International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 2022; December 9th.

FORUM: "The role of sports in atrocity prevention." International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 2022.


Sport has historically been a key mechanism for bringing communities together across divides and can be an important vehicle for promoting positive messages that contribute to social inclusion and cohesion, strengthening understanding and respect for diversity and reducing stereotypes. Beyond its capacity to unite people at local, national, and global levels, sport is increasingly used as a vehicle to empower youth and women; improve wellbeing and health, support education and social development objectives; and strengthen the resilience of individuals and communities. Around the globe, the power of sport is being harnessed to support agendas for peace, development, and, increasingly, the prevention of risks of atrocity crimes.

Statement by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 2022; December 9th.

Today is a day to remember and pay tribute to the victims and survivors of genocides across the world. It is a day to reexamine our collective failure to prevent this crime in the past, and to redouble prevention efforts for the present and the future.

More than 70 years after the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the threat of genocide remains present in many places around the world. Discrimination and hate speech, the early warning signs of genocide, are on the rise everywhere.

We must do more to promote strong political leadership and resolute action against these dangerous trends. We must do more to live up to our commitment to liberate humanity from the scourge of genocide.

I recently visited Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where I had the privilege of meeting survivors of atrocity crimes.

Their moving testimony was a forceful reminder of the individual suffering, pain and horror of genocide and atrocity crimes.

I call on every Member State to take concrete steps to protect communities at risk, including minorities, and address discrimination and persecution.

States have the primary obligation for preventing genocide, but religious and community leaders, civil society, the private sector and the media – including social media platforms, play an essential role.

On this International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide, I urge all stakeholders to use all means at their disposal to prevent and end this crime.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

EVENTS: This year’s event will be dedicated to the role of sports in promoting peace and inclusion and highlighting ways in which it can champion prevention of atrocity crimes through its work and outreach.

9 December 2022, 11:00am – 1:00pm EST

The event will be held in person at the United Nations Headquarters in New York at the Trusteeship Council Chambers. It will also be live webcasted on UNTV and include opening remarks, followed by an interactive panel discussion. The event is open to Member States, UN staff, civil society, media and the public. 

See the full programme and RSVP by Tuesday, 6 December 2022.

WEBINARS

Commemoration of the Genocide of Jews.

 

International Anti-Corruption Day 2022; December 9th.

FORUM: UNCAC at 20: Uniting the world against Corruption. International Anti-Corruption Day 2022.

Corruption is a significant driver of instability. It erodes trust and perpetuates poverty. It undermines conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. The 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) seeks to highlight the crucial link between anti-corruption and peace, security, and development. At its core is the notion that tackling this crime is the right and responsibility of everyone, and that only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can we overcome the negative impact of this crime. States, government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth alike all have a role to play in uniting the world against corruption. The UNDPPA will continue working with all stakeholders to fight corruption for a just and peaceful world. Follow the conversation with the hastags: #IACD2022 #UNCAC20.

Preventing corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening institutions is crucial if the targets foreseen in the Sustainable Development Goals are to be met.

EVENTS: The 2022 IACD also marks the start of efforts to mark the twentieth anniversary of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Over the next year, culminating with IACD 2023, we will be reflecting on a world made better thanks to the collective push afforded by the Convention and, crucially, what gaps remain to ensure this is a truly strong mechanism for the years ahead.

International Civil Aviation Day 2022; December 7th.

FORUM: “Advancing Innovation for Global Aviation Development.” International Civil Aviation Day 2022. 

During the 40th Session of the Assembly, Member States adopted Resolution A40-27, Innovation in Aviation which recognizes that innovations carry significant potential in improving aviation safety, efficiency, security, facilitation, environmental sustainability, and economic development of air transport. Innovations can also lead to more efficient and streamlined aviation regulatory processes. As the UN and world nations have now adopted Agenda 2030, and embarked on a new era in global sustainable development, the importance of aviation as an engine of global connectivity has never been more relevant to the Chicago Convention’s objectives to look to international flight as a fundamental enabler of global peace and prosperity. 

Follow the conservations with the hashtags:#FlyDay, #CivilAviationDay, #7December, #AviationDevelopment, #AdvancingInnovation.

EVENTS: On December 7th to celebrate the International Civil Aviation Day 2022, the International Civil Aviation Organization will held a series of workshops, seminars and events accessible online on ICAO TV. 

As part of the ICAO consultative process, the ICAO Global Aviation Dialogues (GLADs) on LTAG will be held in a series of five regional events. The 2022 ICAO Stocktaking have provided a further opportunity to hear from Coalition partners on the progress of innovations in aviation CO2 emissions reductions, and have enable the sharing of the latest relevant information on technology, operations and fuels, as well as set the scene for the subsequent ICAO High-level Meeting on the Feasibility of a Long-term Global Aspirational Goal (HLM-LTAG) hybrid event.To take part registrate to the Upcoming events!

COMMEMORATION: "Everlasting legacy" 81st Commemoration of Pearl Harbor Livestream from Oahu, Hawaii.

World Soil Day 2022; December 5th.

