A panel discussion on children's rights is held to mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child

On Friday 20 November 2009, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Harare joined UNICEF, UN agencies, government, and over 3,000 pupils in commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UN Resident and humanitarian Coordinator  Elizabeth Lwanga who was represented by the World Health Organization Country Representative Custodia Mandlate, gave the opening remarks at the event which was attended by Vice President Joice Mujuru, Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai represented by his deputy Thokozani Khupe.

As part of the commemorations, an exhibition of materials and publications was mounted. UNIC contributed publications that included Our United Nations, Do not Look Down on Us, and Basic Facts about the United Nations towards this exhibition.

At the event, children were given an opportunity to discuss their views and talk about their rights through the Child President, Gugulethu Nkomo. The children also read a Children’s Declaration, which was later responded to by a panel that included a traditional chief, a judge, a bishop and an activist. Among the issues raised by the children was the need for children to be allowed to speak about the issues that concern them as opposed to adults speaking on their behalf.

Mr. Liberato Bautista and Mr. Alexandre Gorelik, Director of the UNIC shake hands

On 13 November 2009, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Moscow organized a roundtable meeting for Mr. Liberato Bautista, President of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CoNGO), and representatives of several Russian NGOs.
  
Mr. Bautista was the first to be given the floor. In his remarks, he stressed that CoNGO advocated for strong, engaged and empowered civil society communities in different countries. Mr. Liberato stated that the conference's core mission is to guarantee NGOs access to the UN – not only physical, but also in terms of participating in decision-making.  A remarkable part of his comments was a review of civil society actors' effort in order to find a proper place in international governance.
 
Speaking next was Ms. Elena Topoleva, Director of the Agency of Social Information, where she presented a study highlighting major facts about the NGOs in Russia, which was compiled by the Higher School of Economics. According to the study, some 429,000 non-commercial organizations are officially registered in Russia. She also stated that their ever increasing role in the public life can be defined as a positive factor, whereas their major problem appears to be a lack of funds and resources.   
 
Mr. Viktor Kamyshanov, Chairman of the Federation of Peace and Reconciliation, focused on disarmament as an issue of top priority for the international community today, which had been underscored by the UN Secretary General recently in Mexico City. As the head of an organization concentrating on peace-making, he expressed his readiness to cooperate with the CoNGO in this and related matters.
 
Following Mr. Kamyshanov, Mr. Gennady Zhizhin of the International Roerichs Centre, pointed out that his organization attended the NGO forums organized by the UN DPI over the last four years, which, in his words, was fruitful indeed. That said, his strong wish was that one of the next Department of Public Information/NGO conferences be devoted to preserving the world’s cultural heritage and to promoting intercultural dialogue.   
 
Ms. Iraida Leonova, head of the Social Partnership Centre, stated that she regrets that the Russian legislation was not specific enough when it came to NGOs’ activities, particularly in the social sphere. She added that even the recent amendments have fallen short of radically improving the situation since a list of the state-encouraged fields of NGO activities has never been put together, in contrast to legislations in other nations, say, the US . 
 
Stressing that people often learn more about the NGOs’ work from their friends and colleagues rather than from the media, a representative of the Public Opinion Foundation singled out a low level of mutual trust across Russian society, as well as the task to raise the level  of political culture here. She also highlighted the need to introduce a wider and more regular dialogue with the authorities with a view to stepping up the population’s social engagement.     
 
Mr. Mikhail Savin, head of the Human Rights Sociology Centre, urged to weigh up possibilities of organizing a global human rights conference, along the lines of the 1993 UN Conference in Vienna. He noted in particular that the NGO community working in the field of human rights should necessarily participate in the preparatory process.  
 
The discussion assisted Mr. Bautista, in obtaining firsthand information about how the Russian civil society actors are doing. It has, by all means, contributed to widening his horizon on matters related to engaging Russian NGOs in the CoNGO’s work.

Vice President Hilarion Etong stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner

On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Yaounde participated at the Pan African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC), for the Central African Sub-Region held in Yaounde at the National Assembly from 12 to 13 November 2009.

A two-day conference brought together parliamentarians from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo (the Republic of), Central African Republic, Gabon, Chad, and Nigeria. A member of the PAPNCC Executive from Kenya was also in attendance. The theme of the Conference was “Securing an Adequate and Equitable Climate Agreement for the Congo Basin and Africa in Copenhagen”.

