‘CHILDREN OF DARFUR’ EXHIBIT OPENS AT HEADQUARTERS 29 SEPTEMBER

Note to Correspondents

‘CHILDREN OF DARFUR ’ EXHIBIT OPENS AT HEADQUARTERS 29 SEPTEMBER

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is hosting an exhibit opening and reception in the South Gallery of the General Assembly Visitors’ Lobby at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 29 September 2005.  The exhibit, entitled “Children of Darfur” offers a visual representation of a child’s daily life in Darfur today and illustrates the activities conducted by UNICEF to alleviate the plight of the one and a half million children affected by the conflict.  It will remain on display until 31 October.

Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF, and Keith McKenzie, UNICEF Special Representative for the Darfur Crisis, will formally open the exhibit.  Following is a benefit auction of photographs donated by some prominent fine art, fashion and photojournalism photographers, to be conducted by the Swann Auction Galleries.  All proceeds of the evening will be donated to the United States Fund for UNICEF to benefit UNICEF programmes in Darfur.

For nearly 60 years, UNICEF has been the world’s leader for children, working on the ground in 158 countries to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.  The world’s largest provider of vaccines for poor countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all boys and girls, access to clean water and sanitation, and protection from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.  The UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of Governments, businesses, foundations and individuals.

The exhibit consists of 40 photographs by world-renowned VII Photo Agency photojournalist Ron Haviv, who recently travelled with UNICEF in the Darfur region of the Sudan.  VII derives its name from the number of founding photojournalists who, in September 2001, formed this collectively owned agency.  It has been responsible for creating and relaying to the world many of the images that define the turbulent opening years of the twenty-first century.  Also forming part of the exhibit are additional photographs by freelance photographers Shehzad Noorani and Christine Nesbitt.

This exhibition, curated by Alison Morley and designed by Eric Steding and Jacques Rosas of Shop Studios, is produced in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Public Information, in collaboration with the United States Fund for UNICEF, FOTORELIEF, Swann Auction Galleries, VII, Hasted-Hunt Gallery, Shop Studios Network and Digizone.

For a preview of the exhibition, visit www.viiphoto.org/haviv/darfur and for more information on UNICEF activities in Darfur and the impact of the crisis on children visit www.unicef.org/emerg/darfur/index_28301.html.   For more information on United Nations exhibitions, call Jan Arnesen, tel.:  (212) 963-8531; or Liza Wichmann, tel.:  (212) 963-0089, or visit the website at www.un.org/events/UNART.

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For information media • not an official record