LAUNCH OF WEBSITE FOR SLAVERY MEMORIAL IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD, SAYS BAN

LAUNCH OF WEBSITE FOR SLAVERY MEMORIAL IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD, SAYS BAN
New York, Feb 1 2011 5:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today lauded the launch of a website for the permanent memorial honouring the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, calling it an important step forward in making the memorial a reality at the United Nations Headquarters complex.

The memorial is a reminder that millions of Africans were violently removed from their homelands, ruthlessly abused and robbed of their dignity, Mr. Ban said in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5070">message delivered on his behalf by Kiyo Akasaka, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, at the inauguration of the website.

"The memorial will also remind the world of the bravery of those slaves, abolitionists and unsung heroes who managed to rise up against an oppressive system and end the practice," the Secretary-General said, adding that it will also serve as a call to action against contemporary manifestations of slavery.

Mr. Ban noted that the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the 19th century did not eradicate the practice globally.

Slavery continues to manifest itself in such exploitative practices as serfdom, debt bondage and forced and bonded labour; trafficking in women and children, domestic slavery and forced prostitution, including of children; sexual slavery, forced marriage and the sale of wives; child labour and child servitude, Mr. Ban said.

"This reality obliges the international community to bring perpetrators to justice and to continue pursuing with vigour its efforts to uphold human rights and human dignity," he added.

He praised Jamaica, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the African Group for their initiative to set up the permanent memorial and for creating the website that will advance that effort. He also thanked all Governments that have made financial contributions to the project and encouraged others to follow suit.

Ambassador Raymond Wolfe of Jamaica is heading efforts to erect the memorial, while a committee of interested States is also participating in the trust fund set up in 2009 to pay for the construction. An estimated $4.5 million is needed if the memorial is to be erected by 2012.
Feb 1 2011 5:10PM
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AS WORLD POPULATION NEARS 7 BILLION, TOP UN OFFICIAL VOWS TO FOCUS ON SURGING YOUTH

AS WORLD POPULATION NEARS 7 BILLION, TOP UN OFFICIAL VOWS TO FOCUS ON SURGING YOUTH
New York, Feb 1 2011 4:10PM
With the world's population slated to top the milestone 7 billion mark by late 2011, the new head of the United Nations agency that helps countries use population data for policies to reduce poverty pledged today to focus on the largest global youth generation ever.

"Investing in youth, their reproductive health and gender equality can help put countries on a path to accelerated economic growth and equitable development," UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin <"http://www.unfpa.org/public/home/news/pid/7204">said in his first address to the UN Development Programme (UNDP)/UNFPA Executive Board.

"A world approaching a population of 7 billion is marked by new dynamics to which UNFPA must support countries to respond," he added of the agency mandated to assisting States with reproductive and maternal health, and population development.

"UNFPA will place a special emphasis on today's large generation of young people… Every person should enjoy human rights and human dignity, and have the opportunity to make the most of his or her potential," he said, citing rapid urban growth in Africa and Asia, declining fertility with variance across regions – with Africa home to the highest birth rates – unprecedented ageing, and the world's largest youth population.

There are an estimated 1.8 billion adolescents and youth in the world today, accounting for nearly a third of the world's population, with just below 90 per cent living in developing countries, a proportion that will increase during the next 20 years. "They need increased support, and they want freedom, participation and dignity," he said.

Advancing the right to sexual and reproductive health remains at the heart of UNFPA, Dr. Osotimehin declared. "To garner greater progress, we will advocate for investments by countries and donors for a comprehensive package of integrated sexual and reproductive health services, as well as comprehensive sexuality education."

He reaffirmed UNFPA's core principles that "every person has the right to sexual and reproductive health, every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person has the education and services to grow up healthy, every girl is treated with dignity and respect, and violence against women should and can end."

