Top UN information official says world body still has “compelling story to tell”
17 October: Critics of the United Nations tend to doubt its ability to deliver on promises made rather than question its ideals or legitimacy as a universal body, so the Organization needs to close the gap between what people want from it and what it can actually deliver, the top UN communications official has told the General Assembly.
Under-Secretary-General for Communication and Public Information Shashi Tharoor told the Assemblys Fourth Committee (Special Political & Decolonization) Monday that the public still wants the UN to preserve world peace, promote human rights and ensure economic justice.
Mr. Tharoor cited a study last year of Americans that showed that an increasing number considered the UN to be central to solving global conflicts.
– The UN has a compelling story to tell, he said, adding that that story must be told better and more widely to build public support for the world body and explain what it can achieve.
To reach that goal Mr. Tharoor said the UN Department of Public Information was trying to create stronger partnerships with the various departments, agencies, offices and field missions within the UN system to help identify key messages and then re-cast them so they can be understood by target audiences around the world.
He cited the placement of opinion columns by senior staff in newspapers, including an article by Secretary-General Kofi Annan – which was published by some 70 newspapers in at least 40 countries – that used the World Cup soccer championships to draw attention to UN activities.
Mr. Tharoor stressed the value of the UN speaking with one public voice, noting that the UN Communications Group was formed to better coordinate the world bodys media messages.
– From the recent humanitarian crisis in South-East Asia to the crisis in Darfur to the looming threat of avian flu (fugleinfluenza), there is clear proof that the world is paying more attention when we speak in concert, he said.
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