local musicians and dance performance in Kadugli
Under the theme of "climate change", UN Day was celebrated across Sudan with colourful military parades, traditional dancing, cleanup campaigns, tree plantings and readings of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message.
In his message, read out at a Khartoum ceremony by newly arrived Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ashraf Qazi, Mr. Ban stressed that today's complex challenges - ranging from climate change and extreme poverty to Darfur and the Middle East - were cause for grave concern.
In tacking these problems, the Secretary-General emphasized that the UN was in greater demand than ever before. "More and more people around the world understand that global problems demand global solutions - and going it alone is not a viable option."
|
The Khartoum event also included a televised debate on climate change, featuring guest speakers Abdallah Ahmed Abdallah, UN Association President and former Minister of Agriculture, Ismail Gizouli, Senior Advisor to the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources and Teresa Iro, State Minister of the Environment.
The Day was celebrated in Kadugli at Indian Reserve Battalion Headquarters with local authorities, including Acting Governor and Minister of Agriculture Khamis Kajo, as well as representatives of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, Sudan Armed Forces, international non-governmental organizations and UNMIS.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kajo emphasized the need for unity and cooperation to combat environmental deterioration and climate change. Leslie Mctyre, of UNMIS Protection Section underscored the importance of environmental protection, consequences of climate change and the need for immediate action to stop it.
In Wau, UNMIS organized a cleanup campaign, which was carried out by UN staff, military and students in the city's Civil Hospital and along the main street. During a ceremony later in the day at Wau Stadium, Western Bahr Elgazal state Governor General Marko Nypouch directed his cabinet to organize similar cleanups in the ministries and counties, and called on all citizens to tidy up areas surrounding their houses.
The Day was commemorated in several other Sudanese cities, including Juba, Malakal and El Fasher. |
About UNMIS