A former Nigerian health minister with wide experience in fighting HIV/AIDS, Dr. Osotimehin, who has also served as African spokesperson for the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, became UNFPA's fourth Executive Director on 1 January, succeeding Thoraya Ahmed Obaid.
Feb 1 2011 4:10PM
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BELARUS: BAN AGAIN CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE DETAINEES

BELARUS: BAN AGAIN CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE DETAINEES
New York, Feb 1 2011 3:10PM
Voicing concern at reports of harassment of political opponents in Belarus, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reiterated his call for the release of journalists, opposition candidates and their supporters detained after recent presidential elections.

"The Secretary-General continues to call for respect for the rule of law, democratic principles and protection of human rights in Belarus," spokesman Farhan Haq <"http://www.un.org/News/ossg/hilites/hilites_arch_view.asp?HighID=1811">told a news briefing in New York.

"He is concerned about reports of harassment and continued detention of journalists, civil society activists and opposition candidates. The Secretary-General reiterates his call for their release and for the full adherence to due process."

Mr. Ban also called for the release of detainees last month following President Alexander Lukashenko's victory in December's elections. Immediately after the poll, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay voiced deep concern at the post-electoral violence, including the abduction of opposition candidates, and called for the immediate release of those detained.

She had noted in particular that a leading opposition candidate was attacked on his way to a mass rally in the capital, Minsk, hospitalized and later abducted by unidentified persons. In addition, attempts by some radical supporters of opposition candidates to break into a government building were followed by mass detentions of opposition candidates and their supporters, human rights activists and journalists, and harassment of civil society.
Feb 1 2011 3:10PM
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BAN WELCOMES AFRICA UNION’S COOPERATION WITH UN ON CONTINENTAL SECURITY ISSUES

BAN WELCOMES AFRICA UNION'S COOPERATION WITH UN ON CONTINENTAL SECURITY ISSUES
New York, Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the cooperation between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations, particularly on peace and security issues in Sudan, Somalia and Côte d'Ivoire.

At a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=1705">meeting with Jean Ping, the chairperson of the AU Commission in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Mr. Ban said he looked forward to working more closely with the regional body on sustainable development, women's empowerment, combating sexual violence during conflict, security sector reforms, and conflict prevention and mediation over the course of this year.

At a meeting yesterday with Uganda's Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, the Secretary-General expressed his gratitude to the East African country for its contribution to peacekeeping operations, particularly in Somalia.

During the meeting in Addis Ababa, Mr. Ban raised several issues with Mr. Bukenya, including the upcoming elections in Uganda; the situation in Sudan and Somalia; the rights of the Ugandan gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community; and operations against insurgents of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

Mr. Ban will be in the United Kingdom beginning on Wednesday, when he will deliver a lecture at Oxford University.
Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
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FURTHER STUDY NEEDED ON POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN FLU SHOT AND NARCOLEPSY – UN AGENCY

FURTHER STUDY NEEDED ON POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN FLU SHOT AND NARCOLEPSY – UN AGENCY
New York, Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
The United Nations health agency today called for further investigation into a possible link between GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix H1N1 flu vaccine and narcolepsy, after a Finnish study suggested children who got the shot were nine times more likely to suffer from the rare sleeping disorder.

"<"http://www.who.int/en/">WHO agrees that further investigation is required concerning narcolepsy and Pandemrix vaccine," the World Health Organization said in a statement, referring to the disorder that causes a person to fall asleep suddenly and unexpectedly.

The agency's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) is "considering all available data relating to reports of increased rates of narcolepsy" and is expected to issue a statement on its web site within the coming days.

A statement issued today by the National Institute of Health and Welfare of Finland indicated an increased risk of narcolepsy observed among children and adolescents vaccinated with Pandemrix.

The Institute concluded that the risk of falling ill with narcolepsy among those vaccinated between the ages of 4 and 19 is 9 times greater than those unvaccinated in the same age group.

It considers it probable that the Pandemrix vaccine was a contributing factor to this observed increase, but states that further investigation is required of other significant co-factors associated with the increased risk of narcolepsy.

