On the 30th of October after 7 days of travelling to each oblast city of Belarus UN70 Express is back to Minsk!
The UN train route covered Minsk-Grodno-Brest-Baranovichi-Homel-Mogilev-Vitebsk-Minsk. The representatives of UN agencies, Belarusian government, parliament, embassies, NGOs, city governors, leaders of all confessions, students, journalists and people with fewer opportunities were on board of the UN70 Express.
More than 250 different events were held. The representatives of embassies from more than 30 countries, including local authorities and civil initiatives took part in them.
The UN70 Express trip had been launched not only to celebrate UN 70th anniversary and its contribution to security, development and respect of human rights in the world but to promote 17 Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by UN General Assembly in 2015 until 2030, among Belarusian citizens.
As a common initiative of UN in Belarus and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus the UN70 Express also became a platform for a dialogue between UN agencies, Belarusian government, embassies, religious communities, civil society, private partners and people with fewer opportunities.
The milestone of UN70 Express campaign was the signing of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) for the Republic of Belarus for 2016–2020 is the second joint strategy of the UN organisations acting in Belarus. The UNDAF has been prepared by the United Nations Country Team in Belarus in consultation with the Government of the Republic of Belarus, civil society, private sector, vulnerable groups, and national and international partners, with the aim of promoting and protecting human rights and improving lives of the people of Belarus.
The Peace tree planting ceremony, which was held by UN representatives and local authorities in Minsk and Grodno was a symbol of remembrance of all the lives lost during the wars, including the Great Patriotic War, and the wow that no more wars should be started.
The fact that SDGs Declaration was signed in each oblast city signified that local authorities and city residents committed themselves to reach SDGs until 2030 as well.
In Grodno SDGs Declaration was signed by Vladimir Kravtsov, Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and Karen Daduryan, Deputy Regional Director, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Activities in Grodno were dedicated to the Goal 3, which is Good Health and Well-being of people of all ages.
Lectures, round tables, information sessions and performances covered such topics as prevention of HIV/AIDS, sport for development, social inclusion of elderly and people with disabilities, link between education, health and economic development.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Belarus aims at delivering a world, where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Along with the issues of gender equality (equal opportunities for men and women, preventing domestic violence, participation of both parents in child-rearing) and sexual reproductive health, UNFPA pays great attention to health and active ageing of elderly people, considering them as demographic dividend.
UNFPA is especially active in reaching goals 3, 4 and 5.
These goals were promoted by Karen Daduryan, Deputy Regional Director at UNFPA Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, and Elena Kasko, UNFPA Belarus Office assistant representative at the panel discussion on SDGs and Health in a train carriage, during BELMED launch press-conference and at the round-table on the cities friendly to elderly people.
BELMED project is directed towards prevention of non-communicable diseases, promotion of healthy lifestyle and support of modernization of the Health System in Belarus.
The round table Cities friendly to elderly people was organized by UNFPA together with the Center for Adult Education, Useful CompetenciesStudio (Grodno). ElenaKasko, UNFPA assistant representative in Belarus, introduced the audience to the UN international frameworks for population aging, including the UN principles for elderly people, such as independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment and dignity.
Grodno Youth Center hosted city fair with best practices of social development and society engagement. UNFPA together with Belarusian association of young Christian women and SCO Radislava created an interactive room raising public awareness on domestic violence issues and informing girls and women about existing social and legal assistance in case of domestic violence.
Students of Belarusian State Medical University, who are UNFPA volunteers, conducted an interactive information session on prevention HIV/AIDS, stigma and discrimination in relation to people living with HIV for more than 30 peers at Grodno Oblast Methodological Center of Folk Arts.
The 24th of October, which is the UN birthday, was celebrated at Grodno Drama Theater, where the UN 70th anniversary concert promoting the SDGS was held. The audience could not only see Belarusian and international celebrities, but listen to the stories of real people whose lives have changed under UN programmes.
On the route Grodno-Baranovichy-Brest UNFPA partners - Belarusian association of young Christian women and SCO Radislava - conducted a seminar on gender issues and barrier-free environment, played with the passengers role games on gender stereotypes, screened short films about domestic violence and gender roles and organized discussion afterwards.
Brest hosted activities devoted to goals 4 and 5.
Goal 4: Quality Education (providing inclusive, just and quality education, encouraging lifelong learning for all).
Goal 5:Gender Equality (providing gender equality and empowering women and girls)
Karen Daduryan took part in the opening of the UN70 Express events in Brest. Mr. Daduryan noted that UNFPA will provide complex assistance to Belarus in developing social policies aimed at family support, ensuring maternal health and gender equality, creating conditions for both parents taking part in child-rearing.
UNFPA dedicated two events in Brest and Minsk to responsible parenthood and parent friendly strategies, which can be adopted by the companies to allow mothers and fathers reach balance between job and family life.
The first one is a photo exhibition called Life puzzle, which was presented to UNFPA by Swedish Institute (Stockholm). The exhibition told Belarusian people how Swedish government and society encourages parenthood and gender equality at job and in the family life. Magnus Satterberg, second secretary at the Swedish Embassy opened the photo exhibition in Brest.
The second event is the seminar on Parent Smart Companies, which took place in Brest (Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and Minsk (Renaissance hotel). UNFPA invited Swedish expert on business management, leadership and Parent Smart Companies Tiina Bruno to share this concept with Belarusian state and private companies. Tiina provided the participants of the seminar with the cases of successful companies, who started looking at parents as professionals with extra leadership and management skills and invested in responsible parenthood, which would soon return to them in more progress and efficiency at work.
Seminar raised great interest from the companies and revealed among their CEOs Parent Smart Companies role models.
