"Stand Up Take Action" campaign in Cairo

The “Stand Up Against Poverty” campaign 2009 received impressive support in Egypt from religious leaders, officials, youth organizations, NGOs, schools and universities, and the media.

Four days before its official launch, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Cairo announced the "Stand Up" campaign to the public and media at a press conference attended by the UN Resident Coordinator, representatives of Muslim and Coptic orthodox religious leaders as well as the National Youth Council.

During the press conference religious leaders expressed their support for the campaign and their appreciation for UN efforts to eradicate poverty in the world. Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Awkaf (Islamic religious Endowments), Dr. Ahmad Abu Seif, Director General of Religious Guidance announced that imams will relay the Stand up against poverty in Friday sermons in more than 50 thousand mosques across Egypt.

Father Paul Sourour of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church said that combating poverty has always been at the heart of the Church’s action and reiterated the willingness of the Coptic Church to support the “Stand Up” campaign in Egypt for the second consecutive year.

UN Resident Coordinator in Egypt, James Rawley briefed the audience about the UN system support to the MDG process in Egypt indicating that the country is on track towards achieving the MDGs particularly MDG1 related to eradicating extreme poverty.

Mr. Fethi Debbabi, UNIC Officer in Charge highlighted the leading role of religious leaders as key partners in promoting the UN global principles and humane initiatives.

The press conference was organized at a cultural center in Cairo, El Sawy Cultural Centre, which dedicated its performances during the three days (16-18 October, 2009) to the “Stand Up” campaign.

On Friday, 16 October 2009, imams in more than 50 thousand mosques in Egypt's 29 Governorates spoke against poverty and called for solidarity following the principles of the Islamic religion. This first day of the Stand Up campaign marked an impressive moment as Friday prayers constitute, in the Muslim countries, a unique moment to reach a huge audience made of the large spectrum of the society and where politicians, private sector, educated and illiterate people gather side by side.

Youth rally at the " Shebab Al Gezira Club" in Cairo

After the prayers, a youth rally took place at a popular youth and sportive area in Cairo " Shebab Al Gezira Club" lead by a national media celebrity with the participation of representatives of the national youth council as well representatives of Muslim and Coptic orthodox religious leaders.

The last day of the campaign witnessed the standing up against poverty during Sunday masses at Egyptian Coptic orthodox churches - with an estimated participation of more than two million - a student “Stand Up” event at the Cairo University as well as in various primary and secondary schools across the country.

Egyptian media both written and audiovisual showed a noticeable interest for the campaign not only through close reporting of the events but also through analysis and special reporting and articles dedicated to poverty.

The UN family in Egypt participated actively in the campaign. Through a close cooperation between the UN Country Team and the UN Communication Group, the “Stand Up” campaign has been on the agenda of the two groups during September and October and many UN agencies held their own stand up events at their premises.

احتفالا باليوم الدولي لحفظة السلام التابعين للأمم المتحدة  نظم مركز الأمم المتحدة للإعلام في القاهرة اليوم 3 يونيو 2009 لقاءا مع وسائل الإعلام بالتعاون مع هيئة الامم المتحدة لمراقبة الهدنة. وتحدث في هذا اللقاء كل من المقدم  تايرا هاردينغ، رئيس مكتب الاتصال التابع لهيئة مراقبة الهدنة بالقاهرة، والسيد فتحي دبابي مدير مركز الأمم المتحدة للإعلام بالانابة.

وأتاح هذا الحدث فرصة لتوضيح التقدم الهام الذي شهدته عمليات حفظ السلام التابعة للامم المتحدة منذ نشر اولى عمليات حفظ السلام مثل هيئة مراقبة الهدنة مع التركيز بصفة خاصة على التطور الكبير الذي شهدته مساهمة المرأة خلال العقد الماضي. وتحدثت المقدم هاردينغ عن ولاية الهيئة وأنشطتها في مصر والمنطقة. وأظهرممثلو وسائل الإعلام اهتماما كبيرا للتعرف على دور النساء في قوات حفظ السلام التابعة للامم المتحدة  . وقد تولت المقدم هاردينغ الإجابة على العديد من الأسئلة.

وكان الحدث أيضا فرصة لممثلي وسائل الإعلام لزيارة معرض الصور الذي أعده مركز الإعلام في القاهرة بمناسبة الذكري الستين لعمليات الامم المتحدة لحفظ السلام.

UNIC Cairo's Officer-in-Charge (right) and UNTSO representative brief journalists on UN peacekeeping efforts

To mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Cairo organized on 3 June 2009 a briefing for the media in collaboration with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO). Speakers at the event were Lt. Col. Tyra Harding, representative of UNTSO and Mr. Fethi Debbabi, UNIC Cairo's Officer-in-Charge.

The event provided an opportunity to explain the important progress UN peacekeeping has made since the deployment of the earliest peacekeeping operation, UNTSO, with particular emphasis on the strengthening of women’s peacekeeping role during the last decade. Lt. Col. Harding gave a briefing about UNTSO’s mandate and activities in Egypt and the region. Media representatives showed a particular interest in UN female peacekeepers' experiences.

The event also provided an opportunity for media representatives to visit the Arabic version of the photo exhibition prepared by UNIC Cairo for the 60th anniversary of UN peacekeeping, which was in 2008.

Briefing on the Durban Review Conference and the Bonn Climate Change talks at UNIC Cairo for media representatives

A media briefing was held on 15 April 2009 at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Cairo to discuss the Durban Review Conference to be held 20-24 April 2009 in Geneva and to update media representatives on the Bonn Climate Change talks that took place from 29 March - 8 April 2009.

The briefing highlighted the importance of the Durban Review conference as a much needed opportunity for countries to assess and accelerate the progress on implementing the commitments made by governments at the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

The Officer-in-Charge of UNIC Cairo, Mr. Fethi Debbabi, recalled that the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA), adopted by consensus in 2001, offers the most comprehensive and valuable global framework for addressing the issues of racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. He said that among the key successes of the DDPA were the global acknowledgment of racism as an existing phenomenon in all societies, recognition of its modern manifestations and the foundation, under the auspices of the UN, of a global movement to address this problem.  He said that although Durban led to important developments in the fight against racism,
such as the adoption of legislation, the setting up of national policies and institutions, and the promotion of the rights of minorities and vulnerable groups, much still needs to be achieved.
 
Mr. Debbabi stressed the importance of the active participation of all Member States and indicated that the Review process provides a much needed opportunity to review progress, identify gaps, share good practices and success stories, and chart the way for further achievement through concrete actions.

Media representatives were also briefed on the Bonn Climate Change talks that took place from 29 March - 8 April 2009 which inaugurated the negotiations process toward a new global agreement on climate change to be adopted by the next Conference of Parties (CoP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2009 in Copenhagen. UNIC Cairo stressed the importance the UN Secretary-General is according to facilitating a post-Kyoto global agreement that would be able to make a difference in efficiently addressing the issues of emissions reduction and adaptation.