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UNIC UN Information Center |
The
World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was never in danger of being
bypassed by the
attention of the global media. Nevertheless, without a professionally organized
communications campaign, the forum in Johannesburg would never have been such
a truly important event.
The UN Information Center in Moscow joined in the campaign at an early stage, even as the first discussions were taking place within the Preparatory Committee. It was then, within the context of the Summit, that we made the rounds of interested government agencies and non-governmental organizations that are traditionally concerned greatly with the issues of ecology and fighting poverty and disease. We were able to strengthen our ties also with the Russian business community, which has become increasingly active in recent years in discussing issues, on the international agenda. Finally, our standing priority remained professional ties with the mass media.
Since the start of the current year, the Information Center has organized two round table talks on the results of the Preparatory Committee sessions, and a series of press briefings and individual interviews for the mass media. Public comments by the Director and staff of the Center were heard inside the State Duma and the Government House, on radio and television, in municipal offices, and – when Center resources allowed - in the major cities of Russia’s regions.
Since the complicated and nerve-wracking process of preparing for the Johannesburg Summit was continually in the center of the Russian media’s attention, and the Summit itself became one of the greatest foreign policy events of the year, the Information Center staff feel that they contributed modestly to its success. Meanwhile, the effect of the communications campaign surrounding the Summit would have been minimal without the great help that we unflaggingly received from our partners.
We
would like to extend our thanks to Russian non-governmental organizations such
as Ecosoglasiye, the Vernadsky Foundation, and the local branch of the
World Wildlife Foundation; and to state organizations such as the Interior Ministry
and the Ministry of Economics and Natural Resources. The participation of their
representatives in our public events helped to round out the agenda, and made
our debates both exciting and productive.
We are grateful to the Moscow City Government, which helped us post our promotional materials on Noviy Arbat, one of the busiest places in the city; on the eve of the Summit, they stretched from one end of the pedestrian mall to the other. We note with thanks that each one of our initiatives met unfailingly with approval from the various offices of the UN Secretariat, especially the Department of Public Information and the Department on Economic and Social Affairs.
The cooperation seen between the UNIC and the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator during the WSSD communications campaign deserves a special mention. We can speak here of full-fledged collaboration for the sake of reaching common goals. Johannesburg was the topic on which, pulling together, the UN agencies in Russia once again showed themselves to be a tightly-knit country team.
We should nevertheless not be too surprised by technology’s power to shape public opinion. The Johannesburg Summit became an event in the life of the world community not because of the skilled efforts of those who arranged it. It happened because the world leaders who were present, along with representatives from all sectors of civil society, held, in the final analysis, a responsible dialogue on what was most important. And what was most important was that if we can find a formula for sustainable development that is acceptable to the entire "global village", it will serve as humanity’s ticket to a much better future.
UN Information Center in Moscow
Tel.: +7 (095) 241-25-37
Fax: +7 (095) 230-21-38
e-mail: dpi-moscow@unic.ru
Website: www.unic.ru
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UNA - Russia |
Taking
part in the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg were representative
delegations and members of non-governmental organizations from around almost
the entire world. The UN Association of Russia (UNA-Russia) was represented
at the Summit by a four-person delegation. It consisted of UNA-Russia Deputy
Chairman Alexei Borisov; Chairman of the Buryat Republic Regional Office of
UNA-Russia and Adviser to the Buryat President, Prof. Vyacheslav Mantatov; Chairman
of the UNA-Russia Commission on Ecology and Sustainable Development, Prof. Gennady
Golubev; and 
Chairman
of the UNA-Russia Commission on Health Care, Prof. Alexander Karaulov.
The main issue of the Summit was the fight against poverty, especially in Africa. Therefore, the greatest attention was given to the topics of partnership among the nations of the South, and between those of the North and South. Environmental problems received less attention than questions of economics and development.
The members of the Russian delegation attended a conference of representatives from UN national associations, at which the Summit’s most pressing issues (mainly political ones) were discussed. The UNA-Russia representatives also participated in the Summit’s plenary sessions, and in thematic symposia and talks, mostly on ecological problems.
Prof. Gennady Golubev,
Chairman of the UNA-Russia Commission on Ecology and Sustainable Development
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The 2002 Mt Elbrus Student Climb, timed to coincide with the start of the UN-declared International Year of the Mountains, was held in Baksan Gorge, in the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, from August 4 through 20. The climb was organized by the UN Association of Russia (UNA-Russia), in close association with the A.S. Demchenko Central Mountaineering Sports Club, with technical support from the Department of Outdoor and Extreme Sports of the Russian State Academy of Physical Culture (RSAPC). The goal of the organizers was to draw public attention to the ecological problems of mountains, promote mountain treks and a healthy lifestyle among university students and other young people, and educate them in the concepts of developing human potential, helping and taking responsibility for one another, and overcoming difficulties.
There
were two parts to the program: classroom instruction and training, and the actual
ascent of the highest peak in Europe – Mt Elbrus, 5,643 metres above sea level.
Students and faculty from a number of higher educational institutions – the
RSAPC, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, the Moscow Aviation
Institute, Moscow State University, the Moscow Energy Institute, and others
– took part in the classroom training, along with students from secondary schools
in Moscow and the Moscow Region city of Korolev.
Those who participated made exploratory sorties to become acquainted with the area; had theoretical and practical lessons in safety and first aid; were shown how to climb on rock, ice, and snow; and made short treks and ascents to acclimate themselves.
After a three-week period of bad weather, the tenacity of the participants was rewarded on August 19: leaving their Shelter No. 11 (4,050 m.) at 2:00 a.m., the climbers reached the western peak of Mt Elbrus by 12:00 noon. Sub-zero temperatures and high winds did not stop the hardiest of them from reaching Europe’s highest point. The Mt Elbrus Climb concluded with an award ceremony to present the lucky winners with the "Alpinist of Russia" badge.
