NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS FORUM TO TAKE PLACE AT HEADQUARTERS

29 May 1998

Press Release

NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS FORUM TO TAKE PLACE AT HEADQUARTERS

19980529 Publicity Campaigns from Philippines, South Africa, Sweden and United States To Receive Awards

A forum entitled "Public Relations and the United Nations: Working Together for Change", co-sponsored by the Department of Public Information (DPI) and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), will take place on Tuesday, 2 June, at 3:30 p.m. in Conference Room 8. The forum is being held in conjunction with the presentation of the United Nations Award for excellence in public relations campaigns addressing priority issues of the United Nations. The Award is part of the Association's Golden World Awards. Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Kensaku Hogen and IPRA President Zelma Lazarus will deliver opening remarks, followed by a panel discussion by senior United Nations officials and private sector executives. Panellists include Dr. Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Mr. Hogen; Michael B. Morley, Deputy Chairman, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide; Amy Diamond, Director, Global Public Relations, Nu Skin International; and Meredith Wagner, Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Lifetime Television. Ian Williams, correspondent, The Nation, will moderate. In an address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on 1 February 1997, Secretary-General Kofi Annan stressed the need for greater cooperation between the United Nations and the private sector in achieving the goals of the Organization, saying, "Strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the private sector will be one of the priorities of my term as Secretary-General." The International Public Relations Forum is one of a number of initiatives of the DPI that reflect this emphasis. The panel will be followed by a reception and presentation of awards. Given in conjunction with the IPRA Golden World Awards, the United Nations Award was established in 1990 by the DPI in order to recognize campaigns that address priority issues of the United Nations. This year's winner is ABS-CBN Foundation of the Philippines. Honourable mentions go to the Inner West City Council, with Vulindlela Marketing & PR, of South Africa; Umeá University of Sweden; and WIN against Breast Cancer, with Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, of the United States. ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. is a producer of educational shows for children and is the socio-civic arm of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company. In February 1998, it launched Bantay Bata 163 (Child Watch 163) in response to the growing problem of child abuse in the Philippines. At the centre of the campaign is a 24-hour hotline that provides rescue and counselling services, as well as intervention and referrals for rehabilitation of children in distress. Last

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December, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), along with the Broadcasters Union of the Philippines, recognized the efforts of Bantay Bata during the KBP Children's Television Awards, honouring it in the Best Public Service Announcement category. The General Manager, ABS-CBN Foundation, Gina Lopez, will accept the award. The Inner West City Council is one of the six Local Councils that form part of the Durban Metroplex, South Africa. Prior to 1994, municipal boundaries had been demarcated along the racial lines of apartheid, but following South Africa's first democratic election, six municipalities comprising white and black residential areas were merged to form the Council. For some time, South Africa had been plagued by rent and bond boycotts, campaigns of defiance reflecting dissatisfaction with local authorities regarded by many as illegitimate. The culture of non-payment was firmly rooted and continued to be a problem for the local government even after the elections. With Vulindlela Marketing & PR, the Council launched an attitude modification campaign to raise awareness, encourage cooperation and resolve the boycotts. The Deputy Permanent Representative of South Africa, Pieter Vermeulen, will accept the award. Umeá University of Sweden designed the "Forest in School" campaign to improve students' and teachers' knowledge about and engagement in the ecology, environment and social importance of the forest. The aim of the project is to address the needs of schools with regard to forestry education while enhancing the credibility of the forestry industry, one of the most important industries in Sweden. Besides producing its own teaching materials, "Forest in School" arranges conferences with producers and writers of teaching materials and provides advice to educational publishers. It organizes "Forest Days" in or near major cities and sets aside "school forests", five-acre areas to be used by schools for forestry education. The Chairman of the "Forest in Schools" Program, Bo Nilsson, will accept the award.

WIN against Breast Cancer, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1996 to generate ongoing revenue for research on breast cancer. WIN`s concept was to create an optional 33-cent postage stamp available to the public through the United States Postal Service, with the extra penny earmarked for breast cancer research. WIN teamed up with Edelman Public Relations Worldwide for a campaign to get the support of the Federal Government. Representative Susan Molinari (New York) was enlisted as co-author of the bipartisan Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act, and WIN members lobbied other congressional representatives. A national print and broadcast media relations campaign was launched. Grass-roots elements included a letter/postcard campaign and circulation of petitions. As a result of their efforts, in August 1997, President Bill Clinton signed the Stamp Out Breast Cancer Act into law; the stamp will be issued in August 1998. The founder and President of WIN against Breast Cancer, Elizabeth Mullen, will accept the award.

For further information, please call (212) 963-6923; for media accreditation, (212) 963-6934.

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