A discussion forum on today’s hot issues and global responses
- 4 Feb 2013 - Panelists: Daniel Kaufmann (Revenue Watch Institute); Jomo Sundaram (FAO); Susan Woodward (the Graduate Center of the City University of New York).
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Is governance good for development?
- 4 Feb 2013 - Panelists: Daniel Kaufmann (Revenue Watch Institute); Jomo Sundaram (FAO); Susan Woodward (the Graduate Center of the City University of New York).
Saturday, 9 February 2013
UN Secretary-General message "International Year of Water Cooperation 2013"
KEY MESSAGES
► Water cooperation builds peace
► Water cooperation is key to security, poverty
eradication, social equity and gender equality
► Water cooperation creates economic benefits
► Water cooperation is crucial to preserve water
resources and protect the environment
Video Message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the importance of Water Cooperation
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
We need to rethink the way we are using Water. Every drop counts.
 |
| 2013 as International Year of Water Cooperation |
Here is Water. You have met before. In fact, you come across Water in everything you do. Your life would not exist without Water. But Water is not infinite and we are draining our supplies. EEA
Monday, 4 February 2013
Water Cooperation for a Water Secure World
Water Cooperation is at the heart of the Global Water Partnership's mission to support the sustainable development and management of water resources at all levels. That mission can only be achieved if a partnership of government, civil society, and the private sector work together to solve water challenges.
This video, released to coincide with the International Year of Water Cooperation 2013, outlines those challenges and GWP's approach in addressing them. An integrated approach to managing the world's water resources -- for economic growth, social equity, and ecosystem sustainability -- is key to achieving a water secure world. More information: www.gwp.org, www.watercooperation2013.org
WHY ADVOCATE FOR WATER COOPERATION?
World Wetlands Day 2013 - Wetlands take care of water
Our slogan? Wetlands take care of water, reflecting the interdependence between water and wetlands and the key role that wetlands play. Wisely using our wetlands is an essential component of the delivery of sustainable water management. In our leaflet we will be painting the big picture, looking at who manages water and the many challenges from governance to transboundary, agricultural and urban water management issues, to water storage issues and water diversion schemes. Finally we take a look at what we can all do at the global, regional and local levels in ensuring that wetland ecosystems and their water are well managed for the benefit of people and wildlife.
What have we produced for WWD 2013? As usual we have a poster, sticker and leaflet on the theme, as well as something for children and a wetland cartoon for you to share and customise. 2013 is the UN International Year for Water Cooperation and an ideal opportunity for Ramsar to look at the connection between water and wetlands. The Secretary General's message for WWD 2013.
Friday, 1 February 2013
Ban Ki-moon message for World Interfaith Harmony Week 2013
World Interfaith Harmony Week - 1 to 7 February
It provides strength in times of difficulty and an important sense of community. The vast majority of people of faith live in harmony with their neighbours, whatever their creed, but each religion also harbours a strident minority prepared to assert fundamentalist doctrines through bigotry and extreme violence.
These acts are an affront to the heritage and teachings of all major religions. They also contravene the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of all to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It is imperative that the moderate majority is empowered to stand firm against the forces of extremism. But, this can only be achieved through strong leadership.
Next month at its forum in Vienna, the Alliance of Civilizations will continue its efforts to unite faiths and cultures. Whether on the world stage or in their communities, religious and cultural leaders have a responsibility to speak the language of tolerance and respect. This is a central message of World Interfaith Harmony Week. We must also reach out to young people with a message of hope. Too often marginalized, jobless and facing a future of uncertainty, youth can be easy prey for fanatics offering a sense of cause and community. We need to expose the invalidity of this lure and offer a compelling alternative. This cannot be achieved by words alone. Young people need jobs and a meaningful stake in a future that they can believe in. The United Nations is currently engaged in defining a post-2015 sustainable development agenda. Our goal is to eradicate extreme poverty in our lifetime and promote equitable economic opportunity for all while protecting the environment. To do that, we need the engagement of all actors – including young people and communities of faith.
