United Nations Day, 24 October 2001

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies sees United Nations Day as an opportunity to mark the valuable partnerships which exist between it and its partner international organizations in the United Nations family.

The International Federation and its 176 National Societies work actively together, at global, regional, national and local levels to protect the needs and interests of vulnerable people. Through the United Nations, the International Federation uses its capacity as an Observer to bring its expertise and that of its National Societies on humanitarian issues to the forefront of debates and policy formulation.

The International Federation cooperates closely with many United Nations specialized agencies and bodies to advance its humanitarian objectives, including Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Childrens Fund, just to name a few.

There are also some special relationships to highlight on this day which were of top priority this year.

The International Federation continued to strengthen its partnership this year with a complementary and committed partner, UNAIDS. This partnership is vital to combating the pandemic. In June 2001, the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS offered an opportunity for the International Federation to address the issue of discrimination and stigmatism related to HIV/AIDS. This has led to strengthened joint activity which should be of benefit to the whole world.

Discrimination was also the focus for the International Federation at the World Conference on Racism, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban this year. Combatting discrimination is now of even greater importance for the International Federation and its member National Societies, for the tragic events in the United States on 11 September and their aftermath have raised the urgency of concrete measures significantly. Our partnership with the UN will be a core part of this International Federation activity.

2001 is the International Year of Volunteers. The International Federation warmly acknowledges the work of the United Nations Volunteers and its efforts to promote and facilitate an enabling environment for volunteers, and anticipates important follow-up partnership work in the years ahead.

The International Federation believes that the commitment of the United Nations family to work for peace and humanitarian objectives made it most appropriate that the United Nations Organization and its Secretary-General should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in this centenary year for the Prize. The International Federation looks forward to working closely together with the United Nations and its family organisations in the years ahead towards our many common objectives.

United Nations web site - UN Day - 24 October 2001