Ghana commemorates UN Day; holds flag-raising ceremony in solidarity with the world




Ghanaians have joined the world to observe this year’s United Nations Day with with a flag-raising ceremony in solidarity with the United Nations member states towards the achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This year's day which falls on October, 24 also marks the 72nd Anniversary of the UN Charter's entry into force is on the theme: “Achieving the SDGs: Innovating, Mobilizing and Partnering for the Implementation of the SDGs in Ghana”.

The flag-raising ceremony which climaxed all other notable events at the national level took place at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra, during the early hours of October 24, 2017.

The ceremony attracted a huge patronage from members of the general public including students, Security Chiefs, Ministers of State and Members of parliament, Directors of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Local Authorities and Heads of UN Agencies.

It coincided with the 2017 Junior High School Model United Nations Conference (JHSMUN) graced by Her Excellency Christine Evans-Klock, UN Resident Coordinator for Ghana with support from some dignitaries from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

The 2017 UN Model conference  took place at the Accra International Conference Centre was on the topic: “SDGs Goal 3 in motion; controlling infectious and non-communicable diseases to preserve life”.

Addressing the participants, Ms. Christine Evans-Klock expressed profound satisfaction about the works of the UN Model team including the keen interest shown in the approach to issues of the United Nations. She commended the delegates for carrying out a thorough research on the topic under discussion which focused on the SDGs goal 3.

In her opening remark, the Secretary-General for the 2017 Junior High School Model United Nations Conference, (JHSMUN), Priscilla Wepia Ametame digressing on the topic for this year’s discussion described it as timely and of great interest, “especially in the these times when member states including Mexico, Nepal, Puerto Rico, the United States of America and Sierra Leone have been hit with various degrees of natural disasters, a major cause of disease outbreaks and epidemics.”

While reminding delegates about the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan’s which stated, “We shall not defeat any of the infectious diseases that plaque the developing world until we have also won the battle for safe drinking water, sanitation and basic health”, She encouraged them to take into critical consideration, the sixteen other Sustainable Development Goals essential to the achievement of SDG3.

Finally, Ms. Ametame called on all delegates to position themselves properly with ideas on the table to lobby, negotiate and engage in debates and caucuses and develop a draft resolution that will help to control infectious and non-communicable diseases leaving no country behind.

The UN Resident Coordinator for Ghana used the occasion to remind delegates about the importance of the SDGs, urging them to endeavor to understand the important part of work the member states have set for themselves as a unified agenda for social, economic and environmental development in their quest to reach the goals.

JHSMUN is an annual non-residential conference held on UN Day (24th October) every year. It hosts about 200 delegates from basic schools across Ghana and beyond. Interesting topics are selected to be debated by junior students and the rules used are easy and flexible for them to navigate with.

Life-Link Friendship Schools-Ghana, the organizers of JHSMUN is a Non-Governmental organization actively involved in developing the Ghanaian youth in Leadership, Team work and United Nations Programs and proceedings.


By Joseph Kobla Wemakor/UNIC Accra

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