กรุงเทพฯ--29 ต.ค.--ESCAP
The United Nations is needed more than ever at thistime of multiple crises. This was Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s keymessage on United Nations Day 2014. In his statement today, theSecretary-General emphasized that at this critical moment we must reaffirmour commitment to empowering the marginalized and vulnerable, calling ongovernments and individuals to work in common cause for the common good.
Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and SocialCommission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Dr. Shamshad Akhtar celebratedUN Day in Seoul during her first officialmission to the Republic of Korea,where she delivered a speech highlighting the importance of implementingthe Sustainable Development Goals and underlined the urgency for a new
global and regional partnership.
UN Day 2014 was also celebrated in Bangkok with a commemorative eventorganized by ESCAP in co-operation with United Nations agencies and theUnited Nations Association of Thailand (UNAT).
During his opening remarks, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP Mr.Shun-ichi Murata said as we head toward the post-2015 development agenda,the next big challenge for the United Nations, our member States, and thepeoples of the world, is the need to build change for a more inclusive,
sustainable future.
“As we look to the future, our United Nations family here in Bangkok mustensure that, working together as one UN, we help to drive the change forAsia and the Pacific, making sustainable development more inclusive andcaring for all our people,” said Mr. Murata.
In keeping with this spirit, this year ESCAP in partnership with UnitedNations partners, funds and agencies, held a regional photo contest ongender equality. The theme was chosen ahead of the historic Beijing +20conference next year and the preparatory meeting to be held in Bangkok from
17 to 24 November. The conference will review the progress and setbacks forwomen around the world using as a measure the Beijing Platform for Action,a global framework for realising gender equality and the empowerment ofwomen and girls.
Masyudi Firmansyah of Indonesia won the UN4U photo contest with a photo ofDaeng Starch, a 76-year-old seamstress who lost her legs and fingers due toleprosy. Despite her disability, Daeng was treated with stitches so shecould keep working in her home at a leprosy complex in Makassar, South
Sulawesi, Indonesia. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/unitednationsescap/15589410146/]
UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UNCharter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority ofits signatories, including the five permanent members of the SecurityCouncil, the United Nations officially came into being. October 24 has beencelebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. In 1971, the United NationsGeneral Assembly recommended that the day be observed by member States as apublic holiday.