The final report from the Finnish National Narcolepsy Task Force is expected to be issued by 31 August 2011.

The Pandemrix vaccine has been used in 38 countries worldwide during the 2009/2010 season. An increase in cases of narcolepsy has been observed only in Finland, Sweden and Iceland.

WHO spokesperson Gregory Hartl told a news conference in Geneva that 18 of the 38 countries had received the vaccine from the agency. "We have no signs whatsoever from any countries that we've been distributing vaccines directly to that there are any indications of narcolepsy or any other unusual adverse events," he stated.

Recommendations for the use of seasonal 2010/2011 influenza vaccines in children and adolescents remain unchanged, WHO added.
Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
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TOP UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL URGES SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE-RELATED CRISES IN KENYA

TOP UN HUMANITARIAN OFFICIAL URGES SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE-RELATED CRISES IN KENYA
New York, Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
The top United Nations relief official said today that Kenya's humanitarian challenges, most of them the result of recurring drought and rapid urbanization, can be addressed through measures that ensure that communities have the capacity to adapt to changing weather patterns.

"Continued efforts to reduce the humanitarian impact of drought will ensure the sustainable recovery of livelihoods and restore local coping mechanisms to enable populations to deal with the recurring problem of drought," said Valerie Amos, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, on the first day of her three-day visit to Kenya and Somalia.

She said that food and water shortages resulting from inadequate rainfall can be avoided if more of Kenya's arable land is used for irrigation farming, providing water to pastoral livestock herders, improving animal husbandry through disease control and better breeds, and making livestock marketing more efficient.

Ms. Amos, who is also the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, noted that recurring drought forced communities to migrate to urban areas that lacked adequate amenities to support rising populations.

"These migrants end up in slums that have their own problems – congestion, limited service delivery, poor shelter, and lack of or limited water and sanitation facilities," she said.

In Nairobi, Ms. Amos met with senior Government and UN officials, development partners and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

At a meeting with Esther Murugi, Kenya's Minister for Special Programmes, Ms. Amos said she is encouraged by the country's focus on investing in long-term programmes that are helping communities to deal with climate change-induced disasters.

She commended Kenya for its efforts to find long-term solutions to the problem of internal displacement, noting that the majority of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been resettled during the past two years.

Ms. Amos also met the heads of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), both of which are headquartered in Nairobi, to discuss UN support for the Kenyan Government on environmental issues, urbanization and emergency response and preparedness.
Feb 1 2011 2:10PM
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SRI LANKA: UN, PARTNERS LAUNCH SCHEME TO REBUILD LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF WAR VICTIMS

SRI LANKA: UN, PARTNERS LAUNCH SCHEME TO REBUILD LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF WAR VICTIMS
New York, Feb 1 2011 1:10PM
The United Nations, its humanitarian partners and the Sri Lankan Government launched a joint programme today to help hundreds of thousands of people in the north of the Indian Ocean island recover and rebuild their lives after the end of the decades-long war with Tamil separatists.

"The ultimate aim is to ensure the long-term sustainable development of the Northern Province within the shortest timeframe possible," UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Neil Buhne <"http://www.un.lk/media_centre/press_releases.php?id=152">said. "The process of recovery, from humanitarian relief to economic development, would take several years."

The one-year plan, which identifies priority activities and strategies to be undertaken during 2011, will support the overall national programme to help the affected people recover, rebuild and return to a normal life in the coming years. It provides a framework for meeting immediate needs while linking interventions to early- and medium-term recovery, including building shelters and homes and supporting agriculture, food security and livelihood recovery.

It also includes a wide range of early recovery efforts such as improving health and nutrition, clearing mines to support continued resettlement, education initiatives, water and sanitation strategies, and strengthening civil administration and national protection mechanisms.

"Through partnership with the UN and NGOs [non-governmental organizations], more investments will be made to move towards full development of the region to reach similar standards found in the rest of the country," Sri Lankan Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said.