We live in times of turmoil and transformation – economic, environmental, demographic and political. These transitions bring both hope and uncertainty. Our job is to ensure that hope wins, and our task will be made easier if the followers of all faiths collaborate in common cause. Let us never forget that what divides us is minuscule compared with what unites us. Working together, we can achieve all our goals for peace, prosperity and physical and spiritual well-being.
Ban Ki-moon
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust - 27 Janvier
Secretary-General's video message on the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
It is a great pleasure to greet all the good friends of the United Nations who have gathered for this observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. I welcome in particular the Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans who have joined this solemn ceremony. Ladies and Gentlemen, Courage is a rare and precious commodity. Today, we celebrate those who had the courage to care. Throughout the Second World War, Jews, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war and others who failed to conform to Hitler’s perverted ideology of Aryan perfection were systematically murdered in death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau. But some were able to avoid the slaughter. They escaped because a few brave souls risked their lives and their families to rescue Jews and other victims of persecution from almost certain death. Some sheltered the intended victims in their homes; others helped families to obtain safe passage. Some of the accounts of the rescuers have achieved iconic prominence. But many are known only to those whose lives were saved. This year’s observance is meant to give those unsung heroes the regard they deserve. I thank the Righteous Among the Nations Programme at Yad Vashem, which is celebrating its 50th year, for identifying and rewarding them. The Holocaust and the United Nations programme has produced an education package on the rescuers that will be used in classrooms around the world. I also congratulate another crucial partner, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, on its 20th anniversary. Its theme of “Never Again: What You Do Matters” resonates deeply. Acts of genocide illustrate the depths of evil to which individuals and whole societies can descend. But the examples of the brave men and women we celebrate today also demonstrate the capacity of humankind for remarkable good, even during the darkest of days. On this International Day, let us remember all the innocent people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. And let us be inspired by those who had the courage to care – the ordinary people who took extraordinary steps to defend human dignity. Their example is as relevant today as ever. In a world where extremist acts of violence and hatred capture the headlines on an almost daily basis, we must remain ever vigilant. Let us all have the courage to care, so we can build a safer, better world today.
It is a great pleasure to greet all the good friends of the United Nations who have gathered for this observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. I welcome in particular the Holocaust survivors and World War II veterans who have joined this solemn ceremony. Ladies and Gentlemen, Courage is a rare and precious commodity. Today, we celebrate those who had the courage to care. Throughout the Second World War, Jews, Roma and Sinti, Soviet prisoners of war and others who failed to conform to Hitler’s perverted ideology of Aryan perfection were systematically murdered in death camps such as Auschwitz-Birkenau. But some were able to avoid the slaughter. They escaped because a few brave souls risked their lives and their families to rescue Jews and other victims of persecution from almost certain death. Some sheltered the intended victims in their homes; others helped families to obtain safe passage. Some of the accounts of the rescuers have achieved iconic prominence. But many are known only to those whose lives were saved. This year’s observance is meant to give those unsung heroes the regard they deserve. I thank the Righteous Among the Nations Programme at Yad Vashem, which is celebrating its 50th year, for identifying and rewarding them. The Holocaust and the United Nations programme has produced an education package on the rescuers that will be used in classrooms around the world. I also congratulate another crucial partner, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, on its 20th anniversary. Its theme of “Never Again: What You Do Matters” resonates deeply. Acts of genocide illustrate the depths of evil to which individuals and whole societies can descend. But the examples of the brave men and women we celebrate today also demonstrate the capacity of humankind for remarkable good, even during the darkest of days. On this International Day, let us remember all the innocent people who lost their lives during the Holocaust. And let us be inspired by those who had the courage to care – the ordinary people who took extraordinary steps to defend human dignity. Their example is as relevant today as ever. In a world where extremist acts of violence and hatred capture the headlines on an almost daily basis, we must remain ever vigilant. Let us all have the courage to care, so we can build a safer, better world today.
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