WhatisUnitedNationsDay?
Simplyput,itisthebirthdayoftheUnitedNations.On24October1945,theUnitedNationswasformallyestablishedafteramajorityofitsfoundingmembersratifiedatreatysettinguptheworldbody.In1971,theUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyadoptedaresolutionrecommendingthatthedaybeobservedasapublicholidaybyMemberStates.Traditionally,ithasbeenmarkedthroughouttheworldbymeetings,discussionsandexhibitsonthegoalsandachievementsoftheOrganization.
WhyobserveUnitedNationsDay?
BecauseitprovidesanopportunitytoreaffirmourcommitmenttotheidealsoftheUnitedNations.
InthewordsofSecretary-GeneralKofiAnnan,ineverycorneroftheworld—theUnitedNationsisalivingtestamentofhope.TheUnitedNationslivesintheheartsandmindsofeverycitizentoendviolenceandpromotetolerance;advancedevelopmentandensureequality;protecthumanrightsandalleviatepoverty.TheUnitedNations,atitsbest,enablestheachievementofthosehighestofhumanaspirations.
TheobservanceofUnitedNationsDayisaffirmationofourfaithinthosehumanaspirations.
HowistheDayobservedatUnitedNationsHeadquarters?
Traditionally,UNDayismarkedbyaninternationalconcertattheGeneralAssembly.Sometimes,specialeventsarearranged,electronicallylinkingtheUNwithcitiesaroundtheworld.
TheDayisalsonotableformessagesissuedbytheUNSecretary-GeneralandthePresidentoftheGeneralAssembly.AvideotapedmessageoftheSecretary-GeneralisoftenshownbynationalTVstationsaroundtheworld.
Inaddition,specialbriefingsarearrangedfornon-governmentalorganizationsonUN-relatedtopics.Sometimesschoolsandcivicgroupsarrange“peacemarches”andothercelebratoryevents.
WhatcanyoudotocelebrateUNDay?
TheobservanceofUNDayservesasareminderthattheworldisourcommonhomeandthroughdialogueandcooperationamongall,ourproblemscouldbesolved.Therearemanywaysyoucancelebratetheday.Hereareafewsuggestions:
Inyourschool:
·RaisetheUNflagataschoolassembly.
·Holdaschoolorclassroommeeting.DiscusshowyoungpeoplecanhelptheUN.
·Ifyouhavestudentsfromvariouscountriesinyourschool,askthemtowearnationalcostumes,singnationalsongsorsimplysharestoriesfromtheirnativecountries.
·OrganizeanessaycontestontheroleoftheUN.
·Inviteaguestspeaker,perhapsadiplomatwithUNbackground.
·Designawalldisplay.
·WatchavideoabouttheworkoftheUN.
·WritelettersfromyourclasstolocalnewspapersandtoyourlawmakersurgingthemgreatersupportfortheUnitedNations.
Inyourcommunity:
·Arrangeaseminar,involvingcivicleadersandmediarepresentatives.
·AskyourcityorstateauthoritytoissueaUNProclamationoraUNstamp.
·Cleanupyourneighbourhood.
·Volunteertimetoalocalcharitableorganization.
·Makeanewfriend.Plantatree.
Wheretocontactformoreinformation?
ContactyournearestUnitedNationsoffice.Inmostcountries,UNInformationCentresofferfreeinformationmaterialsforuseduringUNcelebrations.Checkontheinternetatwww.un.org/unicstofindoutifthereisanInformationcentrenearyou.
Fromwww.un.org