MEDIA ALERT

UN Marks International Peace Day - 18 September 2001

Victims of USA disaster to be remembered

United Nations Information Services, Bangkok---ESCAP will observe the UN International Day of Peace with a special programme on the morning of September 18,2001.

In light of the tragic events in USA, the programme will begin with a special flag-raising ceremony at 8.00 a.m. at the United Nations Conference Centre in memory of the people who died in those tragedies.

As UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message to all United Nations' staff, the tragic events" make the UN's work to promote peace and relieve suffering all the more important."

" The United Nations is based in our host city, New York, and that makes these recent events all the more touching. This Day of Peace is a good opportunity to renew our commitments to bringing peace to the world," said Mr Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary , UN ESCAP.

The day's events will relate to the upcoming UN Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World. A tribute to Dag Hammarskjold, the second UN Secretary, who died exactly 40 years ago on September 18, will also be included.

The flag raising will begin at 8:O0 a.m. in the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC).
 
The rest of the programme begins at 8.30 a.m. at Conference Room Four, UNCC.

You or your representatives are cordially invited to attend and cover these events. Please note that in view of new security measures journalists covering events at the UNCC must have their UN ESCAP-accredited press badge. If you have not registered with us please kindly do so as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

                                                                                   -- UNIS --