On 23 March, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Pretoria, organized a FUN Day at John Kekana High School in Mamelodi township, Pretoria, on the theme of climate change. This theme was chosen due to the interest generated the from the COP17 conference last year. Grade 12 geography students requested the theme for the event, which attracted the attention of a journalist from a weekly community newspaper in Mamelodi, called Record Media, who covered the event.

UNIC Librarian, Hope Kabamba, introduced the UN team which included the Regional Technical Advisor on Climate Change and Adaptation, Jessica Troni, from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and two UNIC Library interns, Jessy Robaky and Thulisiwe Dangazele. She then proceeded to give a presentation on the overview of the UN system, programmes, peace and security issues as well as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the ensuing interaction, it was apparent that the students gained a fair understanding of the United Nations.

Jessica Troni addressed the students on climate change, and its impact on water, adaptation, green house gases, and temperature changes. She also emphasized on how climate change impacted on the MDGs. At the end of the presentation, the “UN4U” video was screened. This was followed by a questions and answer session with students asking a lot of questions, including: why Canada pulled out of negotiations on climate change; what role the UN played in climate change; what the UN was doing towards eradicating poverty in the world; and why last year’s conference on Climate Change was called COP17, to name a few.

Information packs prepared by the UNIC Library interns were handed out to the students and UN posters were donated to the school library.

On 15 March, the UN Information Office (UNO) in Azerbaijan team organized a dynamic information session to familiarize students with the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs), at Baku-based School # 23. The session, held within the framework of the educational campaign to improve knowledge of high school students of several schools in Baku about the MDGs, of their importance and implementation. History, goals, and functions of the UN were highlighted during the integrated session.

The presentation not only covered the basic information related to MDGs and its importance, but rather focused on how this worldwide project led by the UN, affects the country’s future as well as daily living. In addition, students explored the current status of achieving the goals among various states, with particular attention given to implementation in Azerbaijan.

Each of the MDGs was introduced to the students who were asked to critically analyze each goal. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, and promoting gender equality to empower women, can only be done if citizens understand the serious relevance to their own lives. Once parallels of understanding were met, students learned about relevant facts indicating the need for urgent action and follow through in order to achieve the goals.  

Development of human capital is one of the most important goals of the activities of the UN, thus the importance focused on education. The active reaction by the students to participating showed movement toward the goal of development from within Azerbaijan.

“Vibrant discussion among my students truly underlines high importance of such events for their personal development,” said Mrs. Irada Rahimli, Director of School # 23. Expressing her gratitude to the UNO for organizing this “interesting and comprehensive educational session,” she added: “It was an unforgettable experience for the youth, inspiring them to participate in future events organized by the UNO.”

Agshin Guliyev, a high school student from school #7, said that he was touched by learning about the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG), at a school-wide conference hosted by the UN Information Office (UNO) in Azerbaijan team on 14 March.  His participation in the event was a good opportunity to increase his knowledge about the UN.

The UNO team led a presentation covering MDGs specifics as well as the importance of each, and their effects on the country’s future. Students at school #7 were asked to precisely analyze the MDGs and their role in Azerbaijan. The only way to succeed in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, and promoting gender equality and empowering women will be for generations of youth to understand the significance of these goals for their future.

The large-scale undertaking by the UN can only be carried through generations if they truly comprehend each goal at its core and have a platform on which to discuss and question motives and techniques to implement these goals. To see students at School #7 be motivated by the goals was touching for the UN team as well as the school’s officials.

The session included an educational video, lecture and round table discussions giving the students the opportunity to express their ideas. Mrs. Gulnaz Mehdizade, Director of School # 7, expressed her gratitude to the UNO team for visiting them and informing the youth about the work of the UN. She underlined the impact of strengthening cooperation between high schools and the UNO. Such a successful session proved once again how necessary such information campaigns are for the development of human capital.

On 13 March, the UN Information Office (UNO) in Azerbaijan, organized an information session on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at School # 27 in Baku. This session was part of a broader MDGs focused education campaign using the MDG agenda to develop capacity among young people (aged 15-17) around research, action, peer education, within a broader human rights and development education programme.
 
The UNO team delivered a comprehensive presentation on the eight MDGs, their substance, importance and implementation in a very comprehensive way with a focus on inspiring the youth to take hold of their futures and take part in these goals. Particular attention was given to the implementation of the MDGs on the local level and their importance for fast growing of Azerbaijan. As part of the educational session, an information video about the history, functions, and activities of the UN was shown to the participants of the event. Starting with the general information about the establishment and historical development of the UN, the video continued with informing about the goals, structure, functions, and activities of the UN in different fields.
 
The session proved successful with a robust attendance of students, their teachers and the school’s Director, Mrs. Jamila Ramazanova, highly praised the enthusiastic UNO team. ‘Our aim is to inspire students to truly take hold of their futures and to encourage them to explore broader how they can live in a way that creates positive change,” said Envera Selimovic, representing the UNO.