, le russe et l’espagnol. Ces journées sont l'occasion de sensibiliser la communauté internationale à l'histoire, à la culture et à l'utilisation de chacune de ces langues. La date de la Journée de la langue française a été choisie symboliquement en référence au 20 mars 1970, qui marque la création de l'Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT), devenue l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF).
Monday 20 March 2023, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Palais des Nations, Library Events Room (LER), 1st Floor, Building B.
Welcome remarks and Introduction – by:
- M. Francesco Pisano, Director, Library & Archives, Interim Multilingualism Focal Point at UN Geneva. - M. Georges Nakseu Nguefang, Permanent Representative, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.
Round-table moderated by Ms. Olga Markides, Head of the French Interpretation Section, Division of Conference Management, UN Geneva, with:
- Professor Philippe Blanchet, sociolinguist, author of Discriminations : combattre la glottophobie (Editions Lambert-Lucas). - M. Bakari Sidiki Diaby, CERD member (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) - M. Ibrahima Guissé, CERD member.
Questions & Answers.
WRITING COMPETITIONS
Award-winning ceremony for the writing competition « Dis-moi dix mots à tous les temps », organized by the UN Geneva.
INTERVIEWS
Cheffe de la section Française d'interpretation.
Interprète, Section Française d'interpretation.
Professeur de Français au CMF (Centre Pour la formation et le Multilingualism)
Many Governments have taken steps to combat Islamophobia by establishing anti-hate-crime legislation and measures to prevent and prosecute hate crimes and by conducting public awareness campaigns about Muslims and Islam designed to dispel negative myths and misconceptions.
On this International Day to Combat Islamophobia, we focus attention – and call for action – to stamp out the poison of anti-Muslim hatred.
The world’s nearly 2 billion Muslims reflect humanity in all its magnificent diversity.
But they often face bigotry and prejudice for no other reason than their faith.
Beyond structural, institutional discrimination and the wholesale stigmatization of Muslim communities, Muslims suffer personal attacks, hateful rhetoric, and scapegoating.
We see some of the worst impacts in the triple discrimination against Muslim women because of their gender, ethnicity, and faith.
The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development: it is part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others.
Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it.
We must strengthen our defenses by pushing for policies that fully respect human rights and protect religious and cultural identities.
We must recognize diversity as richness and ramp up political, cultural, and economic investments in social cohesion.
And we must confront bigotry by working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the internet.
For well over a millennium, Islam’s message of peace, compassion, and grace has inspired people the world over.
Every great faith and tradition summons the imperatives of tolerance, respect, and mutual understanding.
At the heart, we are dealing with universal values: they animate the United Nations Charter and lie at the core of our quest for justice, human rights, and peace.
Today and every day, let us strive to realize these values and counter the forces of division by reaffirming our common humanity.
Digital technology is opening new doors for the global empowerment of women, girls and other marginalized groups. From gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality. This 8 March, we are calling on governments, activists and the private sector alike to power on in their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable. Facing a multiplicity of global crises, we have a chance to create a better future—not just for women and girls, but for all humanity and all life on Earth. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #InternationalWomensDay, #IWD2023, #PowerOn.
Taking place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 6 to 17 March 2023, the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) will address the gap that exists for women and girls in accessing digital spaces and skills, as well as the dangers they face from online violence. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, civil society organizations, youth groups, and activists from all regions of the world will come together to shape a future where technology and innovations are harnessed to accelerate the achievement of 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The CSW67 priority theme, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”, represents a unique chance to address the gender gaps in technology and innovation, transform social norms, and empower women and girls, as the digital revolution represents both an opportunity and a threat.
Members of the media are invited to cover the following events:
International Women’s Day (IWD) official UN commemoration:
“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality” 8 March 2023, 10–11.30am EST General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters
Aligned with the priority theme of CSW67, the UN observance of IWD recognizes and celebrates the women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education and curtailing the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities.
The high-level event will bring together technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and gender equality activists to provide an opportunity to highlight the role of all stakeholders in improving access to digital tools. The opening remarks will be followed by a high-level panel discussion and musical performances.
Participants will include:
E. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
E. Mr. Csaba Kőrösi, President of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly
E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Chair, 67th Commission on the Status of Women
Marie Bjerre, Minister for Digitalization, IT Technology and Gender Equality, Denmark
Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, via video message
Sima Bahous, UN Women Executive Director
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General, International Telecommunications Union
Ring the Bell for Gender Equality events at stock exchanges 1 March 2023, opening/closing bells
UN Women, International Finance Corporation, Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, UN Global Compact, and the World Federation of Exchanges will collaborate in more than 110 stock exchanges events around the world to demonstrate their support for women’s rights and gender equality around International Women’s Day.
