Monthly Archives: May 2016

International Day of UN Peacekeepers: Bangladesh paid tribute to the deceased and injured peacekeepers

President-min-1Dhaka, 29 May 2016: In commemoration of International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Bangladesh Armed Forces Division and Office of the UN Resident Coordinator jointly organized a Peacekeepers Honouring event on 29 May 2016 at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC). Abdul Hamid, Honourable President of Bangladesh spoke on the occasion as chief guest and handed over crests to the injured peacekeepers, and family members of deceased peacekeepers who lost their lives for the cause of world peace and humanity. The UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Robert Watkins delivered a speech on the occasion highlighting the importance of peace missions and contribution of Bangladeshi peacekeepers. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, MP spoke as special guest. Chiefs of three services, Acting Foreign Secretary, chief of Police and senior military officials were present in the event. More than 1500 participants including Armed Forces, Police and civil officials, ministers, MPs, academicians, civil society members, UN officials and diplomats were present in the event. A Peace Run was also organized in the morning with the participation of armed forces, MoFA and UN officials where Hon’ble State Minister for Foreign Minister was chief guest and UN Resident Coordinator, a.i. spoke as special guest. TV talk-shows were organized by BTV and private channels and national dailies have published special supplement pages.

‘Let us work together to foster education for global citizenship,’ UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon tells UN conference

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The sixty-sixth United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Conference kicked off today in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighting the vital role that NGOs, academia and youth play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We need governments, the private sector and civil society,” Mr. Ban told the more than 2,000 people gathered for the opening session. “Without the participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups, no initiative, however visionary, can be fully achieved,” he added.

From 30 May to 1 June, a series of roundtable discussions, workshops and youth caucuses with civil society representatives and groups will focus on education as an entry point towards realizing the SDGs. Continue reading

Celebration of International Day of Families 2016: Families, healthy lives and sustainable future

Untitled-1-minDhaka, 28 May 2016: In commemoration of the International Day of Families (15 May), UNIC Dhaka, College of Home Economics and Worldwide Family Love Movement (WWFLM) jointly organized a seminar on 28 May 2016 at College Auditorium. Ms Nasreen Begum, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs spoke on the occasion as chief guest while Ms. Shamsun Nahar, Principal of Home Economics College presided over. The special guests were Mohammad Abu Sadek, Director, Housing and Building Research Institute and M. Moniruzzaman, Officer-in-Charge, UNIC Dhaka. In his speech UNIC OIC focuses on the SDGs and their relation to families, healthy lives and sustainable future. Among others Freedom Fighter Ms Hajera Nazrul, Ms. Tajkera Khair, the Chairperson of WWFLM and Prof Nazma Begum spoke on the occasion. The UN Secretary-General’s message on the Day was read-out and SDGs Bangla post cards were distributed among the participants. More than 300 students and guests attended the event.

UN Conference on Least Developed Countries opens in Turkey to assess progress made since 2011

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A United Nations conference focused on the world’s least developed countries (LDCs) kicked-off today in Antalya, Turkey, to assess these 48 States’ progress over the past five years, and to find ways of accelerating their path towards sustainable development.

“Least developed countries have seen significant progress and are a major human and natural resource potential for the world, but more needs to be done to support them,” said Gyan Chandra Acharya, the UN High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States, speaking in the Turkish coastal city.

“This event is a major opportunity for the international community to come together and reaffirm global commitments that were made in 2011 to ensure that the world’s poorest nations are at the forefront of efforts to build an inclusive and sustainable future for the world,” he added. Continue reading

Humanitarian summit has ‘set new course,’ says Ban, calling for action on commitments

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24 May 2016 – Hailing the global community’s achievements at the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for commitments made to be taken forward for transformative change from the top down and from the ground up.

“The World Humanitarian Summit has been a unique event, in form as well as substance,” Mr. Ban said in Istanbul, Turkey, speaking to reporters on the second and last day of the Summit, dedicated to improving the humanitarian system and alleviating the suffering of millions.

“We have the wealth, knowledge and awareness to take better care of one another. But we need action, based on the five core responsibilities of the Agenda for Humanity,” he stressed, referring to the principles that guided the hundreds of events organized at the two-day conference. Continue reading

As World Humanitarian Summit Concludes, Leaders Pledge to Improve Aid Delivery, Move Forward with Agenda for Humanity

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Participants Stress Collective Moral Obligation to End Suffering

ISTANBUL, 24 May — With record numbers of people requiring life-saving assistance and funding drastically short of meeting those needs, leaders today concluded the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul endorsing five responsibilities to improve aid delivery, support refugees, uphold international law, increase financing and prevent the crises generating the largest migration flows in 70 years.

“This unique Summit has set us on a new course,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in closing remarks.  “It is not an end point, but a turning point”.

Governments, people affected by crisis, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the United Nations had come together to support the Agenda for Humanity and its five core responsibilities.  “Implementing this Agenda is a necessity if we are to enable people to live in dignity and prosperity,” he declared. Continue reading

World Humanitarian Summit – an agenda for shared humanity: Op-ed by Robert D. Watkins, UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh

WHSUNRC Photo.small sizeDhaka, Saturday, 21 May 2016: With the advent of the Syrian civil war and the unfolding migrants tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea basin, the world is witnessing a significant rise in the number of humanitarian crises. At least 125 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance; 60 million of these people were forced to leave their homes, representing the largest number of displaced people since World War II. This growing crisis spans across many parts of the world, but is particularly acute in 37 countries.

Humanitarian operations have also become increasingly complex and diverse in nature. At the same time, resources are becoming more and more scarce as donor countries dip ever deeper into their national humanitarian and development budgets to address the crises. Last year, the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, called for worldwide coordinated action to provide effective and efficient humanitarian support to millions of people affected by conflicts and disasters. In response to his appeal, global leaders will gather in Istanbul on 23rd and 24th May for the first ever World Humanitarian Summit to renew joint efforts at coming to grips with these challenges. The Summit is designed to represent the perspectives and proposals of all countries across the world, including Bangladesh. Continue reading

World Press Freedom Day 3 May 2016

wpfd2016World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993, following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference. Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day. It is an opportunity to: celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; assess the state of press freedom throughout the world; defend the media from attacks on their independence; and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2016, World Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones: The 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland; The 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles; The year 2016 is also the first year of the 15 year life-cycle of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN Secretary-General’s Message on the Day

Group picTo mark the Day UNESCO Dhaka Office organized a seminar  titled, ‘The State of Press Freedom in Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Forward’ at CIRDAP auditorium on 3 May 2016. UNESCO Representative Ms Beatrice Kaldun delivered the introductory speech while Chief Information Commissioner Prof Dr Md Golam Rahman Spoke as chief guest. The key-note paper was presented by Prof Dr Abu J M Shafiul Alam Bhaiyan. Among others Advocate Sultana Kamal and Toufique Imrose Khalidi spoke on the occasion. UNIC Officer-in-Charge was present in the seminar. Mass-line Media Centre (MMC) and ICS co-organized the event.