 FORUM: 'Soils, where food begins.' World Soil Day 2022.Soil health and fertility have a direct influence on nutrient content of food crops  What do plants really need to grow? Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Soil4Nutrition,  #WorldSoilDay, #5December.

EVENTS: Register now to the official event. on Dec. 5th from  12:20- 13:45 CET.

 high level opening session, artistic performance and opresentation of the soil prize winners and the soil contest results ...and more!!!  

A farmer-to-farmer training platform.

The FAO have designed a platform to share soil information and knowledge on the different components and aspects of the Global Soil Doctors Programme - a farmer-to-farmer training platform, and the importance of soil as a vital resource for farmers, policy makers, development planners, agricultural extension workers, NGOs, private sectors and any other practitioners/interested stakeholder.

 

International Volunteer Day 2022; December 5th.

FORUM: "Solidarity through volunteering." International Volunteer Day 2022.

Rising inequalities throughout the world implore that we need to work together to find common solutions. Volunteers, drawn together by solidarity, develop solutions to urgent development challenges and for the common good. Volunteering is where compassion meets solidarity. Both share the same root values – supporting each other from a position of trust, humility, respect and equality. 

Follow the conversation with the hastags; #5december, #InternationalVolunteerDay, #solidaritythroughvolunteering, #wemustacttogether and #wemustactnow.

EVENTS: In the lead up to IVD2022, join UNV and volunteers around the globe to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism . We are proud of all volunteers who are role models in their communities by working together in solidarity and personifying inspiration in action. 

International Day of Banks 2022; December 4th.

 FORUM: "Address the systemic economic and financial risks and architectural gaps that threaten the implementation of the 2030 Agenda." International Day of Banks 2022.

The banking sector plays an important role in achieving the 2030 Agenda due to its capacity to provide and channel resources towards sustainable initiatives that contribute to the implementation of the SDGs. To achieve this goal, most banks are identifying ways in which their activities can contribute to delivering the global sustainable development agenda, with about half of survey respondents reporting the use of indicators and targets aligned with the SDGs.

According to the study, banks give priority to SDGs on which their financing activities can make the biggest impact, as opposed to areas where their influence would come from their role as employers or purchasers of products or services. While all SDGs receive some attention, the SDGs that receive the greatest bank focus are those related to economic growth and decent work (SDG 8), climate action (SDG 13), clean energy (SDG 7), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12).

Sustainable-focused products have high potential as a source of SDG financing. 63.3% of banks surveyed in the study have already launched products, services or commercial initiatives based on the SDGs. For bank customers, these mostly include bonds and investment funds aligned with the SDGs. At the retail level, banks are developing products and services that promote a transition to a low-carbon economy, ranging from green mortgages to loans for the purchase of eco-friendly vehicles. Some products also promote other topics such as entrepreneurship or gender equality.

Establishing sustainable financing frameworks also enables the banks to identify activities that can channel funding into projects aligned with the SDGs. In terms of portfolio evaluation to measure alignment with the SDGs, progress has thus far been uneven, with most banks reporting that little headway has been made in integrating these aspects into the business. The same trend is observed in terms of defining objectives and metrics suitable for monitoring. According to the study, this is largely motivated by the lack of a methodology to facilitate these tasks, and by the need to engage in strategic business thinking that considers SDGs from the initial stage.

The International Day of Banks is on December 4th, and it is annually commemorated all over the world to Acknowledge the role of banks in providing people with important information for their financial security.

How to get Involved!

• Recognize the role of National and regional development banks during financial crises when private sector entities become highly risk-averse.
• Call on Governments to revisit their labour market policies, social protection systems, fiscal policies, competition policies, trade policies and financial sector regulations and strategies to ensure that they are in line with the new realities.
• Call upon national and regional development banks to expand their contributions in areas such as sustainable infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industrialization, science, technology, and innovation, as well as financial inclusion and financing of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
• Ensure that financial and economic systems are coherent with sustainable development
•  Demonstrate how the well-functioning national and regional development banks can play in financing sustainable development
• Urge relevant international public and private actors to support such banks in developing countries.
• Develop Integrated financing frameworks to respond to financing challenges.

PANEL DISCUSSION: How does banking supervision work?


The process for banking supervision can be envisaged as a cycle:regulation and supervisory policies provide the foundation for the development of supervisory methodologies and standards, which underpin day-to-day supervisory activities Lessons learned in the course of supervision and through regular quality checks are used to improve this processs.

ECB Banking Supervision

How does banking supervision work?

PANEL DISCUSSION: Bank of 2030: The Future of Banking - Financial Services. Adapting for the future.

The future of banking will look very different from today. Faced with changing consumer expectations, emerging technologies, and new business models, banks will need to start putting strategies in place now to help them prepare for banking in 2030. Explore eight key trends below that are changing the banking landscape.

• CyFi (cyber risk and financial crime)
• Data integrity and analytics
• Digital and emerging technologies
• Embracing and becoming digital
• Enterprise agility
• Future of work
• Leveraging platforms and monetizing data
• Orchestrating across the ecosystem

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION.

How can you drive bold transformation in your organization over the next 10 years? Learn how our holistic, integrated solutions can help you address the challenges and maximize the opportunities of the next-generation bank.

