Mr. Liberato Bautista (L) and UNIC Director Mr. Alexandre Gorelik (R)

On 13 November 2009, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow organized a roundtable meeting for Mr. Liberato Bautista, President of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CoNGO), and representatives of several Russian NGOs. 
   
In his remarks, Mr. Bautista stressed that CoNGO advocated for strong, engaged and empowered civil society communities in different countries. Mr. Liberato stated that the conference's core mission is to guarantee NGOs access to the UN – not only physical, but also in terms of participating in decision-making.  A remarkable part of his comments was a review of civil society actors' effort in order to find a proper place in international governance.
 
Speaking next was Ms. Elena Topoleva, Director of the Agency of Social Information, where she presented a study highlighting major facts about the NGOs in Russia, which was compiled by the Higher School of Economics. According to the study, some 429,000 non-commercial organizations are officially registered in Russia. She also stated that their ever increasing role in the public life can be defined as a positive factor, whereas their major problem appears to be a lack of funds and resources.   
 
Mr. Viktor Kamyshanov, Chairman of the Federation of Peace and Reconciliation, focused on disarmament as an issue of top priority for the international community today, which had been underscored by the UN Secretary General recently in Mexico City. As the head of an organization concentrating on peace-making, he expressed his readiness to cooperate with the CoNGO in this and related matters. 
 
Mr. Gennady Zhizhin from the International Roerichs Centre, pointed out that his organization attended the NGO forums organized by the UN DPI over the last four years. His strong wish was that one of the next Department of Public Information/NGO conferences be devoted to preserving the world’s cultural heritage and to promoting intercultural dialogue.    
 
The discussion assisted Mr. Bautista, in obtaining firsthand information about how the Russian civil society actors are doing. It has, by all means, contributed to widening his horizon on matters related to engaging Russian NGOs in the CoNGO’s work.

Vice President Hilarion Etong stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner

On behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Yaounde participated at the Pan African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change (PAPNCC), for the Central African Sub-Region held in Yaounde at the National Assembly from 12 to 13 November 2009.

A two-day conference brought together parliamentarians from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo (the Republic of), Central African Republic, Gabon, Chad, and Nigeria. A member of the PAPNCC Executive from Kenya was also in attendance. The theme of the Conference was “Securing an Adequate and Equitable Climate Agreement for the Congo Basin and Africa in Copenhagen”.

Hilarion Etong, the Senior Vice President of the Cameroon National Assembly chaired the opening session of the Conference, on behalf of the President of the National Assembly, Cavaye Yegue Djibril. He called on the parliamentarians to pursue the Central African / Congo Basin voice at Copenhagen, and ensure that the world adopts a fair and effective climate agreement for the safety of our planet.

Minister Hele Pierre stamps the "Seal the Deal" campaign banner

Several Speakers at the opening session including Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, Executive President of PAPNCC, Dr. Klaus Perter Treyote, Representative of Friedrich Ebert Foundation; Representative of PanAfrican Climate Justice Alliance and Bokwe Samuel of Network of Parliamentarians on Forest Conservation emphasized the need to “consolidate African Solidarity, to secure an adequate and equitable climate agreement for Africa in Copenhagen and to call for a Special Climate Fund for adaptation and mitigation for Africa and the Nairobi decision to have "One Africa: One Voice: One Position" at Copenhagen.

Cameroon’s Minister of Environment and Nature Protection, Hele Pierre gave a long background to the African vision and the meetings held by African Heads of State and Ministers of Environment and the Cameroon position taken for Copenhagen.

UNIC Yaounde’s National Information Officer, Anne Nsang presented the Secretary-General’s "Seal the Deal" campaign with the powerpoint presentation sent from UNEP in Nairobi. Ms. Nsang updated the parliamentarians on the Climate Summit held at UNHQ, New York in September and the UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change paraphrasing the UN Secretary General’s remarks at both events.

In addition, UNIC Yaounde mounted a Stamping Station for the signing of the Climate Petition, a follow-up to the June Conference. All the Central African Parliamentarians stamped the Deal led by the Senior Vice President of the National Assembly and the Minister of Environment and Nature Protection.

The experimental group "Cidadania" performs at the “Space and Time” show in the Vienna International Centre

To celebrate World Space Week, the United Nations Office on Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Vienna organized a world premiere of a live music/video performance entitled, “Space and Time” in the Vienna International Centre on 5 October 2009. The performance was also co-sponsored by the Austrian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna was created and performed by Cidadania, an experimental troupe from Darmstadt, Germany.

In 1999, the UN General Assembly declared the period from 4 to 10 October the World Space Week (WSW), marking the anniversary of the launch of the 1st human-made satellite Sputnik 1, on 4 October 1957 and the entering into force of the Outer Space Treaty on 10 October 1967.

The “Space and Time” performance, which combines live music with video projections, took the audience of diplomats, astronaut, staff members, students and general public on a “mind boggling” 60-minute journey through the world of astronomy, space and time. Questions projected on the screens during the performance reflected on issues of human existence, climate change, environmental degradation, space debris, asteroids and the future of our planet and life as we know it.

The coordinator of the play, Pedro Aibéo, explained that they aimed to “show the big picture of human self-perception and help the audience to place earthly issues in the context of the infinite universe”. He added that they have decided to dedicate the play to World Space Week and the International Year of Astronomy 2009 because astrophysics can “drive people and societies to pose big questions and seek grand answers”.

Following the performance, guests and Cidadania troupe members engaged in a lively discussion during a reception hosted by UNOOSA. Guests particularly appreciated the incorporation of live music into the performance which many agreed raised “valid” questions about how fragile our existence is compared with the enormity of the universe.

Two more performances of “Space and Time” were held on 6 and 7 October for an audience of school and university students, staff, members of the civil society and the general public.

UNIC Director introduces the Seal the Deal campaign

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Moscow, held a special event dedicated to the beginning of the General Assembly annual session and focused on the Global Climate Week and the Seal the Deal campaign.
 
In the opening remarks, UNIC Director quoted Secretary-General’s speech at the Summit in New York and made a power-point presentation introducing the UN-wide communications campaign.

Alexander Gudyma, Head of the UNEP Office in Moscow, described, in more detail, the Seal the Deal initiative and invited the attendance to stamp and sign a cotton cloth pre-printed with the campaign’s logo as well as subscribe to the online Climate Petition, followed by the Seal the Deal video (produced by UNEP) screening. 

The event ended with launching of the exhibition of works by artists Igor and Pavel Rubinsky, organized by the Moscow Gallery “Persona”.