Note to Correspondents

‘25 Years after Chernobyl’ Photo Exhibition to Open

 

at United Nations Headquarters, 25 April

 

A photo exhibition entitled “25 Years after Chernobyl:  Cooperation for Sustainable Development” will open with a formal ceremony in the South Gallery of the Visitors Lobby at 2 p.m. on Monday, 25 April.

The exhibition is mounted this year as the international community marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear plant (26 April).  Through photographs, it recalls the most severe nuclear accident in the history of the world nuclear industry.  The exhibition pays tribute to the memory of heroes and victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

We are also reminded of the role that the United Nations plays in coordinating international efforts to minimize and mitigate the consequences of the accident.  The General Assembly proclaimed 2006-2016 as the Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Affected Regions.  The United Nations Action Plan on Chernobyl to 2016 defined a common vision for the Decade’s implementation and laid out the principles shared by the agencies of the Organization involved in efforts for Chernobyl’s recovery.

With the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) coordinating system-wide recovery efforts, the Governments of the three most affected countries — Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine — have accomplished successful projects to restore and re-establish a firm foundation for the sustainable development of the affected territories.

Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communication and Public Information, will open the exhibition.  Other speakers will include Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations; Zoya Kolontai, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Belarus; Alexander Pankin, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Russian Federation; and Rebeca Grynspan, Associate Administrator of UNDP.

Sponsoring the exhibition are the Permanent Missions of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, with the support of UNDP.

For more information on United Nations exhibitions, call Jan Arnesen at tel.:  +1 212 963 8531, e-mail:  arnesen@un.org; or Liza Wichmann at tel:  +1 212 963 0089, e-mail:  wichmann@un.org; or visit http://visit.un.org.

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For information media • not an official record