UN UNIVERSITY SEMINAR ‘GLOBAL FINANCE AND CIVIL SOCIETY AFTER PRAGUE’

TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS 3 APRIL

NEW YORK, 12 March (UNU) -- The United Nations University (UNU) will host a seminar on "Global Finance and Civil Society after Prague:  issues, challenges, implications for the United Nations” on Tuesday, 3 April from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium at Headquarters.

Commission on Status of Women

Forty-fifth Session

9^th Meeting* (AM)

OPEN COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY NEEDED TO OVERCOME HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC,

COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN TOLD

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

CELEBRATES STEPS WORLD HAS TAKEN TO FREE ITSELF FROM RACIAL HATRED

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which is observed on 21 March:

Secretary-General Kofi Annan departed New York on Friday morning, 9 March, to begin a four-nation tour of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and India.

SECRETARY-GENERAL SALUTES PAKISTAN’S UN CONTRIBUTIONS, OFFERS SUPPORT

FOR EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH DEMOCRACY, IN TOAST AT ISLAMABAD BANQUET

Following is the text of the toast delivered by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the official dinner banquet hosted by the Chief Executive, General Perez Masharraf, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 11 March:

Special Committee on

Decolonization

2^nd Meeting (PM)

DECOLONIZATION COMMITTEE DECIDES 2001 CARIBBEAN REGIONAL SEMINAR,

HOSTED BY CUBA, WILL BE HELD 23-25 MAY

ACCESS TO SAFE WATER FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEED, BASIC HUMAN RIGHT,

SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE ON WORLD WATER DAY

Following is the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan on World Water Day, which is observed 22 March:

Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right.  Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people.  It is an affront to human dignity.

Commission on Status of Women

Forty-fifth Session

10^th Meeting (PM)

COMMISSION HEARS INTRODUCTION OF RESOLUTIONS ON HOSTAGE-TAKING, PALESTINIAN WOMEN,

HIV/AIDS, DISCRIMINATION IN AFGHANISTAN AND GENDER MAINSTREAMING

Preparatory Commission for

International Criminal Court

29^th Meeting (PM)

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT PREPARATORY COMMISSION CONCLUDES SEVENTH SESSION

The Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court this afternoon concluded its seventh session, having made progress in negotiations on additional instruments relating to the practical arrangements for the effective functioning of the future Court.

Fifty-fifth General Assembly

Plenary

94^th Meeting (AM)

GENERAL ASSEMBLY ‘APPALLED’ BY EDICT ON DESTRUCTION OF AFGHAN SHRINES;

STRONGLY URGES TALIBAN TO HALT IMPLEMENTATION

The General Assembly this morning, appalled by the 26 February edict of Afghanistan’s Taliban ordering the destruction of all statues and non-Islamic shrines in the country, strongly urged the Taliban to halt its implementation.