Primary school students visiting ICTR exhibit

The United Nations Informa-tion Centre (UNIC) Bujumbura supported the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in the organization of launching activities of an essay and drawing competi-tion for students from the African Great Lakes Region.

The project entails a regional competition in drawing and writing an essay under the theme: "The Tribunal and its role in promoting peace and security in the Region." Special prizes will be awarded to outstanding drawings and essays in the five countries: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.

UNIC assisted in the selection of the five primary and five secon-dary schools to be part of the project in Bujumbura. The ICTR delegation, headed by Senior Legal Adviser, Chief of External Relations and Strategic Planning Section, Spokesperson of the Tribunal, visited Bujumbura from 6 to 13 March.

The ICTR Project aims at promoting the continued genocide prevention education, using various communication tools, so that youth in the region can be informed about and taught what is genocide, causes and drivers, and the role of international community to ensure that "never again" becomes a reality.

UNIC supported the ICTR in the organization of a photo exhibition, film screening and briefings for students and a launch ceremony for the ICTR Project and press conference.

During the press conference the ICTR Head of delegation took an opportunity to answer questions from journalists.

UNIC organized above events in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, mobilized the media for participation and coverage and hosted all the activities.

Marching in Bujumbura

Ceremonies to commemorate the International Women’s Day (IWD) took place in Bujumbura on 8 March and mobilized over 10,000 women, girls and men participated in a march throughout the Bujumbura streets.

The slogans chanted by the marchers were relating to the international theme, “Equal Rights, Equal opportunities, Progress for all”. They were also linked to the place of women in the politics as the elections approach in Burundi. The ceremonies were hosted by the Second Vice-President of the Republic.

The United Nations Information Centre in Bujumbura co-organized this commemoration with the Ministry of Human Rights and Gender, UNIFEM, the UN Integrated Office in Burundi- BINUB, UNFPA, international and national NGOs.

The UNIC managed to have the Beijing+15 logo and theme printed on all the communications products used in the whole country where the Day was celebrated. These products include T-shirts, banners, posters and folders.

The march ended in the Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium, where took place the rest of the ceremonies, and passed in front of the grand stand sheltering the national authorities and the international.

Public attending the IWD ceremony at the stadium 

The official speeches on behalf of the Government were respectively made by the Mayor of Bujumbura city, the Minister of Human Rights and Gender and the Second Vice President of the Republic. Diverse cultural shows including traditional dances, poems and songs on the above themes were also displayed.

As the Chair of the ad hoc Communications committee set up for the promotion of the fifteen days campaign to promote the above Day, the UNIC National Information Officer organized and coordinated the production of the promotional materials and the campaign messages with the financial support of the UNICEF, BINUB, NGOs and bilateral cooperation organizations.

UNIC also assured the organization of the media coverage of the events. The event was attended by representatives of the Government, civil society, national and international NGOs and the Diplomatic corps.

A local folkloric dance troupe also performed at the event.

Media Workshop panelists

To launch the fifteen days of commemoration of the International Women’s Day, the United Nations Informa-tion Centre (UNIC) in Bujum-bura, chairing the Media and Communication group set up to promote the Day and composed of colleagues and partners from BINUB, UNFPA, the Government, NGOs and civil society, organized a one-day media workshop on the theme: “The role of the media to promote gender parity and equality during the elections in Burundi”.

The workshop took place on 2 March 2009 at the UNIC and was attended by 84 journalists and media professionals.

Prior to the opening speeches made by the Minister oh Human Rights and Gender Mrs. Christine Ndayishimiye, the UNIFEM Representative in Burundi, Mr. Jean Pierre Muenda made a Lecture on the Evolution of the integration of the Gender issue in the International judicial texts and actions taken on international level to promote the Gender.

A debate and a Q&A session between the journalists and the panelists took place after the presentations and questions on the role of the media to promote the gender parity and equality were answered. 

Press kit materails

UNIC got support from the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB), who sponsored the printing of the press kit folder and the posters; and UNIFEM, who supported the organiza-tional fees and the consultants who made the above presenta-tions. 

A group of children create art to express their feelings on discrimination

To promote the Human Rights Day which coincides this year with the 61th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Bujumbura organized a drawing competition on the theme, “Embrace diversity, end discrimination", in partnership with the National Federal of Scouts Associations. 

The Scout and Guide movements mobilized the children members of the above movements for participation. The UNIC National Information Officer held briefings with the children and talked about the UN and human rights issue as well as the theme of discrimination. This competition gave opportunity to young people to express what they think discrimination is and ways to prevent it.

A panel from the Scout and Guide movements and UNIC selected five best drawings which were awarded and the prizes were given as an opening ceremony of a media workshop co-organized by UNIC, the Office of High Commission for Human Rights and the Ministry of Human Rights and Gender, which took place on 3 December 2009. The above media outreach activity was organized to promote the national theme which was, “Human Rights in the electoral context”.

The journalists covering the event interviewed the children on the drawings and on the non discrimination issue.

The media workshop was attended by around 50 journalists and media professionals. The Ministry of Human Rights and Gender was represented by the Chief of Cabinet, Mr. Mfatiye, who made the opening speech and presided over the drawing competition prizegiving ceremony.

UNIC Bujumbura covered the organizational fees of the event and mobilized and got an impressive media coverage.