The launch follows a visit to Sri Lanka last month by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg, who said there were still immediate humanitarian needs that needed to be addressed almost two years after the Government finally crushed the separatist rebellion.

She noted that only 20,000 of the 300,000 persons displaced at the height of the crisis still remain in Government-run camps, but there are many thousands of others who have left formal camps but are either in transitional settlements where they still need aid or have returned to areas that lack the basic services and infrastructure needed to let them fully restart their livelihoods.
Feb 1 2011 1:10PM
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COMBATING HOLOCAUST DENIAL, UN LEADS DELEGATION TO AUSCHWITZ NAZI DEATH CAMP

COMBATING HOLOCAUST DENIAL, UN LEADS DELEGATION TO AUSCHWITZ NAZI DEATH CAMP
New York, Feb 1 2011 1:10PM
Top United Nations officials led a visit by 150 eminent personalities and representatives of 40 Governments today to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest and most notorious of all the Nazi death camps, to combat denial of the Holocaust of millions of Jews and others during the Second World War.

"As the poet and philosopher George Santayana said, 'those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'," said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova, who led the visit with Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Paris, and the Aladdin Project, which seeks to counter all forms of denial and promote a rapprochement of cultures, particularly between Jews and Muslims, based on mutual respect.

"The genocide of the Jewish people was a unique and paradigmatic event that helps us to understand other historical genocides and other atrocities worldwide that originate in racism and hatred. If we understand them, we can avert them in the future," she added.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro stood with Ms. Bokova in homage before the wreath-bedecked memorial at the camp where over one million people, mostly Jews, perished until it was liberated on 27 January 1945, a date now commemorated by the UN as the International Day in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. She, too, stressed the vital need to counter Holocaust denial.

"We must always remember the millions of innocent Jews and countless members of other minorities who were systematically murdered at Auschwitz and the other death camps. We must counter anyone, anywhere, who seeks to deny the Holocaust or diminish its significance," she told a news conference yesterday in Paris ahead of the visit. "Every day of the year, the United Nations strives to heed the lessons of that horror."

In remarks at the camp today, she highlighted the crucial importance of educating the world on the atrocities of what happened to prevent a repetition. "That is why the United Nations General Assembly called for an outreach programme to develop educational materials about the Holocaust," she said. "To help people understand what happened here and across the vast sea of extermination camps – so that it may never, ever happen again."

Among those in the delegation were President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, Chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference; former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder; former Croatian President Stepjan Mesic; former Mauritanian President Mohamed Vall; and Mevlut Cavusoglu of Turkey, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Representatives of the heads of State of Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey also participated as did the mayors of 12 cities in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Overall, some six million Jews are estimated to have been killed in the Holocaust along with countless Roma, Slavs, homosexuals, disabled people, Jehovah's witnesses, Communists and political dissidents.

"The purpose of the visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau is to underline the horrific consequences of Nazi and Fascist ideology on the Jewish people and countless members of other minorities, and to inspire political, religious and intellectual leaders around the world to combat the denial of the Holocaust and all forms of intolerance and dehumanization," UNESCO said in a news release.

The Paris-based agency has strengthened its education programme on Holocaust remembrance and human rights thanks to new funds received from Israel. The programme develops school curricula and provides training for teachers about the Holocaust and human rights, with the goal of promoting a culture of peace.

This year, UNESCO organized two exhibitions at its Paris headquarters, 'The Shoah in Europe' giving an overview of the Holocaust from the rise of Nazism to the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals in 1946, and one presenting the original manuscript of the diary kept by Sorbonne student Helen Berr from April 1942 to February 1944. Helen and her family were deported to Auschwitz in March 1944.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau camp was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1979.
Feb 1 2011 1:10PM
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UN OFFICIALS URGE EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES TO HEED CALL FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS

UN OFFICIALS URGE EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES TO HEED CALL FOR DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS
New York, Feb 1 2011 12:10PM
United Nations officials, including its human right chief, today voiced alarm at the high number of casualties amid the protests in Egypt, while calling on the country's authorities to heed the demands of the people for democratic reform and respect for human rights.

