Press Release

Twenty-nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were approved for association with the United Nations Department of Public Information at the first meeting of the Department’s NGO Committee held in New York on 4 April 2012. This brings the number of NGOs associated with the Department in the area of communications and information outreach to 1,322.

The Advisory Board of the newly established United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre met for the first time on 2 April, in New York.

Following is a statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, host of the 2012 Global Colloquium of University Presidents, issued on 3 April:

Long after wars and other hostilities end, landmines and other unexploded ordnance — including bombs, mortars, grenades and missiles — still inflict pain and suffering on millions of people, often women and children in the world’s poorest areas.

Top United Nations officials are calling for solidarity with landmine survivors and raising awareness for mine action work in the global “Lend Your Leg” campaign, as the recent use of landmines in Libya and Syria places worldwide efforts to remove landmines and other explosive remnants of war high on the international agenda.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at a World Autism Awareness Day event: “Delivering Answers through Inclusive International Collaboration”, in New York, 3 April:

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the General Assembly Interactive Dialogue “Fighting Human Trafficking: Partnership and Innovation to End Violence against Women”, in New York on 3 April:

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, delivered by Maxwell Gaylard, Deputy United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, to the United Nations International Meeting on the Question of Palestine in Geneva on 3 April:

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s keynote address, “From Youth Explosion to Global Transformation: Unleashing the Power of Young People”, as prepared for delivery to the Global Colloquium of University Presidents, in New York on 2 April:

The following statement was issued on 2 April by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: