The United Nations Information Center in Panamá and the Ministry of Education supported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in conducting the first UN General Assembly Model UN (MoUN) in Panamá. 

On 28 October, approximately 80 young Panamanian ambassadors from each of the country’s nine provinces met in the capital for four days of intense debating sessions.

Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “There is no way to peace, peace is the way” was an inspiration for the students who used negotiations and dialogue as their “weapons” and worked with the feeling that the earth’s future was in their hands. 

Professionally and with much dedication, they debated the central topic of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the illegal transport of nuclear material for the First Commission. Each nation asked the Iranian Delegate about Iran’s nuclear programme and was impressed by the knowledge with which he carefully executed his answers. Non-signatories demanded a number of factors to accept the treaty so that all nations could accept to a peaceful agreement.

The Second Commission discussed food security and nutritional concerns. Delegates embodied the definition of team work as they collaborated to seek solutions. The Third Commission, which debated modern slavery and human trafficking, negotiated a complete resolution giving States a clear method to address and prevent the problem. 

The Fourth Commission debated the recent crisis in Afghanistan and the future of the country after the departure of NATO. The Delegate of Afghanistan, who explained to the other delegates what really happened and what the nation needed, was proud to finally achieve democracy. 

Romulo Roux of MFA advised the young ambassadors: “It’s up to you to continue what you started here and work to solve problems through dialogue. Peace is an everyday thing”. 

Meanwhile Lucy Molinar of the Ministry of Education told the students that her dream was becoming a reality as she encouraged the young delegates to continue in public life as “the world is full of people making bad choices because those that make good ones are not willing to speak”. 

When MoUN ended on 31 October, all present felt that diplomacy and dialogue were the methods of choice to solve problems. Staff members were very proud of the students’ level of commitment as the youth not only exemplified the capacity of a teenager but that they were also ready for any challenge.

The UN House in New Delhi glowed under rows of lights and echoed with the sounds of the “Loh-Tarang” as the UN family in India observed UN Day (24 October) on 30 October, the day in 1945 that India joined the United Nations. 

Guests mingled and studied paintings that the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in New Delhi commissioned from school children on the theme “The Future We Want”. The paintings addressed food security, access to water, green energy jobs, inclusion, gender equality, education and health--all subjects that go to the heart of sustainable development. 

Guests were struck by the creativity demonstrated by the young artists who splashed their vision of the future across massive 10X5 feet canvases.

The evening began with a video message by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that urged the international community to “raise our collective ambitions.” 

“With the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals fast approaching, we must intensify our efforts to reach all of these lifesaving targets,” the Secretary-General said. “We must prepare a bold and practical post-2015 development agenda. And we must continue to combat intolerance, save people caught in conflicts and establish lasting peace.”

UN Resident Coordinator Lise Grande welcomed the Chief Guest for the evening, Minister of Tribal Affairs V. Kishore Chandra Deo, who spoke about India’s numerous contributions to the United Nations in peacekeeping, the UN Democracy Fund, and its role in the Executive Committees of various UN agencies, funds and programmes.

Three young people belonging to tribal communities from the state of Chhattisgarh, talked about how the UN helped to change their lives by supporting education and livelihood programmes in their communities. 

The Chief Guest in his address lauded their achievements and also spoke about India’s longstanding engagement with the United Nations. India was committed to advancing the aims and goals of the UN and would continue to be a responsible and constructive partner, he said.

The UN Pensioners Association in India observed the 67th birthday of the United Nations and discussed the importance of the UN and the elderly during an event organized at the UN Conference Hall, New Delhi on 28 October. 

The Director of the UN Information Center in New Delhi, Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman, commended the pensioners on their important work in terms of keeping the image of the UN alive, and said that it was due to people like them, who witnessed and played an active part in UN evolution, that the UN continues to survive the constant turbulence of global politics.

Mrs. Mehra-Kerpelman outlined Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s five-year action agenda for the UN and the challenges facing the Organization. She said “You have done your bit in ensuring that the United Nations remains relevant at all times and you continue to do in your own way, every day”.

She referred to excerpts from the Secretary-General’s 2012 message for UN Day, where he emphasized the need for a bold and practical post-2015 development agenda. “We must continue to combat intolerance, save people caught in conflicts and establish lasting peace,” she quoted the Secretary-General.

On October 23, as part of the UN4U outreach campaign, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Lusaka organized a talk on UN activities, both global and  in Zambia. This presentation took place at Matero Girls High School with 60 students and staff members in attendance.

UNIC National Information Officer Mickie Mumba addressed the students, who later had a chance to ask questions directly to a person working for the United Nations. 

“Post-2015” was highlighted throughout the Day with the official launch of the Zambia Consultations on the MDGs and Post-2015 Development Vision and a documentary “Zambian voices on MDGs and Beyond” was screened with the theme “Celebrating Zambia and the future it wants”.

Also, an originally composed song relating to post-2015 and the future Zambia wants was performed by one of the country’s popular artists Danny Siulapwa.