Participating stock exchanges have also taken the opportunity to make public commitments to gender equality through the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), encouraging listed companies to adopt the WEPs and its listing criteria to advance women’s representation on boards; developing sustainability-linked bonds with gender criteria or gender-focused bonds; and encouraging women to invest.
A list of Ring the Bell events around the world can be found here. For additional information, please contact [ Click to reveal ].
Open, safe and equal – Shaping a feminist digital future, 7 March 2023, 1.15–2.30pm EST, Conference Room 4, UN Headquarters,
This event will bring together high-level leaders from Governments, civil society organizations, youth, and UN agencies to draw attention to the CSW67 priority theme and the “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to place gender equality at the heart of the digital revolution. The discussion will focus on reaffirming Generation Equality’s shared principles for a feminist digital future, on the role of multi-stakeholder partnership cooperation in advancing gender equality in technology, and on demonstrating how technology and innovation can provide transformative solutions to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The event will be webcast UN Web TV.
CSW67 Youth Forum – “Feminist and intergenerational digital futures: Innovation and technology for gender equality” 11 March 2023, 9am–4.30pm EST Church Center for the United Nations, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017
The in-person Youth Forum will spotlight youth and adolescent recommendations on innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality, with a particular focus on grassroots and community voices. The recommendations were compiled from 103 community consultations, which engaged over 2500 young people across 60 countries. UN Women’s Executive Director, Sima Bahous, Member States, Private Sector and Member States will be in conversation with youth and adolescent activists. Registration is required.
Interactive dialogue with youth representatives 13 March 2023, 10am–1pm EDT Conference Room 4 , UN Headquarters
For the first time at CSW, young people will have a seat at the official table with an interactive dialogue focused on the exchange of experiences, lessons learned, and good practices in relation to the CSW67 priority theme. It will highlight the key issues affecting young people, including girls, in the digital age. It will encourage youth representatives to share their countries’ technology policies, learn from positive experiences, and highlight how their countries can address digital transformation challenges. The session will take place in English but will include interpretation services in all other official UN languages. The event will be webcast UN Web TV.
Solutions to strengthen civic space and women’s digital rights: Addressing the pushback against gender equality. 13 March 2023, 1.15–2.30pm EDT, Conference Room 8, UN Headquarters.
In line with the priority theme of CSW67 focusing on technology and gender equality, UN Women is convening a high-level side event in collaboration with the Generation Equality Action Coalitions on Feminist Movement and Leadership and Gender-Based Violence. The side event will be a 75-minute, in-person event. Registration is required. The event will be webcast UN Web TV.
Con Alma concert – Special performance by Magos Herrera and Paola Prestini, 14 March 2023, 6–7.30pm EDT, Trusteeship Council Chamber, UN Headquarters.
Inspired by the Generation Equality Forum’s principles of feminist leadership, intergenerational solidarity, and meaningful youth engagement, the Con Alma Special Performance at the United Nations represents a unique opportunity to celebrate the power of activism, solidarity, resilience building, and leadership that many women and youth-led networks and movements demonstrated around the world while the COVID-19 pandemic challenged humanity. The concert will also raise awareness about 2023 marking the midpoint of the Generation Equality journey and call for accelerated ambition and commitment. Registration is required.
Secretary General’s townhall with civil society 15 March 2023, 10–11.15am EDT General Assembly Hall, UN Headquarters (TBC)
The townhall meeting is the UN Secretary-General’s annual consultation with women’s and feminist civil society on the margins of the Commission on the Status of Women. The townhall will be a 75-minute, in-person event and will be webcast on UN WebTV. UN Women’s Executive Director, Sima Bahous, will moderate the event. The session will take place in English but will include interpretation services in all other official UN languages, ISL, and live closed captioning in English.
Women judges contribute to the quality of decision-making and help to build trust in the judiciary. The fight against corruption and other crimes can only be successful if the judiciary is inclusive, diverse and offers different gender perspectives.
EVENTS: Ahead of the Int'l Day of Women Judges, attend UNODC’s event discussing experiences of women judges and prosecutors in countering organized crime.
On 10 March 2023, for the second time, we celebrated the International Day of Women Judges pursuant to the recent United Nations General Assembly Resolution 75/274 of 2021. The establishment of the International Day of Women Judges marks an important milestone in global efforts to ensuring gender equality and builds upon the ongoing efforts of the Global Judicial Integrity Network in addressing gender-related judicial integrity issues. The General Assembly Resolution explicitly notes with appreciation the work of the Global Judicial Integrity Network of UNODC “to incorporate women’s representation issues into judicial systems”. With its mandate rooted in the UN Convention against Corruption, the Global Judicial Integrity Network has been emphasizing the crucial role of the judiciary in fighting corruption.