"The popular movement in Egypt, unprecedented in recent decades, has for the most part been carried out in a courageous and peaceful manner," <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=10695&LangID=E">said Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

"The whole world is watching how the President and the reconfigured Government will react to the continuing protests demanding a radical change to a wide range of civil, political, social, cultural and economic rights," she said.

Ms. Pillay deplored the rising number of casualties, saying unconfirmed reports suggests that as many as 300 people may have been killed so far, over 3,000 injured and hundreds arrested. She urged authorities to ensure police and other security forces avoid excessive use of force, and warned against arbitrarily detention of people for expressing their political opinion.

The fact that the Egyptian Government has maintained an emergency law for 30 years was an indication of its disregard for human rights, she stated, while speaking out against the withdrawal of the police from the streets at the weekend, a factor she said led to widespread looting.

Ms. Pillay urged governments in the region and around the world to take note of the fact that genuine and lasting stability does not arise from suppression of dissent, but is built on the respect of human rights and democratic principles.

For her part, Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), called for protecting the freedom of expression as well as Egypt's cultural heritage.

She expressed concern for the reported inference with the flow of information and freedom of the press in Egypt, citing the blocking of the Internet and reports that a number of journalists have been arrested and their equipment confiscated.

"It is crucial that both national and foreign press be allowed to perform their duty of informing the public from an objective perspective," the Director-General stressed. "Preventing the media from doing their job will not restore calm or create the conditions necessary for constructive dialogue."

She also noted that Egyptian cultural heritage, both its monuments and its artefacts, are part of the ancestral heritage of humanity. "The value of the 120,000 pieces in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is inestimable, not only in scientific or financial terms, but because they represent the Egyptian people's cultural identity," she added.

Over the weekend, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Egypt's leaders to take some "bold measures" to address the concerns of the scores of thousands of people who have been demonstrating for change, stressing at the same time that the protests must be peaceful.
Feb 1 2011 12:10PM
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MEASLES CAMPAIGN PLANNED FOR LIBERIAN VILLAGES HOSTING IVORIAN REFUGEES – UN

MEASLES CAMPAIGN PLANNED FOR LIBERIAN VILLAGES HOSTING IVORIAN REFUGEES – UN
New York, Feb 1 2011 12:10PM
The Government of Liberia, with support from United Nations agencies, will launch a week-long measles vaccination campaign on Wednesday targeting all children in Nimba County, which hosts over 30,000 refugees who fled the political turmoil in neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire.

As of the end of January, five Liberian children between one and five years old had died of measles, two cases had been confirmed by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), and just over 100 suspected cases had been reported.

"In a context where there are large numbers of people living in congested spaces, and there's a severe shortage of food, safe water, sanitation and health care, it is critical that we act quickly to stop this outbreak," <"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_57583.html">said Isabel Crowley, Liberia Representative for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"The fact that there are measles cases underlines that basic immunization rates are low, and that these communities may not have been fully reached and protected by health services. This is dangerous for these communities and beyond," Crowley said.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that hits children hardest. Symptoms include high fever and rash, but among malnourished children it can cause serious complications including blindness, severe diarrhoea, and pneumonia. The disease can be prevented by immunization.

The vaccination campaign, led by Liberia's health ministry with support from UNICEF and WHO, aims to reach all children between six months and 15 years old from both refugee and host communities.

It will also integrate Vitamin A supplementation, which can reduce deaths associated with measles by up to 50 per cent, as well as de-worming for children below five years old.

In addition, women of child-bearing age will be vaccinated against tetanus, and in selected communities with large refugee populations, the campaign will also include nutrition screening, counselling and referrals, according to UNICEF.

UN agencies have called for urgent funding, warning that refugees fleeing the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire – resulting from former president Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to leave office despite his UN-certified defeat by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara – to Liberia could top 100,000 by the end of April.