PUBLICATIONS

BRIDGING THE FINANCE DIVIDE- Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2022.

                 

The 2022 Financing for Sustainable Development Report: Bridging the Finance Divide finds that while rich countries were able to support their pandemic recovery with record sums borrowed at ultra-low interest rates, the poorest countries spent billions servicing debt, preventing them from investing in sustainable development. The pandemic shock plunged 77 million more people into extreme poverty in 2021, and by the end of the year many economies remained below pre-2019 levels. The report estimates that in 1 in 5 developing countries’ GDP per capita would not return to 2019 levels by the end of 2023, even before absorbing the impacts of the Ukraine war.

NO SUSTAINABILITY WITHOUT EQUITY.The Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development 2023.


Successive crises including COVID-19, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the climate emergency are exacerbating inequalities between and within countries and stifling progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. While developed countries deployed historic stimulus packages to build back better, developing countries lacked fiscal and monetary buffers to respond. Countries with the fewest resources face challenging trade-offs between short-term rescue and long-term financing for a sustainable recovery. The SDG financing gap in developing countries grew due to a drop in available resources called upon in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda coupled with rising financing needs. Official Development Assistance (ODA), or aid, played an important role to help narrow the gap, but could not do so on its own. Global crises open a window of opportunity for SDG alignment of broader resources to narrow the gap. Growing trillions in developed countries aim to reduce risks, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. However, resources are not reaching the countries most in need. Urgent action is needed to remove bottlenecks for a more equitable and needs-based allocation of sustainable finance.

A NEW WAY TO INVEST FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET. The Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development 2021 calls for collective action to address both the short-term collapse in resources of developing countries as well as long-term strategies to build back better following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The financing gap to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries was estimated at several trillions of dollars annually before the pandemic. The report demonstrates that progress to leave no one behind has since reversed, and the international community faces unprecedented challenges to implement the holistic financing strategy set out in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). The report finds that trillions of dollars in financial assets held by asset managers, banks and institutional investors are contributing to inequalities and unsustainable practices. It highlights the need to enhance the quality of financing through better incentives, accountability and transparency mechanisms, integrating the long-term risks of climate change, global health, and other non-financial factors into investment decisions. The report concludes with a plan of action for all actors to work jointly to reduce market failures in the global financial system and to seize opportunities to align financing in support of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022; December 3rd.

FORUM:"Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world.” International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022.

Today, one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world’s population, experience some form of disability. Most often, in moments of crises, people in vulnerable situations such as persons with disabilities are the most excluded and left behind. They are often not considered in employment due to negative perceptions regarding their ability to contribute or the cost of accommodating their disability. 

It is crucial for governments, public and private sectors to collaboratively find innovative solutions for and with persons with disabilities to make the world a more accessible and equitable place. It is against this backdrop that UN DESA is commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) this year focusing on the theme “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”. 

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Persons with Disabilities; December 3rd.

This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities shines a light on the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.

Our world is confronting a cascade of crises that are disproportionally impacting persons with disabilities.

We need transformative solutions to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and leave no one behind.

This requires greater public-private sector collaboration to develop strategies for, with and by persons with disabilities.

The cornerstone of this cooperation must be the active participation of persons with disabilities in their full diversity, and their full inclusion in all decision-making processes.

Innovation and technology can be powerful tools for inclusion.

They can enhance access to information, education, and lifelong learning. And they can open new avenues for persons with disabilities to participate in the workforce and society at large on an equal basis.

But to realize the promise of technology we must close the digital divide and safeguard human rights in the digital space.

For our part, the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy presents a concrete road map to advance disability inclusion and accessibility across the work of the Organization.

From headquarters to the field, we are working to assess, address and promote digital accessibility and lead by example on disability inclusion.

On this day and every day, let us work together in finding innovative solutions to build an accessible and equitable world for all.

António Guterres.

“Together, we have the tools to tackle the root causes of systemic marginalization of persons with disabilities in every corner of the world. Together, we can make sure that every person – no matter their circumstance – can fully participate in every aspect of life – social, economic, cultural, and political. Together, we can – and we will – advance our common future.” These are the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres as he addressed the 15th session of the Conference of State Parties (COSP15) to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) earlier this year. With 185 ratifications since its adoption in 2006, the CRPD has successfully advanced the well-being of persons with disabilities. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other international development frameworks are also contributing to this progress. But more work remains to be done. 

OTHER STATEMENTS

• Statement by the UNESCO Director-General on International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022; December 3rd.
• Statement by the UNDP Administrator on International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022; December 3rd.

EVENTS: The 2022 global observance to commemorate the International Day of Persons with Disablities on December 5th will be around the overarching theme of innovation and transformative solutions for inclusive development. There will be three interactive dialogues following thematic topics on innovation for disability inclusive development in employment (SDG8); reducing inequality (SDG10); and sports (SDG3). 

The interactive dialogue on sports illustrates how this sector connects innovation, employment and equity. Together with different international actors, the UN is increasingly supporting interventions that are improving accessibility for persons with disabilities. Follow this year’s observance of the IDPD at UN Headquarters in New York to learn more about these efforts. The event will be broadcast live via UN Web TV.