PRESS CONFERENCE BY CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien said today that the transfer of power to Iraqi authorities should take place “as quickly as possible”.

“The transfer of power to the local authorities has to be done as quickly as possible”, Mr. Chrétien told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this afternoon, responding to a question on how much authority the United States should cede to Iraq.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UNAIDS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Reports published by the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) were “truly a wake-up call” to the world, UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot said during a press briefing at Headquarters today.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria today appealed to Member States of the United NationsGeneral Assembly to support the group’s efforts at raising an additional $3 billion in funding needed by 2004 to launch a “massive counterattack” against HIV/AIDS.

PRESS BRIEFING BY WHO, UNAIDS, GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS

PRESS CONFERENCE BY MINISTER OF CULTURE OF BRAZIL

Gilberto Gil, the Minister of Culture of Brazil and a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter, spoke to correspondents today at Headquarters about his upcoming memorial concert and his vision for the future of Brazil.

Mr. Gil was introduced by Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.

PRESS BRIEFING ON WORLD SUMMIT EVENT FOR SCHOOLS

The United Nations Cybershoolbus, in partnership with the European Schoolnet, today launched the World Summit Event for Schools, a three-month long initiative to offer online activities to students around the world in order to examine the impact of communication technologies on education and human rights.

PRESS BRIEFING BY UN SECURITY CHIEF

Michael McCann, Chief of the United Nations Security and Safety Service, briefed correspondents this afternoon at Headquarters about security arrangements for the 58th General Assembly’s general debate, which will take place from 23 September to 3 October.

PRESS BRIEFING BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNICEF

Sport can serve as a practical tool for achieving United Nations development goals and for promoting peace, Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), told correspondents at a Headquarters briefing this afternoon.

PRESS BRIEFING ON CHILD SURVIVAL BY UNICEF, WHO HEADS

While there had been an improvement in global health and living standards, a great gulf in those areas had opened between the developed and developing worlds, between urban and rural populations and between women and men, Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), told correspondents this afternoon at a Headquarters press briefing.

PRESS CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE

The International Day of Peace, observed on 21 September, would be promoted by the global broadcast of two new public service announcements, the Under-Secretary-General for Communication and Public Information, Shashi Tharoor, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference and screening this morning.