|
ADVOCATES OF UNITED
NATIONS TO MEET
Copyright 2002 Accra Mail
[ June 14th 2002 ]
An upcoming
gathering of dozens of celebrities who lend their
names as advocates of the United Nations will
be an important step in their efforts to promote
the world body's work, a senior UN official has
said. "The purpose of the meeting is to deepen
their understanding of the UN and its many roles,
to strengthen their connection to the whole UN
system, and to reinforce their roles as advocates
and spokesman who inform, who inspire and raise
awareness and raise funds, who travel to the frontlines
and help us carry our message to a larger public,"
Gillian M. Sorensen, the Assistant Secretary-General
for External Relations, told a press briefing.
Forty-six
prominent UN Messengers of Peace and Goodwill
Ambassadors from the worlds of art, music, film,
sports, literature and public affairs, will meet
on 18 and 19 June. The list of participants includes
Roger Moore, Danny Glover, Elie Weisel, Harry
Belafonte, Angelina Jolie, Sir Peter Ustinov and
Vanessa Redgrave. The Secretary-General, who invited
the celebrities to the event, will open the session
on Tuesday morning and host a luncheon in their
honour later that day, she noted.
Anticipating
serious discussions on key issues facing the world
today, Ms. Sorensen said the UN would brief participants
on humanitarian crises, the fight against AIDS
and other diseases, poverty eradication, sustainable
development, and peace and security. A seminar
on advocacy in action would tackle "in very open
and frank ways the possibilities - as well as
the limits - of being a celebrity spokesman or
advocate," she observed.
Ms. Sorensen
voiced hope that the event would help the participants
feel "more connected, more informed, more comfortable
with UN issues, and more prepared to speak on
many occasions - not just those organized here
- about the United Nations." "We think this is
a very special gathering - we know that [celebrities]
reach audiences and younger people that our own
speakers sometimes do not, so we welcome this
occasion and look forward to a very lively and
interesting exchange," the Assistant Secretary-General
said.
|
