DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION TO HOST STUDENT CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEW MILLENIUM 10 DECEMBER

Press Release
PI/1206
HR/4448

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION TO HOST STUDENT CONFERENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEW MILLENIUM 10 DECEMBER

The Department of Public Information, in association with a coalition of non-governmental organizations, will host a Student Conference on Human Rights and the Culture of Peace in the New Millennium at United Nations Headquarters on 10 December 1999. More than 400 students from Canada, Mexico and the United States will participate. The co-sponsoring organizations are the Carol Baur Foundation, Global Education Motivators, Interconnections 21, LePage Educational Consultants and the United Nations Association of the United States.

With an overall emphasis on defining the priorities for the new millennium, the conference is expected to help the participants better understand the role of the United Nations in promoting human rights and creating a global culture of peace.

Among those addressing the conference will be Theo-Ben Gurirab, (Namibia) President of the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly, and Ricardo G. Castaneda-Cornejo, Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the United Nations. Craig Kielburger, President of Free the Children, will deliver a keynote address. Also scheduled to speak is Dr. Mary Ann Hopkins of Doctors Without Borders, the organization that was awarded of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The closing session will feature a presentation of the students’ plan of action and closing remarks by Nane Annan, wife of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The conference will then conclude with a performance by Atlantic Starr, international recording artists.

On 9 December, some of the visiting children will take part in the launching of two Web-based activities. In the first project, “Thoughts on the Millennium,” children will be invited to send comments on their expectations and concerns about the new millennium. These comments will later be compiled by the Department and posted on its Web site. In the other project, “From words to deeds,” schools around the world will be invited to submit practical actions students will take as a group on the issues of human rights and the culture of peace. The activities could be as simple as planting a garden, raising funds for refugee children or volunteering time at a shelter for the homeless. The Department will track the implementation of the projects and compile a global atlas of student action at the end of 2000.

- 2 - Press Release PI/1206 HR/4448

Mrs. Annan will be present to invite the children to participate in the projects, which will be jointly hosted by the United Nations Cyberschoolbus and epals.com, an educational outreach venture based in the United States and Canada. Tim Dicipio, Chief Operating Officer of epals.com, will display the Web site and instruct students on registration.

Earlier in the day, the students will be invited to a special performance by the cast members of “Kat and the Kings”, a musical from South Africa now playing on Broadway. Cast members will present a selection of their songs and dances, after which they will take part in a discussion on racism with the students attending the conference.

For further information, please contact Hasan Ferdous, 963-6555. For media accreditation, please contact Sonia Lecca, 212-963-6934.

* *** *