In connection with the International Day for Tolerance the UN Information Centre (UNIC) Manama Director issued a statement to the media pointing to the happy coincidence of Eid Al Adha with the International Day for Tolerance (16 November) and drew attention to the message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the occasion.

The initiative was followed by a positive media reaction/campaign focussing on the need to reinforce the culture of tolerance.

Editors-in-chief, senior editors authored Op-Ed articles whereas leading newspapers devoted supplements and entire pages to the theme.

UN Resident Coordinator Antonius Broek speaking the round table opening

On 15 November 2010, on the eve of the International Day for Tolerance, a roundtable dedicated to the topic “Tolerance of the Individual and Society. Ways of Nurturing It” was held at the Minsk Jewish Community Center.

That event was organized jointly by the UN office (UNO) in Belarus, Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities and the National Holocaust Foundation.
The round table was attended by the UN Resident Coordinator in Belarus Antonius Broek, diplomatic corps, representatives of religious communities, national associations, and educational establishments.

The UN Resident Coordinator noted that during the last sixty five years since the adoption of the UN Charter in 1945 the international community has achieved much progress in the fight against racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, but still much remains to be done.

The UN Resident Coordinator urged all participants of the round table to use their professional skills for the sake of promoting tolerance and non-violence. “You possess great potential to offer future generations a credible alternative to the fear and exclusion, hatred and extremism”, said Mr. Broek, addressing to participants of the round table.

During the course of the roundtable, its participants discussed the issues of inter-faith and inter-ethnic dialogue, the social and pedagogical aspects of nurturing tolerance, as well as the importance of comprehending the lessons of the Holocaust for promoting tolerance among youth.

 

In the framework of the SG’s Creative Community Outreach Initiative, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) authorized the shooting at the Palais des Nations on 13 and 14 November of scenes from the film “Belle du Seigneur”, adapted from Albert Cohen’s famous novel.

Set in the late 1930's, Belle du Seigneur is regarded as a classic of French modern literature and is one of the main works of fiction with a League of Nations background.  It is the story of the obsessive love affair between Solal, an Assistant Secretary-General in the League of Nations and Ariane, the wife of a staff member. The novel includes ironic passages in the life of a rather unproductive international civil servant.

Directed and written by Brazilian director Glenio Bonder, who started his career as a diplomat, the film brings together well-known actors (including Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Solal and Natalia Vodianova as Ariane) and a production team that includes Oscar winners and nominees (such as Director of Photography Eduardo Serra, whose work on The Girl with the Pearl Earring won him an Oscar nomination).

Between scenes shooting

An army of electricians, cameramen, sound technicians, make up artists, caterers and many others took over parts of the Palais over the weekend. Scenes were shot in and outside the Council Chamber and the Hall des Pas Perdus.  They were assisted by staff members from the United Nations Information Service at Geneva, as well as UNOG’s Division of Administration and Safety and Security Services (SSS). Two of our colleagues from SSS’s canine unit, Jose Gallardo and his dog Neo, even played small parts in a scene.

Although the project required many to work throughout the weekend, it was an unforgettable experience, and it is hoped that it will serve to raise awareness of the history of the Palais des Nations and its first tenant, the League of Nations. UNOG’s Library hosts a recently renovated League of Nations Museum, which presents significant pieces of the large League of Nations Archives collection (listed in 2009 in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.) UNOG’s Library Archives colleagues had helped the production team research costumes and copyright information on artworks in the filming locations.

Launch of UN Reading corner

At a ceremony organized in Guwahati on 8 November 2010 by the State Government of Assam’s State Central Library, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) New Delhi National Information Officer Rajiv Chandran declared open a reading corner dedicated to UN publications.

The UN Association of Assam has assigned a dedicated librarian to cater to UN information needs at the publications corner.

The launch was attended by C.S. Das, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Development and Krishnaram Milli, Director, Library Services, Assam.