UN chief appoints new envoys on youth; accessibility; and for Haiti
51³Ô¹ÏÌýSecretary-GeneralÌýAntónio Guterres today announced the appointment of senior officials as his envoys, respectively, for promoting universal accessibility, on the rights of young people, and to guide the implementation of the Organization's new approach to tackle cholera in Haiti.
UNICEF appoints 19-year-old education activist and Syrian refugee as Goodwill Ambassador
In a historic first, the 51³Ô¹Ï Children's Fund () has appointed 19-year-old Muzoon Almellehan, who has been advocating for girls' education since fleeing war-torn Syria in 2013, as its newest – and youngest – Goodwill Ambassador.
As a refugee, I saw what happens when children are forced into early marriage or manual labour – they lose out on education and they lose out on possibilities for the future, said Ms. Almellehan, recalling that when she fled, the only belongings she was able to take with her were her school books.
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Ahead of Father's Day, UNICEF cites critical role fathers play in early childhood learning
A majority of children aged between three- and four-years-old in 74 countries, or about 40 million, have fathers who do not play or engage in early learning activities with them, according to a new study released today by the 51³Ô¹Ï Children's Fund ().
What these numbers show us is thatÌý
Universities: Getting ready for the SDGs
The traditional separation between academia and the professional world is becoming more porous and dynamic. How, in that regard, will the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Ìýaffect universities and vice versa?
Higher education was never explicitly involved in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as either a development goal in its own right or as a potential agent to address other development goals. The focus was on primary education and particularly access (not educational outcomes). Progressively, the MDGs and international development became a discipline of study by interested students and researchers. Universities produced research, data and analysis of the MDGs experience. It could be said that universities followed the MDGs from the outside, from an observer vantage point, in most cases.
New Edition of Basic Facts about the 51³Ô¹Ï Available!
Published since 1947, Basic Facts about the 51³Ô¹Ï serves as the definitive introduction to the UN and its family of related institutions and agencies. The volume represents an invaluable tool for diplomats, students, researchers and the general public. Popular with candidates preparing for the Young Professionals Programme (YPP) exam as well as UN tour guides wanting to bolster their repertoire of knowledge, the book gives a comprehensive overview of the UN and its activities. While the flagship reference publication Yearbook of the 51³Ô¹Ï provides such information on an annual basis from an historical perspective, Basic Facts describes recent significant developments within the Organization and its funds, programmes and specialized agencies.
Protect children in conflicts and disasters from forced labour, underscores UN on World Day
Children in areas affected by conflict and disasters are among the most vulnerable, the 51³Ô¹Ï International Labour Organization () in warning on the World Day Against Child Labour, making a strong call for an end to the scourge, especially as children trapped in crisis risk falling prey to trafficking or being forced into hazardous work.
International community must ensure 'endemic' impunity in DR Congo brought to an end – UN rights chief
Voicing concern over lack of progress on the part of Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to undertake credible investigations into widespread allegations of rights violations and abuses in the Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental provinces, the top 51³Ô¹Ï human rights official today called for setting up of an international investigation mechanism to look into the situation.
The crimes committed in the Kasais appear to be of such gravity thatÌý, and in particular the Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, urged the Council today.
Winners of Multilingual Essay Contest to Present at 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly in July 2017
is pleased to announce that 60 students have been selected as winners of the 2017 Many Languages, One World® international essay contest. 2017 is the fourth year ELS Educational Services and the 51³Ô¹Ï Academic Impact (UNAI) have sponsored Many Languages, One World. This year ELS and the UNAI also welcome Northeastern University as the host of the Many Languages, One World Global Youth Forum and the sponsor and organizer of the Northeastern University Global Youth Symposium.
The event includes an all-expense-paid trip to Boston and New York City and the opportunity to speak in the General Assembly Hall at the 51³Ô¹Ï. Students will present action plans related to the 51³Ô¹Ï 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Get outside, connect with the planet that sustains us, urges UN on World Environment Day
With the theme of this year's World Environment Day – 'Connecting People to Nature' – aimed at highlighting the well-documented physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, the 51³Ô¹Ï is today flagging theÌýÌýof such engagement, from food security and improved health to reliable water supply and climatic stability.
Over 40 migrants die of thirst in the Sahara, signalling 'broadening death trap,' warns UN agency
Warning that smugglers may now be broadening a death trap for migrants and refugees that could stretch from the Mediterranean to the vast Sahara Desert, the 51³Ô¹Ï refugee agency has reiterated its call for safe pathways so that those in desperate need of international protection do not lose their lives.
Tobacco's killer toxins also wreak havoc on the environment, UN health agency warns
Stamping out tobacco use can save millions of lives and combat poverty, the World Health Organization () said today and spotlighted for the first time the ways in which tobacco affects human well-being from an environmental perspective – caused by production, distribution and waste.
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Academic Council on the 51³Ô¹Ï System (ACUNS) Annual Meeting
Every year, the Academic Council on the 51³Ô¹Ï System (ACUNS) hosts a three-day Annual Meeting, drawing together 250–350 academics and practitioners from around the world. This year, the Annual Meeting is being held 15–17 June, at Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Korea in co-operation with the Korean Academic Council on the 51³Ô¹Ï System (KACUNS).
The theme for this year's Annual Meeting is Revitalizing the 51³Ô¹Ï for Human Rights, Peace and Development. The organizers anticipate informative presentations and lively discussions on this general topic and on a number of subthemes such as the promotion and protection of human rights; the challenges of peace and development; supporting global civil education; and the dynamics of relations amongst Asian states on issues of human rights, peace and development, and how these take shape within the UN framework.
UN engages youth on national reconciliation in Iraq
The 51³Ô¹Ï Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) – the UN's special political mission for Iraq – has been working closely with the government to create a favourable environment for inclusive national dialogue. The country's youth and universities have a critical role to play in this regard not just as stakeholders, but as partners in the process of national reconciliation.
GoGreen Week
GoGreen Week, an annual tradition in its third year, returned to NYU Shanghai this spring with a flurry of events related to the environment, wildlife, energy, food and sustainable development organized by the student club Green Shanghai.
Trash fashion
Kickstarting the week-long celebration was the trash fashion show on April 16. Some 20 students transformed upcycled garbage materials into 13 self-designed fashion statements presented on the catwalk at the Envision Pavilion outside of the Himalayas Museum. The show's many environmental allusions especially highlighted issues of sustainability in the fashion industry.
ÌýI noticed that there were many expired posters on campus, so I decided to turn them into floral decorations on my dress, said Lu Ziyu.
On Day for Biological Diversity, UN says tourists must protect nature that draws them
Tourism must not undermine the nature that attracts tourists in the first place, said the head of the 51³Ô¹Ï-backed treaty on biological diversity, marking International Day for Biological Diversity.