Note to Correspondents

Headquarters Screening of Animated Movie ‘ Rio’ Will Mark Beginning of One-year

Countdown to United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, 15 June

 

With “Rio+20” just under one year away (4-6 June 2012), the Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations will host a screening of the film, Rio, with special appearances by director Carlos Saldanha and the cast.

The screening of the animated film, which is largely set in the Conference host city Rio de Janeiro and was a big hit in Brazil, will mark the beginning of the one-year countdown to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and highlight Rio, as well as the loss of biodiversity, a key issue for the Conference.

“Rio+20 is the occasion for reinvigorating the spirit of Rio and re-launching our world on the pathway to a sustainable future,” says Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Conference Secretary-General.  “We think this film, in its own particular way, captures many of the themes that we are looking to address in Rio.”

The screening will be held on Wednesday, 15 June, at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room 2 of the North Lawn Building at the world body’s New York Headquarters.  Since United Nations passes are required to enter the premises, those bringing children and guests should submit their names to chindea@un.org.

About Rio+20

The Conference offers an important opportunity to define pathways to a cleaner, more inclusive and more prosperous world for all.  It is a crucial opportunity to mobilize all sectors of society — national Governments, business leaders, philanthropists and civil society at large — to agree on a range of smart policies that can reduce poverty while promoting jobs and clean energy, as well as a more sustainable and fair use of resources.

Through discussions of the Conference’s two main themes — achieving a green economy in the context of sustainable development, and poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development — it is expected that Governments will renew their political commitment to sustainable development, assess the progress made so far and address new and emerging challenges.  Some of the key issues to be addressed include:  sustainable energy for all; protecting oceans; ensuring biodiversity; sustainable cities; food security and sustainable agriculture; water scarcity and desertification; and sustainable consumption and production.

For more information, please contact Dan Shepard of the United Nations Department of Public Information at tel.:  1 212 963 9495, e-mail:  shepard@un.org; or Wynne Boelt at tel.:  1 212 963 8264, e-mail:  boelt@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record