The United Nations, Africa, and Me
日本語 (Japanese)
Media Release: Celebrating UN Day 2007 (56 KB PDF)
United Nations Day (UN Day) is celebrated annually worldwide on 24 October to commemorate the founding of the United Nations in October 1945.
2007 marks the midway point for achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals, but sub-Saharan Africa is not yet on track to achieve any of them. This is also the year before the Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD IV, and the Japan-hosted G8 Summit, at which African development is expected to be a prominent topic. It is fitting, therefore, that the focus of this year's UN Day events at UN House in Tokyo is on Africa.
As in past years, there will be a seminar in U Thant International Conference Hall featuring topical keynote speeches and panel discussions.
New this year will be a variety of activities for both children and adults in the front courtyard. UN agencies in Japan will organize an outdoor "experience zone" to present demonstrations of the UN's fieldwork, including tents such as those used in refugee camps and other relief-work tools. This will offer an opportunity for the public to see how the UN agencies "deliver as one" (440 KB PDF) by utilizing their respective specialties. These demonstrations can be viewed free of charge throughout the afternoon.
We invite you to take this opportunity to visit UN House and learn more about humanitarian fieldwork and the past, present, and future of the UN and Africa.
Seminar Programme
U Thant International Conference Hall · UN House, 3F
| 13:00 | Opening Messages from Prof. Konrad Osterwalder, Rector, UNU, and Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations |
| 13:20 | Keynote Speech by Per Engebak, Regional Director (Eastern and Southern Africa Region), UNICEF |
| 13:50 | Keynote Speech by Marjon Kamara, Africa Bureau Director, UNHCR |
| 14:20 | Q&A Session |
| 14:40 | Break |
| 14:50 | Panel Discussion on Safe Motherhood (Organized by UNFPA) Moderator: Kiyoko Ikegami, Director, UNFPA Tokyo Office Panellists:
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| 16:20 | Break |
| 16:30 | A Tripartite Panel Discussion on Achieving the MDGs in Africa (Organized by UNDP) Moderator: Shun-ichi Murata, Director, UNDP Tokyo Panellists:
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| 18:00 | Reception (2F Reception Room) |
Other Activities
UN Gallery (1F, 2F)
- "Food and a Future for the Children" — World Food Programme (WFP)
- "Child Labour" — Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and International Labour Organization (ILO)
Courtyard
UN Fieldwork Experience Zone
- Learn about the dangers posed by landmines — United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
- Sample biscuits and porridge distributed as food assistance — World Food Programme (WFP)
- Experience the difficulties that many must overcome to obtain drinking water — United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
- Observe the significance of reproductive health care through basic hygiene kits and delivery kits — United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
- See the family tents and daily goods distributed to refugees, and learn about the "Uniqlo 'Clothes for Africa' Thank You Recycling" campaign — United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Learn about various food aid (a school farming kit, emergency seed stock and agricultural tools) and agricultural health initiatives (avian Influenza prevention kits) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- Hear FM radio broadcasts programmes for agribusiness entrepreneurs (in English, Swahili and Acholi) and learn about the reality of child labour — International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Observe democratic election preparations and participate in a "mock election" — United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
- See such educational and health aids as a "school-in-a-bag" kit, a mobile vaccine carrier, a mosquito bed-net (provided by Sumitomo Chemical) and a water pump (provided by Danon Waters of Japan) — United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Kid's Play Zone
- Attend a children's show on "Africa" presented by Oriental Land (at 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00)
- Make simple craftworks related to Africa
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Page last modified 2019.04.16.
