Monthly Archives: April 2018

Press Conference in Dhaka: UN Security Council Delegation

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Bangladesh organized a press conference for UN Security Council delegation before their departure on 30 April 2018 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Security Council delegation visited Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The delegation met Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Senior journalists took part in the press encounter and covered the item. UNIC Dhaka supported in media action, photography and media monitoring.

Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship 2018: 16 September – 6 October 2018 New York City

The Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship was mandated in December 1980 by UN General Assembly Resolution 35/201. Formerly known as the DPI Training Programme for Broadcasters and Journalists from Developing Countries, the programme was renamed in 2003 in honor of Reham Al-Farra, a 29-year-old Jordanian public information officer who was killed in the 19 August 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad.Since its founding in 1981, the fellowship has been awarded to 581 journalists from 168 countries. The Fellowship is open to full-time journalists between the ages of 22 and 35 from countries with developing and transitioning economies.

Fellows will be invited to spend three weeks at UN Headquarters in New York to cover the 73rd General Assembly. Apart from this, fellows have an opportunity to attend special briefings, interview senior officials and exchange ideas with colleagues from around the world.

The Fellowship covers travel to New York and provides a daily subsistence allowance to cover accommodation and related expenses.

Applications must be submitted online at https://outreach.un.org/raf/content/reham-al-farra-memorial-journalism-fellowship-2018-application.

The application deadline is 7 May 2018.

For more information visit: https://outreach.un.org/raf/ 

Model UN Conference at University of Liberal Arts (ULAB)

7 April, 2018: In partnership with United Nations and with the knowledge support of UNIC Dhaka, University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) Model UN Club organized a two-day long Model UN Conference during 5 to 6 April at University auditorium. The theme of the conference was – “Public and Private Partnership for Sustainable Development”. In the closing ceremony, Mr. Nasrul Hamid, MP Hon’ble State Minister for Power, Energy & Mineral Resources spoke as chief guest. Among others, Vice-Chancellor of ULAB, Publisher of Daily Dhaka Tribune and President of UNYSAB spoke on the occasion. In his speech, the Hon’ble State Minister emphasized on the progress of Sustainable Development Goal-7 affordable and clean energy in the context of Bangladesh and urged the delegates to share their thoughts about the necessity of private-public partnership in Bangladesh. There were five committees in the conference.  A total of 200 delegates from different educational institutions took part in the conference. UNIC provided with UN educational and promotional materials to all delegates. UNIC NIO spoke on importance MUN to enhance leadership quality and to develop communication skill. He also spoke about the ongoing UN Peacekeeping Campaign.

24th commemoration of the Rwanda genocide: UN Secretary-General’s Message 2018

Twenty-four years ago, more than 800,000 people were systematically killed in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The victims were overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also included moderate Hutu, Twa and others. Today we remember all those who were murdered and reflect on the suffering of the survivors, who have shown that reconciliation is possible, even after a tragedy of such monumental proportions.

Rwanda has learned from its tragedy; so must the international community. States have a fundamental responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. It is imperative that we unite to prevent such atrocities from occurring, and that the international community sends a strong message to perpetrators that they will be held accountable.

I am deeply concerned about the rise of racism, hate speech and xenophobia around the world. These base manifestations of human cruelty provide the breeding ground for far more evil acts. People are still being killed, displaced and their human rights abused in many parts of the world because of their faith or ethnicity. I am particularly troubled by the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Members of this religious and ethnic minority have been systematically killed, tortured, raped, burnt alive and humiliated, and more than 671,000 have fled in search of safety in neighbouring Bangladesh. Continue reading →

Empowering Women and Girls with Autism: World Autism Day observed

Dhaka, 5 April 2018: With the theme of “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism” a seminar and cultural programme on World Autism Awareness Day was organized at BPF auditorium. In his speech, UNIC NIO focused on the role and activities of United Nations in relation to autism referring UN Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. BPF Executive Director Dr. Shamim Ferdous urged to all stakeholders to come forward in empowering women and girls in autism. UN Secretary-General’s Message (Bangla) on the Day was readout and  distributed among all the participants. A cultural programme was performed by both autistic and non-autistic children. UN promotional materials were distributed among the children. The event was jointly organized by Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation (BPF), Shishu Bikash Network (SBN) and UN Information Centre on 5 April 2018.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Message on World Autism Awareness Day

2 April 2018: On World Autism Awareness Day, we stand up for the rights of people with autism and speak out against discrimination.

This year’s observance highlights the importance of empowering women and girls with autism.

They face multiple challenges including barriers to accessing education and employment on an equal footing with others, denial of their reproductive rights and the freedom to make their own choices, and a lack of involvement in policy making on matters that concern them.

Our work for gender equality and women’s empowerment must reach all the world’s women and girls.  And our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals must uphold the 2030 Agenda’s core promise to leave no one behind.

On World Autism Awareness Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to promote the full participation of all people with autism, and ensure they have the necessary support to be able to exercise their rights and fundamental freedoms.