International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2013, October 17

 

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2013

This year’s observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty comes as the international community is pursuing twin objectives:  intensifying efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals, and formulating the next set of goals to guide our efforts after we reach the MDG target date of 2015.  This post-2015 agenda must have poverty eradication as its highest priority and sustainable development at its core.  After all, the only way to make poverty eradication irreversible is by putting the world on a sustainable development path.

We have much work ahead.  While poverty levels have declined significantly, progress has been uneven.  Our impressive achievement in cutting poverty by half should not blind us to the fact that more than 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty worldwide. Too many, especially women and girls, continue to be denied access to adequate health care and sanitation, quality education and decent housing.  Too many young people lack jobs and the skills that respond to market demands.  Rising inequality in many countries -- both rich and poor -- is fueling exclusion from economic, social and political spheres, and we know that the impacts of climate change and loss of biodiversity hit the poorest the hardest.  All of this underpins the need for strong and responsive institutions.

We need to do more to listen and act for those whose voices often go unheard – people living in poverty, and in particular among them indigenous people, the older persons and those living with disabilities, the unemployed, migrants and minorities.  We need to support them in their struggle to escape poverty and build better lives for themselves and their families. 

If we are to realize the future we want for all, we must hear and heed the calls of the marginalized.  For the last year, the UN has been doing just that by spearheading an unprecedented global conversation on the world people want.  That dialogue must continue – and lead to the active and meaningful inclusion of people living in poverty -- as we chart a course to ending poverty everywhere. 
Together, we can build a sustainable world of prosperity and peace, justice and equity – a life of dignity for all.

Ban Ki-moon

 

 

Theme for 2013:  Working together towards a world without discrimination: Building on the experience and knowledge of people in extreme poverty

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries. Fighting poverty remains at the core of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the post-2015 development agenda.
This year's official commemoration on 17 October at UN Headquarters will be an occasion to recognize people living in poverty as critical partners for fighting the development challenges we face. The commemoration at the UN is organized in partnership with the International Movement ATD Fourth World, the NGO Sub-committee for the Eradication of Poverty and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, supported by the Missions of France and Burkina Faso to the UN.
In addition, the World We Want 2015 platform will host an event for its People’s Voices Series, centering on the Day’s theme, the MDGs  and the Post-2015 Agenda.

From 14 October through 17 October, please join the UN system and its partners in a social media action, #EndPoverty, to raise awareness of the fight against poverty and the need to accelerate action to achieve the MDGs.

Get Involved!
You can participate:

• Join the global conversation on Facebook and Twitter using #EndPoverty. Beginning 14 October, share photos and stories of what you and your community are doing to help end poverty.
• Learn and help share infographics and new videos about accelerating the Millennium Development Goals.
• Follow the World We Want People’s Voices event live on 17 October.
• Watch persons affected by poverty share their views at the official commemoration at UN headquarters, live on UN webcast on 17 October.

 Join the Forum : Discussions & opinions on the International Day for Eradication on Poverty, October 17
Watch the videos : The activities around the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

 

 
• Тема Дня Международный день борьбы за ликвидацию нищеты 2013 года: Совместная борьба за мир без дискриминации: использование опыта и знаний людей, живущих в условиях крайней нищеты
• 2013年的主题：从极端贫困人中汲取经验和知识，共同建立一个没有歧视的世界
• Día Internacional para la Erradicación de la Pobreza, 17 de octubre
• Journée internationale pour l'élimination de la pauvreté, 17 octobre
• موضوع عام 2013 — العمل معاً من أجل عالم خال من التمييز: الإستفادة من تجراب من يعايشون الفقر المدقع

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, August 23th

23 August: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave trade and of its Abolition The night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the Transatlantic slave trade.    Websites The Transatlantic Slave trade Database Voyages Places of memory of the slave route in the latin Caribbean Historun Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) Respect Magazine Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD) Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation (WISE) The African Diaspora Heritage Trail Iziko Museums of Cape Town Anti-slavery international organisation African Passages The Shackles of memory Virtual Visit of the Gorée Island   The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean World Centre for Research on the Societies of the Indian Ocean (CRESOI) The Harriet Tubman Institute EURESCL Slave Trade, Slavery Abolitions and their Legacies in European Histories and Identities Naval Archaeology Research Group (GRAN) International Slavery Museum Yale Slavery and Abolition Portal Museum of the African Diaspora Tadia Society Amistad America Virtual Exhibition: "Lest we forget" Breaking the silence: The Transatlantic Slave Trade Education Projet (TST)

Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, 23 August 2013 Through their struggles, their desire for dignity and freedom, slaves contributed to the universality of human rights. We must teach the names of the heroes of this story, because they are the heroes of all humankind. In paying tribute, on 23 August each year, to the women and men who fought this oppression, UNESCO wishes to foster reflection and debate on a tragedy that has left its mark on the world as it is today. Under the Slave Route Project, UNESCO aims to reveal the extent and consequences of this human tragedy and to portray the wealth of the cultural traditions that African peoples have forged in the face of adversity – in art, music, dance and culture in its broader sense. This year, on the eve of the twentieth anniversary of the Slave Route Project, I designated as a UNESCO Artist for Peace Mr Marcus Miller, who will undertake the mission of promoting the UNESCO Slave Route Project and conveying its message of respect through music. These endeavours will contribute to efforts for the Decade for People of African Descent (2013-2022), proclaimed by the United Nations in 2012. The slave trade is not merely a thing of the past: it is our history and it has shaped the face of many modern societies, creating indissoluble ties between peoples and continents, and irreversibly transforming the destiny, economy and culture of nations. Studying this history is tantamount to paying tribute to freedom fighters and to acknowledging their unique contributions to the affirmation of universal human rights. They have set an example for us to continue the struggle for freedom, against racial prejudice inherited from the past and against new forms of slavery that subsist to this day and affect some 21 million people. Today, I invite all governments, civil society organizations and public and private partners to redouble their efforts to transmit this history. May it be a source of respect and a universal call for freedom for future generations. On this Day of Commemoration, UNESCO invites people around the world to remember, to reflect on the consequences of the past on our present, on the new requirements of living together in our multicultural societies and on the fight against contemporary forms of slavery of which millions of human beings are still victims. International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. In accordance with the goals of the intercultural project "The Slave Route", it should offer an opportunity for collective consideration of the historic causes, the methods and the consequences of this tragedy, and for an analysis of the interactions to which it has given rise between Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean. The Director-General of UNESCO invites the Ministers of Culture of all Member States to organize events every year on that date, involving the entire population of their country and in particular young people, educators, artists and intellectuals. International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was first celebrated in a number of countries, in particular in Haiti (23 August 1998) and Goree in Senegal (23 August 1999). Cultural events and debates too were organized. The year 2001 saw the participation of the Mulhouse Textile Museum in France in the form of a workshop for fabrics called "Indiennes de Traite" (a type of calico) which served as currency for the exchange of slaves in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Circular CL/3494 of 29 July 1998 from the Director-General to Ministers of Culture invites all the Member States to organize events to mark 23 August each year. Decision 8.2 of the 150th session of the UNESCO Executive Board The Executive Board, 1. Bearing in mind 20 C/Resolution 4/1.2/7 in which the General Conference invited the Director-General to provide moral and material assistance towards the organization, each year, of a Black Peoples’ Day, 2. Recalling 27 C/Resolution 3.13 in which the General Conference approved the implementation of the intercultural and interregional project entitled "The Slave Route", 3. Recalling also 28 C/Resolution 5.11 on the slave route and the proposal for the establishment at international level of remembrance of the slave-trade, 4. Further recalling that 23 August 1791 was the day on which the slaves of Saint-Domingue and Haiti rose up in rebellion, thus taking the first step towards the abolition of the slave-trade, 5. Noting with interest the support expressed for the UNESCO Slave Route project by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at its twenty-eighth summit at Dakar in June 1992, 6. Endorses the general approach and conception proposed by the Director-General in document 150 EX/32 concerning the objectives and the programme for the establishment of the remembrance; Recommends that the General Conference: (a) proclaim 23 August of every year 'International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition'; and (b) submit to the United Nations General Assembly a request that all United Nations Member States take part in this remembrance

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2013, August 9th.

UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL MESSAGE ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, 9 August 2013.

On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we highlight the importance of honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States, their citizens and indigenous peoples. Such consensual arrangements enable better understanding of their views and values and are essential for protecting and promoting rights and establishing the political vision and necessary frameworks for different cultures to coexist in harmony.

Indigenous peoples represent remarkable diversity – more than 5,000 distinct groups in some 90 countries. They make up more than 5 per cent of the world’s population, some 370 million people. It is important that we strive to strengthen partnerships that will help preserve cultural vigour while facilitating poverty reduction, social inclusion and sustainable development.We must ensure the participation of indigenous peoples – women and men –in decision-making at all levels. This includes discussions on accelerating action towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals and defining the post-2015 development agenda. Indigenous peoples have made clear that they want development that takes into account culture and identity and the right to define their own priorities.

