ISLAMABAD (Sabahuddin Qazi): The people of twin-cities, on the invitation of the Representative of the United Nations Secretary General to Pakistan, broke all records of popularity on Saturday by actively participating in the 79th UN Day celebrations held at the PNCA, Islamabad.
“All of us, no matter where we live and who we are, share the same aspirations – safety, peace, and prosperity on a healthy planet. This is why we must redouble our efforts to make sure every Pakistani is given the opportunity to realise their full potential,” Mohamed Yahya, the Representative of UN Secretary General to Pakistan, expressed in his open invitation, emphasizing: “We are all the United Nations; come and celebrate our common humanity.”
“We are all too aware that we stand and fall not by adopting agreements, but by our actions and their impact on the lives of the people we serve, leaving no one behind. And this is why the 24 UN Entities in Pakistan stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government and the people of Pakistan to accelerate our collaboration in areas such as food systems, energy transition, digital transformation, climate change and the transformation of the education and health sectors,” he further stated.
Undoubtedly, the UN Day celebrations in Islamabad resulted in successfully leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the capacity crowd to acknowledge the noble cause. The arrangements meticulously crafted by the UN in Pakistan, surpassed expectations in every aspect, cementing its position as one of the premier events in the history of the federal capital.
At the ‘UN Market Place’, the teams of different UN agencies operating in Pakistan, including UNESCO, UNAid, UNWomen, IOM, UNFPA, FAO, IFAD, WFP, UNHabitat, OCHA, UNIDO and ITC, were present to showcase their noble activities under the umbrella of the United Nations.
However, the ‘UN Career Booth’, on which a large number of university students and youngsters took great interest, remained crowded till the conclusion. The purpose of the UN Career Booth was to guide the visitors about starting a career at the UN or apply as a volunteer. The UN Human Resources teams were actively interacting to share tips and advice with the people. “The attention to detail, the quality of experts, and the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals made my day an unforgettable experience,” Laraib Tariq, a fresh graduate in International Relations seeking career opportunities said while talking to Press Network of Pakistan (PNP).
The event drew a diverse crowd of hundreds of attendees from different walks of life and foreigners as well. “A stream of vehicles could be seen heading towards the venue, trying to find the parking lot, which soon ran out of space. People were left with no choice but to park their cars along the road and head to the venue. All this while, traffic police officials remained on their toes,” Dawn, the leading English daily, reported.
“The dedicated team of UN professionals deserve unreserved accolades for their tireless efforts. Their unwavering commitment to excellence resulted in a seamless, engaging, and enlightening experience for attendees,” Dr. Mohammad Arif, Editor of Chinese language newswire NSN expressed, adding that: “From the thought-provoking interactive sessions to the live performance, every element of the UN Day event is carefully curated to ensure maximum impact.”
“The UN Day celebrations exceeded our expectations in every way,” said Mubashir Ali, President of Young University Students Talent Network (YUSTN), an Islamabad-based youth society. While leading a delegation of youngster members to the venue, he further acknowledged that the organizers’ commitment to excellence was remarkable.
The UN Day audience comprised professionals, youngsters, media persons, house wives, and diplomats, all united by a shared passion to mark the anniversary of the UN that officially came into being with the ratification of the UN Charter by member states on October 24, 1945. The overall atmosphere was palpable, with attendees actively participating in interacting, sharing insights, exchanging views, and forging meaningful connections for future networking.
The concluding session was a live performance by renowned artist Shae Gill and the Leif Larson Music Centre in Hunza. Throughout the day, fun activities for children, selfie corners, food stalls and giveaways were also ensured to engage the UN Day audience proactively.