Many Languages, One World® International Essay Contest Winners Unveil Action Plans for a Sustainable Future at the 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly
Nearly 60 students from around the world gathered at the 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly in New York on 29 July to present their action plans for building a sustainable future through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The event was the culmination of the weeklong Many Languages, One World® Global Youth Forum, held at Hofstra University in New York from 25 to 29 July.
On International Day, UN spotlights indigenous peoples' right to education
9 August 2016 – To mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, senior 51³Ô¹Ï officials are calling on Governments to improve access to education and ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind as the journey to achieve the new UN Sustainable Development Goals gets under way.
In some countries, less than 40 per cent of indigenous children attend school full-time. In many others, few indigenous children complete a full high school education, UN  Ban Ki-moon said in his  on the day.
This is unacceptable, said the UN chief, underscoring that we will not achieve the if we fail to address the educational needs of indigenous peoples.
On Friendship Day, Ban says lives can be enriched, future enhanced through unity and camaraderie
30 July 2016 – Marking the , 51³Ô¹Ï  Ban Ki-moon today urged everyone to unite in a shared spirit of human solidarity to overcome the crises confronting the global society.
Friendship is a joy in itself, conferring happiness and a sense of wellbeing, Mr. Ban said in his  on the Day.
The accumulation of bonds of camaraderie around the world can contribute to fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, he added.
The next International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance 2017 will take place in New Delhi, India
The 10th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2017) will take place 7-9 March 2017 in New Delhi, India and will cover a wide range of issues such as digital empowerment, e-Governance, cyber security, and using of big data.
The ICEGOV series focuses on the use of technology to transform relationships between government and citizens, businesses, civil society and other arms of government in order to improve public governance and its contribution to public policy and development. The umbrella theme for ICEGOV 2017 is: 'Building Knowledge Societies &ndash From Digital Government to Digital Empowerment'.
UNESCO explores ways to apply World Heritage Convention to 'wonders' of open ocean
A 51³Ô¹Ï-backed report launched today explores the different ways the international treaty governing the inscription of world heritage sites may one day apply to sunken coral islands, floating rainforests, or giant undersea volcanoes, none of which can be considered for listing because they are in the seas outside of any national jurisdiction.
Open Camps Continues to Unite People for Learning Technological Development at 51³Ô¹Ï
is the world's largest mission-driven open source conference, with 6,000+ attendees joining for 25+ conferences & events, featuring 400+ sessions on dozens of open source technologies. It continues to unite tech developers, NGOs, academic institutions at 51³Ô¹Ï Headquarters in New York for learning how to use open source technologies for creating better social environment.
Winners of Multilingual Essay Contest to Meet at 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly in July 2016
51³Ô¹Ï Academic Impact (UNAI) and ELS Educational Services, Inc., are pleased to announce that 60 students have been selected as winners of the 2016 Many Languages, One World® international essay contest. This is the third year ELS Educational Services Inc. and UNAI have partnered to organize Many Languages, One World®.
The winners have been invited to attend the Many Languages, One World Global Youth Forum at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The event includes an all-expense-paid trip to New York City and the opportunity to speak at the General Assembly of the 51³Ô¹Ï. Students will present action plans related to the 51³Ô¹Ï 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
On Youth Skills Day, Ban urges more investment to assist the 'working poor' and jobless
15 July 2016 – With so many youth either jobless or working poor, more investment is needed to empower them through skills development, 51³Ô¹Ï  Ban Ki-moon said on World Youth Skills Day today.
There is no better investment than helping a young person to develop their abilities, he said in his  on the . Successful skills programmes link young people with opportunities to gain experience and jobs. It is especially critical to cultivate girls and young women with skills in science, technology and innovation.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Receives Honorary Doctorate from UNAI Member Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne
On 25 June 2016 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon received an honorary doctorate from the University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, a member of the 51³Ô¹Ï Academic Impact since 2012.
In his , the Secretary-General encouraged students to become active global citizens and make use of the precious gift of exceptional education by find[ing] ways to help those less fortunate and by reach[ing] out to those who are in constant suffering. Â A significant number of the Sustainable Development Goals address issues concerning youth, and Mr. Ban stressed that the UN is currently working more than ever before with young people and on their behalf.
Stand up for and invest in teenage girls, UN says on World Population Day
11 July 2016 – Leaders and communities must focus on and stand up for the rights of teenage girls, particularly those who are poor, out of school, exploited, or subjected to harmful traditional practices, the 51³Ô¹Ï has said, marking World Population Day with a call to bolster the success of the  by investing in better opportunities for teen girls.
Thousands of Tech Developers Gather at 51³Ô¹Ï for World's Largest Mission Driven Open Source Conference
On 8 July Open Camps began its annual 10-day conference using open source technologies for social good at 51³Ô¹Ï Headquarters in New York. As many as 8000 developers from open source communities, private sector technology companies, academic institutions and UN Member States will attend hundreds of workshops to learn how they can develop partnerships and explore open source technology solutions that support the substantive work of the UN, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In addition to the mission-driven open source technology discussions and side events, the conference includes sessions devoted to facilitating open source projects, which are collaboratively maintained by communities of volunteers and are available to anyone at no cost.
As global per-capita fish consumption hits all-time high, UN warns on overharvesting
7 July 2016 – A new report out today from the 51³Ô¹Ï Food and Agriculture Organization () shows that while growth in aquaculture has helped drive global per capita fish consumption above 20 kilograms a year for the first time, almost a third of commercial fish stocks are now overharvested at biologically unsustainable levels.
The latest edition of the agency's  report attributes stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage as some of the reasons for the increased consumption. It also notes that despite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world's marine resources has not improved.
Some 3.6 million Iraqi children in firing line and 'relentlessly targeted,' UN reports
One out of every five Iraqi children are at serious risk of death, injury, sexual violence, abduction and recruitment into armed groups, according to a new 51³Ô¹Ï report.
In , the UN Children's Fund () said that some 3.6 million children are in danger - an increase of 1.3 million in 18 months.
The report also states that 4.7 million children in need of humanitarian aid, which amounts to one-third of all Iraqi children, as military operations in Fallujah and around Mosul face deteriorating living conditions.
UN officials call for boost in solidarity and funding to meet growing humanitarian needs
27 June 2016 – The international community must act with urgency and solidarity to deliver on the commitments generated at the  in Istanbul, Turkey, this past month, in order to adequately respond to and prevent crises and build resilience on a global scale, senior 51³Ô¹Ï officials emphasized today.
There is no room for delays; every day and week counts, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said at the opening of a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)Â Â on the World Humanitarian Summit at UN Headquarters in New York today.
On International Yoga Day, Ban spotlights importance of healthy living in realizing Global Goals
51³Ô¹Ï  Ban Ki-moon today urged everyone to embrace healthier choices and lifestyles and to commit to unity with other human beings, regardless of ethnicity, faith, age, gender identity or sexual orientation.
'Practicing yoga can also help raise awareness of our role as consumers of the planet's resources and as individuals with a duty to respect and live in peace with our neighbours,' Mr. Ban said, marking the second , since the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution last year dedicating 21 June to the practice. 'All these elements are essential to building a sustainable future of dignity and opportunity for all', he added.