REMARKS OF ACTING FOREIGN AFFAIRS SECRETARY

ESTEBAN B. CONEJOS, JR.

ON THE OPENING OF THE UN WEEK CELEBRATION AT THE DFA

 Colleagues in the Department,

Each week, as part of our flag raising ceremony, and as we have just done, we make a pledge to the vision of the Department of Foreign Affairs and commit ourselves "to work for social justice, human rights and fundamental freedoms and a democratic way of life." We further commit "to secure a world free from environmental degradation, transnational crime and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction." In short we pledge to uphold universal and timeless principles enshrined in the UN charter.

It was deemed but appropriate for all who make this pledge to arrive at a full realization of its significance. For this year's celebration of the United Nations anniversary or "UN Week" as it has come to be known, the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations (UNIO) has organized two events open to all DFA personnel.

The first event is this exhibit before you, on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The eight Goals range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015. They form a blueprint, agreed to by all the Member States of the United Nations and the world's leading development institutions. The MDGs have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of society, in particular, the children of the world, to whom the future belongs.

The other is a week long event to be held at the Summit Lounge. A series of documentary films and feature films will be screened to provide a glimpse of the work of the United Nations on human rights, climate change and environmental degradation, transnational crime, armed conflict and its consequences which include genocide, refugees, and children in armed conflict. These are but a few UN issues as we have neither the time nor resources to cover all.

Through these films, you will appreciate and value the advocacy of celebrities who have lent their name and fame to further the, work of the United Nations. The list of UN Goodwill ambassadors and Messengers of Peace is extremely long so for this week we will be limited to Angelina Jolie (refugees), Harrison Ford (human rights), Michael Douglas (small arms and children in armed conflict), George Clooney (Darfur), Magic Johnson (drugs) Mia Farrow, Angelique Kidjo, Clay Aiken, and Roger Federer (children).

/esgret