In addition to the 30,000 refugees in Liberia, at least 20,000 other Ivorians have been internally displaced in western Côte d'Ivoire, where UN officials have warned that ethnic tensions stemming from national, racial and religious affiliation linked to the opposing camps could lead to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Last month UN agencies and partners launched an $87.7 million appeal for aid in Côte d'Ivoire and five neighbouring countries to face a potential major humanitarian crisis.
Feb 1 2011 12:10PM
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HAITI: UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF OFFERS HELP TO ADDRESS CRIMES UNDER DUVALIER

HAITI: UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF OFFERS HELP TO ADDRESS CRIMES UNDER DUVALIER
New York, Feb 1 2011 10:10AM
The United Nations human rights chief has offered Haitian authorities technical assistance for prosecuting crimes committed during the 15-year rule of former president Jean-Claude Duvalier, who returned to the country last month from exile.

There are major issues concerning human rights abuses that took place in Haiti from 1971 to 1986 when Mr. Duvalier was in power, according to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Stressing that serious human rights violations should not go unpunished, High Commissioner Navi Pillay <"http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=10696&LangID=E">stated in a news release issued today that there was no statute of limitations under international law for violations such as torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and rape.

"Haiti has an obligation to investigate the well-documented serious human rights violations that occurred during the rule of Mr. Duvalier, and to prosecute those responsible for them," she said.

"Such systematic violations of rights cannot remain unaddressed. The thousands of Haitians who suffered under this regime deserve justice," she added.

"I call on the Haitian authorities to send a message to the world that their national courts can ensure accountability for serious violations of human rights, even in difficult humanitarian and political contexts."

Mr. Duvalier, who returned to Haiti on 16 January after 25 years in exile, was reportedly questioned and released by the Haitian authorities just days after his arrival in the country, after being charged with corruption, misappropriation of funds and illicit association.

Noting the pending legal proceedings against the former leader, the independent UN expert on human rights in Haiti earlier this month urged the international community to "allow justice to take its course" in the Caribbean nation.

"At a time when the international community strengthens its support for the restoration of the rule of law in Haiti, unwavering support to the fight against impunity for serious crimes would be a good signal to send to the people of Haiti and particularly to victims and victims' families," said Michel Forst.
Feb 1 2011 10:10AM
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UN LAUNCHES FIRST WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK

UN LAUNCHES FIRST WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK
New York, Feb 1 2011 10:10AM
The United Nations launched the first World Interfaith Harmony Week today with a broad range of activities around the world, including interfaith breakfasts, film screenings and talks featuring the active participation of civil society, UN entities and other intergovernmental organizations.

The UN General Assembly in November resolved that the first week of February be devoted to spreading "the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world's churches, mosques, synagogues, temples and other places of worship... based on love of God and love of one's neighbour or on love of the good and love of one's neighbour, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions."

"The first World Interfaith Harmony Week is an opportunity to focus global attention on the efforts of religious leaders, interfaith movements and individuals around the world to promote mutual respect and understanding between followers of different faiths and beliefs," Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2011/sgsm13382.doc.htm">said in a message. "These partners play an indispensable role in supporting United Nations efforts for peace.

"Respect for diversity and peaceful dialogue are essential if the human family is to cooperate globally to face shared threats and seize common opportunities," said Mr. Ban.

"That is why efforts by States, civil society and other actors to build trust among communities and individuals lie at the heart of so many United Nations initiatives, from the Alliance of Civilizations to our wide-ranging work to protect human rights, promote social cohesion and build a culture of peace."

The Alliance of Civilizations is an initiative launched in 2005 by Spain and Turkey under UN auspices to promote better cross-cultural relations worldwide.

>From Jerusalem to Malappuram in India, from Amman in Jordan to Pietermaritzburg in South Africa, from Sedona in the United States to Newcastle in Australia, and a myriad of other places special events are being held to shine the spotlight on the need for interfaith understanding.
Feb 1 2011 10:10AM
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