General Assembly
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Statement by
Ambassador David Walzer
Director, Division for the UN and International Organizations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Chairman,
At the outset, please allow me to convey my delegation’s appreciation for the professional manner in which you have conducted deliberations thus far, and we wish to offer our congratulations to you and all members of the Bureau, as well.
My delegation would also like to extend our appreciation to Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, and his entire team for their leadership and fine work. Likewise, we wish to congratulate the entire DPI for its extensive work, professional standards, commitment, and dedication.
Mr. Chairman,
We would also like to commend, in particular, Mr. Eric Falt, Director of the Outreach Division, and Ms. Kimberly Mann, Chief of the Advocacy Unit, for their superb and tireless efforts in promoting Holocaust remembrance around the world.
The resolution on Holocaust Remembrance, A/60/7, adopted by the General Assembly almost four years ago, specifically “urges Member States to develop educational programmes that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust”. In this framework, the “Holocaust and the United Nations outreach programme” was created, and has served as an effective tool for education and remembrance.
During the past year, the DPI has enlarged and implemented a communications strategy to create a multifaceted Holocaust education programme. With a worldwide network of civil society groups collaborating with renowned institutions and experts in the field of Holocaust and genocide studies, the DPI is effectively educating future generations on the dangers of hate, bigotry, and anti-Semitism.
Activities include exhibitions, media outreach, Holocaust and genocide prevention seminars, panel discussions, a film series, and print information.
In this respect, I wish to mention the DPI’s “Unlearning Intolerance” seminar series. I also wish to applaud the “Footprints for Hope” project that represents an additional step forward to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are taught to new generations of students. It is inspiring to see such initiatives that not only commemorate the Holocaust, but also ones that actively engage academic institutions, NGOs, and others to ensure that no atrocities similar to the Holocaust ever occur anywhere, to anyone, ever. “Never again.”
Nearly all United Nations information centers –– 57 out of 63 –– were able to participate in training seminars. As a result of this and the ongoing guidance provided by the programme, the number of field offices organizing Holocaust Remembrance Day observances more than doubled from 2007 to 2008, and the number of activities increased threefold.
In addition, the training institutions will continue to provide expertise, support and educational materials for the information centers’ outreach activities and libraries.
The Department of Public Information launched the Holocaust commemorative stamp issued by the United Nations Postal Administration in English, French and German at New York Headquarters and at United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna. Israel launched a national stamp in Hebrew based on the award-winning design, as well.
The department’s work on Holocaust awareness demonstrates not only its commitment to the subject, but more importantly, it illustrates the evolving educational role of the UN in the twenty-first century, and constitutes an inspiring example of cooperation between the UN and Israel. We believe that the DPI’s work to commemorate and learn from the Holocaust should be further supported by other member states.
Mr. Chairman,
Along that same line of thinking, Israel created a longstanding initiative to educate the public on the principles, goals, initiatives, values, and actions of the United Nations, an organization that was founded in part to prevent another Holocaust and future genocides.
To achieve this goal, Israel regularly holds awareness seminars at leading universities. These events invite representatives of various UN agencies to speak about their work and, more importantly, about the United Nations’ contribution to the world.
In order to continue to move towards this goal, my delegation wishes to renew the invitation to the DPI to open an Information Center in Israel in order to foster dialogue and cooperation in our region. Israel’s unique status as a multi-lingual and multi-cultural democracy –– as well as the birthplace of the world’s three great monotheistic religions –– offers a unique opportunity for the DPI.
Mr. Chairman,
Israel is a young state. In our nation-building journey, despite all difficulties, we have managed to become a vibrant democracy, a cultural melting pot for immigrants from more than 160 nations. Out of all these differences and difficulties, Israel has developed one of the most cutting edge technology sectors that permits unprecedented information sharing. We are therefore eager to share our experience with the international community at-large and our immediate neighbors in particular, on the important issue of “bridging the technological and digital divide”.
Surely, the venue of the UN, and the means facilitated by the DPI and the Committee on Information were designed for just such a purpose: putting aside our political disagreements to instead concentrate on cooperative efforts.
Such cooperation was demonstrated on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day in April 2009. Israel was honored to participate in, and contribute to this important and successful event.
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation believes that the UN’s limited resources –– including those of the DPI –– should be used as efficiently as possible. This is why, despite Israel’s confidence in the DPI’s admirable work, we would like to note our disappointment in the Special Information Programme on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This programme offers a one-sided, biased and misleading picture of the facts on the ground in the Middle East. As a result of the DPI’s continued one-sided mandate that established this programme, Israeli government officials will continue to be obliged not to attend or participate in these seminars until a more even-handed approach is adopted.