The post-2015 development agenda needs therefore to incorporate the rights, perspectives and needs of indigenous peoples.Next year’s World Conference on Indigenous Peoples offers an opportunity to advance the cause of indigenous peoples everywhere. I urge Member States to take concrete steps to address the challenges facing indigenous peoples, especially their marginalization and exclusion, by honouring all commitments and examining what more can be done. Let us work together to strengthen indigenous peoples’ rights and support their aspirations. Let us create a world that values the wealth of human diversity and nurtures the potential it offers.

Ban Ki-moon.

 News and Media

>>>Press Release : Treaties with Indigenous Peoples in Focus on International Day

 This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August) aims to highlight the importance of honouring agreements between States, their citizens and indigenous peoples, emphasizing the principles of friendship, cooperation and peace.“Indigenous peoples represent remarkable diversity – over 5,000 distinct groups comprising more than 5 per cent of the world’s population,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki3moon. “We must work to strengthen partnerships and ensure that policies and actions res pect the views and reflect the values of indigenous peoples.”Under the theme of “Indigenous peoples building alliances: honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements", a special event at United Nations Headquarters in New York will feature remarks by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Assistant Secretary-General Shamshad Akhtar, and Mr. Paul Kanyinke Sena, Chair of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, followed by an interactive dialogue with Ambassador Mary Morgan Moss, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, and Chief Oren Lyons from the Onondaga Nation.

Also on 9 August, more than 200 indigenous and non-indigenous paddlers are scheduled to arrive at Pier 96 at West 57th Street in Manhattan at 10:00 a.m., after having collectively travelled hundreds of miles on rivers and horseback to honour the first treaty – the Two Row Wampum – concluded between Dutch immigrants and the Haudenosaunee (a confederacy of six nations, with its seat in the Onondaga nation in New York State) in 1613. “Our ancestors made this great agreement on our behalf 400 years ago,” noted Hickory Edwards, the lead paddler for the Onondaga Nation. “Now is the time for us to think about the people living in the next 400 years.” “The Two Row is the oldest and is the grandfather of all subsequent treaties,” said Oren Lyons, Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation’s Turtle Clan who has represented the Haudenosaunee at the United Nations and elsewhere. “It set a relationship of equity and peace. This campaign is to remind people of the importance of the agreements.”

There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in some 90 countries around the world .Practice in unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live.The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, recognizes indigenous peoples’ right to self determination and their right to freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development, and develop past, present and future manifestations of their culture in various forms.

About the International Day:

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is commemorated annually on 9 August, in recognition of the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations, held in Geneva in 1982. The I nternational Day was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994.

>>>Webcast of the Secretary-General making remarks on the occasion of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
>>>Webcast of the observance at UN Headquarters

Panelists:
Mary Morgan Moss, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Panama to the UN Ivan Šimonović, ASG (OHCHR) (TBC), Chief Oren Lyons (Onondaga, USA)


Messages of the Day
Message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations
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Remarks by the Secretary-General of the United Nations 
Remarks by the Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs
Remarks by the Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights
Message from the Chairperson of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Message from UNESCO
Message from the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
Message from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Message from UN Women
Message from UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)
Message from WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Message from Stop TB Partnership
Message from IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
Message from ILO (International Labour Organization)
Message from the International Land Coalition
Message from PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)

 

 The theme aims to highlight the importance of honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements, between States, its citizens and indigenous peoples. Both indigenous and non-indigenous peoples have a pivotal role in making treaties “living documents” in their own communities, by establishing new ways to live together, respecting one another and cooperating in the pursuit of common goals. This contributes to building societies that guarantee the security of their communities, while preserving the environment in recognition of the unique spiritual, cultural and historic relationship between indigenous peoples and their lands and natural resources.

The theme is inspired by the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign, an educational advocacy campaign organized by the Haudenosaunee people (a confederacy of six nations living in New York State), to honour their first treaty concluded with Dutch immigrants in 1613. (For more information, visit http://honorthetworow.org). 

For media queries, including interviews with UN officials and indigenous representatives, please contact Martina Donlon, tel: +1 212 963 6816 or email: donlon@un.org – UN Department of Public Information.To contact the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, please contact Nilla Bernardi, tel: +1 212-963-8379 or email: bernardi@un.org – UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs For more information on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples,  please see www.un.org/en/events/indigenousday or follow #IndigenousDay on Twitter