The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow, jointly with the Embassy of Kazakhstan, and with support from the Russian Foreign Ministry, organized a presentation of two new publications dealing with the civilizational approach to current global realities.

The first study, "Civilization: Theory, History, Dialogue, Future", produced by a group of scholars headed by Professor Yuri Yakovets, President of Pitirim Sorokin - Nikolai Kondratieff International Institute, summarized the main outputs of many years of research and based on an original methodology of a multifactor model of historical dynamics. The second book set forth the Kazakhstan leader's ideas regarding the development strategies for the Eurasian space and the international community as a whole.
 
UNIC Director Alexandre Gorelik opened the ceremony by stressing the link between Professor Yakovets's work and the UN agenda. He also informed the audience that on 27 October 2009, Mr. Yakovets will be in New York in conjunction with the 64th Session of the General Assembly, to steer the roundtable discussion “The Future of Civilizations and a Strategy of Civilizational Partnership.”
 
Later, Prof. Yakovets presented his view on the evolution of civilizations: their historical path, interaction and the "decline of currently dominating industrial paradigm." He regretted that the prognostic mission of the United Nations, quite significant till 1970-ies, has later been marginalized and, although some agencies, such as FAO, UNDP or UNEP regularly came up with long-term forecasts, those did not replace a comprehensive and strategic UN prognosis).
 
H.E. Zautbeck Turisbeckov, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russian Federation, in his presentation stressed his President's insistence that only an innovative scenario based on technological breakthrough is capable of saving the humanity from multiple threats and challenges it is faced with. He reminded of President Nazarbaev's proposal, submitted to the UN General Assembly, to convene in his country in 2012 a World Summit for Sustainable Development.
 

In the ensuing discussion several experts and knowledgeable figures expressed their ideas. They raised demographic, environmental, social and energy-related factors, relationship between State and its citizens, interaction between society and nature, and several other subjects.

On 9 October 2009, a meeting at United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Moscow was held regarding social networks and other uses of the internet. The guest speaker was Mikhail Umarov, Managing Director, of the Public Relations company, “COMUNICA”.

In his remarks, he stressed, among other things, that today, Internet is the only free platform bringing people together. In his words, the civil society, at least the most advanced part of it, is in its element on the internet.  In Russia, audiences of social networks total at least 26 million people, and an information avalanche is an everyday reality on the internet. He also stated that “cyberculture” is a new type of communications environment, where the content is generated by users themselves, and everyone can join a community in line with his or her predilection. 

According to Mr. Umarov, the internet as a whole is now perceived as the new Mass Medium - a combination of both "editorial" and "civic" journalism where not only media professionals but also bloggers have input. Mr. Umarov pointed out the importance of reaching out to civic journalists alongside professional columnists and political analysts, as "amateurs" initiate discussions and produce surveys which get a lot of feedback.

After his introductory remarks an exchange of views started in which our UN staff actively participated. A communications officer from one of the UN agencies said that at a recent meeting at its headquarters the issue was discussed in some depth, and the general feeling was the organization was not yet ready to engage in an online free-wheeling dialogue with Internet users. The idea emerged at that meeting to initiate, first, such an open dialogue on the agency's Intranet - as a pilot project.

Several participants tended to agree with their noting that the first step should be for a UN agency to start analyzing and monitoring social media with a focus on subjects central to its mandate. Only after that UN staffers should engage progressively in exchange of views with bloggers and other Internet-users.

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Moscow, held a special event dedicated to the beginning of the General Assembly annual session and focused on the Global Climate Week and the Seal the Deal campaign.
 
In the opening remarks, UNIC Director quoted Secretary-General’s speech at the Summit in New York and made a power-point presentation introducing the UN-wide communications campaign.

Alexander Gudyma, Head of the UNEP Office in Moscow, described, in more detail, the Seal the Deal initiative and invited the attendance to stamp and sign a cotton cloth pre-printed with the campaign’s logo as well as subscribe to the online Climate Petition, followed by the Seal the Deal video (produced by UNEP) screening. 

The event ended with launching of the exhibition of works by artists Igor and Pavel Rubinsky, organized by the Moscow Gallery “Persona”.

The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Moscow in cooperation with a civil society partner, the Network of Schools of Peace, and supported by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, organized a solemn ceremony of laying a wreath to the Monument to soldiers of anti-fascist coalition in World War II in Moscow to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

Over 250 activists of the “Young Peacemakers” movement gathered at the memorial complex “Poklonnaya Gora.” A group of special guests for the occasion included Vitaly Leplinsky, official of the UN Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Petr Koprikov, Deputy Department Director at the Moscow Government, Oleg Mironov, former Ombudsman under the President of Russian Federation, and veterans of UN peace-keeping operations.

The ceremony was opened by Frode Mauring, UN Resident Coordinator in Russia, who made thoughtful remarks on the significance of the Day of Peace, based on his own personal experience of the UN field work. The Resident Coordinator then read out the Secretary-General’s message on the occasion of the Day. Mr. Leplinsky briefly commented on the country’s contribution to UN peacekeeping activities.

Expanding on the diplomat’s remarks, Mr. Koprikov spoke of the philosophy of peace, which for years has been an essential element for the authorities of the Russian capital with is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural population.

Then the guests of honour, laid a wreath to the Monument. The ceremony continued with presentation of certificates to Moscow secondary schools which qualified as members of the Network of Schools of Peace and admission of new members to the “Young Peacemakers” movement. It ended with a singing group performing a “Hymn to Peacemakers” – a song composed by an activist of the Movement.

The monument to soldiers of the anti-fascist coalition, crowned with a UN emblem, was only opened on 7 May 2005, and the following day it was visited by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan who arrived in Moscow to take part in the Victory Day commemorative events.

The ceremony was covered by two TV channels – the city of Moscow’s Channel Three and Russia Al-Yaum, the Arabic language service of Russia Today. The latter material can be viewed at the Channel’s website at: http://www.rtarabic.com/news_all_cult/34952/video/