Let me conclude, Mr. Chairman, by insisting that Israel’s support and cooperation for the work of the DPI will continue so that it may maintain and build upon its success thus far.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
At the outset, please allow me to convey my delegation’s appreciation for the professional manner in which you have conducted deliberations thus far, and we wish to offer our congratulations to you and all members of the Bureau, as well.
My delegation would also like to extend our appreciation to Mr. Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, and his entire team for their leadership and fine work. Likewise, we wish to congratulate the entire DPI for its extensive work, professional standards, commitment, and dedication.
Mr. Chairman,
We would also like to commend, in particular, Mr. Eric Falt, Director of the Outreach Division, and Ms. Kimberly Mann, Chief of the Advocacy Unit, for their superb and tireless efforts in promoting Holocaust remembrance around the world.
The resolution on Holocaust Remembrance, A/60/7, adopted by the General Assembly almost four years ago, specifically “urges Member States to develop educational programmes that will inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust”. In this framework, the “Holocaust and the United Nations outreach programme” was created, and has served as an effective tool for education and remembrance.
During the past year, the DPI has enlarged and implemented a communications strategy to create a multifaceted Holocaust education programme. With a worldwide network of civil society groups collaborating with renowned institutions and experts in the field of Holocaust and genocide studies, the DPI is effectively educating future generations on the dangers of hate, bigotry, and anti-Semitism.
Activities include exhibitions, media outreach, Holocaust and genocide prevention seminars, panel discussions, a film series, and print information.
In this respect, I wish to mention the DPI’s “Unlearning Intolerance” seminar series. I also wish to applaud the “Footprints for Hope” project that represents an additional step forward to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust are taught to new generations of students. It is inspiring to see such initiatives that not only commemorate the Holocaust, but also ones that actively engage academic institutions, NGOs, and others to ensure that no atrocities similar to the Holocaust ever occur anywhere, to anyone, ever. “Never again.”
Nearly all United Nations information centers –– 57 out of 63 –– were able to participate in training seminars. As a result of this and the ongoing guidance provided by the programme, the number of field offices organizing Holocaust Remembrance Day observances more than doubled from 2007 to 2008, and the number of activities increased threefold.
In addition, the training institutions will continue to provide expertise, support and educational materials for the information centers’ outreach activities and libraries.
The Department of Public Information launched the Holocaust commemorative stamp issued by the United Nations Postal Administration in English, French and German at New York Headquarters and at United Nations Offices at Geneva and Vienna. Israel launched a national stamp in Hebrew based on the award-winning design, as well.
The department’s work on Holocaust awareness demonstrates not only its commitment to the subject, but more importantly, it illustrates the evolving educational role of the UN in the twenty-first century, and constitutes an inspiring example of cooperation between the UN and Israel. We believe that the DPI’s work to commemorate and learn from the Holocaust should be further supported by other member states.
Mr. Chairman,
Along that same line of thinking, Israel created a longstanding initiative to educate the public on the principles, goals, initiatives, values, and actions of the United Nations, an organization that was founded in part to prevent another Holocaust and future genocides.
To achieve this goal, Israel regularly holds awareness seminars at leading universities. These events invite representatives of various UN agencies to speak about their work and, more importantly, about the United Nations’ contribution to the world.
In order to continue to move towards this goal, my delegation wishes to renew the invitation to the DPI to open an Information Center in Israel in order to foster dialogue and cooperation in our region. Israel’s unique status as a multi-lingual and multi-cultural democracy –– as well as the birthplace of the world’s three great monotheistic religions –– offers a unique opportunity for the DPI.
Mr. Chairman,
Israel is a young state. In our nation-building journey, despite all difficulties, we have managed to become a vibrant democracy, a cultural melting pot for immigrants from more than 160 nations. Out of all these differences and difficulties, Israel has developed one of the most cutting edge technology sectors that permits unprecedented information sharing. We are therefore eager to share our experience with the international community at-large and our immediate neighbors in particular, on the important issue of “bridging the technological and digital divide”.
Surely, the venue of the UN, and the means facilitated by the DPI and the Committee on Information were designed for just such a purpose: putting aside our political disagreements to instead concentrate on cooperative efforts.
Such cooperation was demonstrated on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day in April 2009. Israel was honored to participate in, and contribute to this important and successful event.
Mr. Chairman,
My delegation believes that the UN’s limited resources –– including those of the DPI –– should be used as efficiently as possible. This is why, despite Israel’s confidence in the DPI’s admirable work, we would like to note our disappointment in the Special Information Programme on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This programme offers a one-sided, biased and misleading picture of the facts on the ground in the Middle East. As a result of the DPI’s continued one-sided mandate that established this programme, Israeli government officials will continue to be obliged not to attend or participate in these seminars until a more even-handed approach is adopted.
Let me conclude, Mr. Chairman, by insisting that Israel’s support and cooperation for the work of the DPI will continue so that it may maintain and build upon its success thus far.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
