While searching for an effective way of discussing the topics of HIV/AIDS, drug addiction and forced marriage, all sensitive subjects in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, local youth decided to plan, produce and hold the educative theatre performance ‘Kaleidoscope’. By effectively utilizing a financial grant from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), expertise from the United Nations Populations Fund and the Y-Peer Youth Peer Education Network, and media coverage from the United Nations Office (UNO) in Uzbekistan, this unique play helped to cast light on otherwise taboo and overlooked subjects.

During the performance’s opening night on 5 December, which was attended by Samarkand residents of all ages, the talented cast acted out a variety of situations which often occur in the city’s ‘Mahallas’, or neighborhoods. In order to ensure that the play’s messages were understood and considered, the performance’s characters often broke the ‘fourth wall’ to pose questions directly to audience members. An especially-designed question-and-answer session made sure that key information was delivered.

The performance at Samarkand received such a popular, positive response that local government agreed to support the play’s tour throughout the surrounding regions. The UNO and the UNV hope that this play will be performed in communities throughout Uzbekistan.

To join the voices of millions of people around the world who recognize the increasing burden of diabetes on the health sector the UN Information Office (UNO) in Azerbaijan teamed up with the Azerbaijan Diabetes Society (ADS) and other partners to advocate and raise awareness about diabetes and seek ways of collaborating in addressing this illness. The roundtable conducted on 14 November,  brought together high profile guests, such as members of parliament, representatives of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the World Health Organization (WHO), NGOs working in this sphere and health institutions. It was also well attended by the mass media, which once more shows an enormous interest in the rising threat of diabetes in society.

Drawing attention to the Resolution that recognized World Diabetes Day as a UN Day, the UNO Representative, Ms. Envera Selimovic, used her welcoming remarks to remind the participants of the devastating costs of this disease on the lives of families across the world, and also to promote the people's solidarity with those who live with diabetes. She particularly emphasized the intrinsic role of governments, civil society and international organizations in developing effective mechanisms to face the challenges of tackling this issue. In her concluding remarks she highlighted the importance of working together as one in order to achieve progress.

The event concluded with comments from guests underlining the commitment in advocating for response on the side of both the general public and the government to the various challenges associated with diabetes.

On 28 July 2011, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow, jointly with the Moscow Centre of Spiritual Development of Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU) held a round table to commemorate the first International Day of Friendship. About 40 representatives from Russian NGOs and civil society organizations participated the event.
 
The UNIC Director gave the opening remarks on the Day. He also mentioned that the General Assembly’s resolution places particular emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, capable of promoting international understanding and respect for diversity.
 
The Centre of Spiritual Development commented in detail on their project “I choose friendliness” which mainly aims at improving the culture of communication, supporting tolerance in interethnic and inter-confessional dialogue, spreading positive experience of social assistance.
 
Participants presented a number of ongoing projects and initiatives. This event contributed to the ongoing UN efforts to promote dialogue, social justice and solidarity among people and nations.

More than 50 print media journalists and eight television channels – including Reuters and BBC World Service (TV) – attended the Media Launch of UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2011, organized by the UN Information Centre (UNIC) for India and Bhutan in New Delhi on 26 July.

Eminent policy experts Premila Nazareth Satyanand and Dr. Biswajit Dhar analyzed the report and also presented their recommendations for Indian policymakers. This was followed by an animated discussion on the conclusions of the report.

UNIC Director Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman welcomed the panelists and the media and moderated the discussion.

Introducing the Report UNIC Director explained that the theme of this year's World Investment Report was “Non-equity Modes of International Production and Development”. According to her: “The Report presents original, ahead-of-curve analyses on why and how non-equity modes (NEMs) such as contract manufacturing, services outsourcing, contract farming, franchising and licensing are increasingly used by Trans-National Corporations in managing their global value chains.

UNCTAD’s bottom line is that NEMs represent a highly significant “middle way” between FDI and trade which, among others, shapes patterns of international trade and trajectories of development.”