Hilarion Etong, the Senior Vice President of the Cameroon National Assembly chaired the opening session of the Conference, on behalf of the President of the National Assembly, Cavaye Yegue Djibril. He called on the parliamentarians to pursue the Central African / Congo Basin voice at Copenhagen, and ensure that the world adopts a fair and effective climate agreement for the safety of our planet.

Minister Hele Pierre stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner

Several Speakers at the opening session including Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, Executive President of PAPNCC, Dr. Klaus Perter Treyote, Representative of Friedrich Ebert Foundation; Representative of PanAfrican Climate Justice Alliance and Bokwe Samuel of Network of Parliamentarians on Forest Conservation emphasized the need to “consolidate African Solidarity, to secure an adequate and equitable climate agreement for Africa in Copenhagen and to call for a Special Climate Fund for adaptation and mitigation for Africa and the Nairobi decision to have "One Africa: One Voice: One Position" at Copenhagen.

Cameroon’s Minister of Environment and Nature Protection, Hele Pierre gave a long background to the African vision and the meetings held by African Heads of State and Ministers of Environment and the Cameroon position taken for Copenhagen.

UNIC Yaounde’s National Information Officer, Anne Nsang presented the Secretary-General’s "Seal the Deal" campaign with the powerpoint presentation sent from UNEP in Nairobi. Ms. Nsang updated the parliamentarians on the Climate Summit held at UNHQ, New York in September and the UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change paraphrasing the UN Secretary General’s remarks at both events.

In addition, UNIC Yaounde mounted a Stamping Station for the signing of the Climate Petition, a follow-up to the June Conference. All the Central African Parliamentarians stamped the Deal led by the Senior Vice President of the National Assembly and the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection.

British Ambassador Robin Barnett addresses the audience at the UN House

On 11 November 2009, the British Embassy in Bucharest, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Bucharest and the British Council launched the online competition "YOU are the Planet".

The event, having British Ambassador Robin Barnett, Mrs. Yesim Oruc, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, and Mr. Serban Miron Copot, President of the NGO Generatia Verde as guest speakers and moderated by UNIC Information Officer. The event was attended by about 70 people representing environment businesses, NGOs, media and government institutions.

"I want to stress once again the excellent job that the UN is doing in addressing climate change and hosting the international negotiations for a post-Kyoto agreement. Another fundamental role in this process must be played by the European Union. The UK is committed to pushing for an effective and binding deal. At the European Summit in October, we all agreed to contribute our fair share of the mitigation and adaptation costs in developing countries. Now, as we approach Copenhagen, we need to drive forward the negotiations and make a credible offer on financial assistance", said Robin Barnett, the British Ambassador to Romania after calculating his carbon footprint.

Yesim Oruc stated that she strongly believes "that solidarity is the word that will have to define the relationship between the developed and poor countries and with our environment. More solidarity is needed to build on and strengthen the EU position for Copenhagen so that the world can protect the poor and the vulnerable from the almost inevitable impacts of climate change; while the developed countries find ways to agree on mitigation measures."

Out of all participants to the event, 46 have accepted to sign the petition. All together, the petition was signed by 907 Romanians.

British Ambassador to Romania addresses the audience at the UN House

On 11 November 2009, the British Embassy in Bucharest, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Bucharest and the British Council launched the online competition: "YOU are the Planet".

The guest speakers included: the British Ambassador to Romania, Robin Barnett, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Mrs. Yesim Oruc, President of the NGO Generatia Verde Mr. Serban Miron Copot and UNIC Information Officer, as a moderator. The event was attended by about 70 people representing environment businesses, NGOs, media and government institutions.

"I want to stress once again the excellent job that the UN is doing in addressing climate change and hosting the international negotiations for a post-Kyoto agreement. Another fundamental role in this process must be played by the European Union. The UK is committed to pushing for an effective and binding deal. At the European Summit in October, we all agreed to contribute our fair share of the mitigation and adaptation costs in developing countries. Now, as we approach Copenhagen, we need to drive forward the negotiations and make a credible offer on financial assistance", said H.E. Robin Barnett, after calculating his carbon footprint.

Yesim Oruc stated that she strongly believes "that solidarity is the word that will have to define the relationship between the developed and poor countries and with our environment. More solidarity is needed to build on and strengthen the EU position for Copenhagen so that the world can protect the poor and the vulnerable from the almost inevitable impacts of climate change; while the developed countries find ways to agree on mitigation measures."

Out of all participants to the event, 46 have accepted to sign the petition. All together, the petition was signed by 907 Romanians.