United Nations in India

India is critical in determining the success of the SDGs, globally. At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “Sustainable development of one-sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet. It will be a world of fewer challenges and greater hope; and, more confident of its success”. NITI Aayog, the Government of India’s premier think tank, has been entrusted with the task of coordinating the SDGs, mapping schemes related to the SDGs and their targets, and identifying lead and supporting ministries for each target. In addition, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been leading discussions for developing national indicators for the SDGs. State governments are key to India’s progress on the SDGs as they are best placed to ‘put people first’ and to ensuring that ‘no one is left behind’. The UN Country Team in India supports NITI Aayog, Union ministries and state governments in their efforts to address the interconnectedness of the goals, to ensure that no one is left behind and to advocate for adequate financing to achieve the SDGs.

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Publication

17 August 2022

UN India Annual Report 2021

The UN in India 2021 Annual Report gives an overview of how the UN in India, partnering closely with the Government and our stakeholders in civil society, the private sector, and communities, redoubled our efforts to save lives, protect people and build back better through the second year of the pandemic. This report covers the penultimate year of the UN - Government of India Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) 2018-2022, which continued to guide our support to India’s development priorities, even as we repurposed a significant part of our planned activities and budget towards the COVID-19 response. We worked to respond to the health emergency, training frontline workers, delivering essential equipment and medical supplies, addressing misinformation, and supporting India’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign — the world’s largest. We also responded to the social and economic impact of the pandemic, working to ensure everyone, especially the most marginalised, had access to social safety nets and that households and businesses stayed afloat. We combatted malnutrition and food insecurity, and continued to respond to the unprecedented disruption faced by children and adolescents impacted by school closures. And we didn’t lose sight of the greatest existential threat of all, continuing to partner with the Government of India in responding to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and rising levels of pollution. Throughout the year, we remained focused on ensuring that the recovery was gender-sensitive and that gender equality was at the centre of all of our initiatives.

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31 July 2022

A global movement to foster kindness

The sun is still to rise over Kerala’s Manchadikkari Village, but N.S. Rajappan is wide awake. The 69-year-old villager, whose legs were paralysed after he contracted polio as a child, crawls down to the Meenachil River and slides onto a boat. Then, for 17 hours, he collects plastic waste from the waterways of Vembanad Lake. He has done this almost daily for the last five years. “And he plans to continue to work every day, spreading kindness to the natural world around him, one plastic bottle at a time,” reads a chapter in a book called ‘Kindness Matters’. For thousands of students in India and others across the world, Rajappan is a beacon of hope. Many, like him, are making efforts — small or big — for a better world. Rajappan’s story is one of 50 such accounts in the collection, published in November 2021. The story reinforces the need for kindness, which is at the heart of a global movement led by the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) MGIEP (Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development). The book is a part of the #KindnessMatters Campaign, which was launched in 2018 by UNESCO MGIEP and seeks to mobilise the world’s youth to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by all UN members. The SDGs include action to end poverty and hunger, for gender equality, quality education and clean water and sanitation. The campaign started on October 2, 2018 – an important date and year on the calendar for principles of kindness. The apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi, was born on October 2, 1869, and 2018 marked the start of celebrations to mark his 150th birth anniversary. The year also commemorated the birth centenary of South African leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Nelson Mandela. The campaign focuses on youth and was launched with youth activities across India, South Africa and Pakistan. Indian youth groups marked the day with a mass blood donation drive in collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, food distribution and educational sessions for unprivileged children. The campaign invited participants to submit their accounts of kindness — anything from helping an animal in need to donating a blanket — to a storyboard on the UNESCO MGIEP website. So far, 1.2 million kind acts have been recorded from youth across 150 countries. To give the youth opportunities to acquire the social and emotional skills that promote coexistence, UNESCO MGIEP organised the first World Youth Conference on Kindness in New Delhi in August 2019. Centred on the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Gandhi for the Contemporary World’, it highlighted the role of compassion in achieving the SDGs. The Sanskrit words ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ mean the world is a family. The conference provided young global thought leaders with an engaging platform to help them develop their social and emotional capacities and build momentum to celebrate World Kindness Day on November 13. Introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement (WKM), a coalition of international NGOs, November 13 focuses on the power of positivity every year. The second world conference was held in October 2020, with the focus on ‘Kindness for Peaceful and Sustainable Coexistence’. On October 2, 2021, UNESCO MGIEP and Faze Media (Canada), a media group, hosted the third World Youth Conference on Kindness on the theme ‘Achieving with Kindness’. The free, three-hour virtual conference celebrated the collection of more than 1 million stories of how kindness for self, others, and nature helps achieve the SDGs. Thirty-five young people shared powerful stories on how their deeds of empathy, mindfulness and compassion had transformed themselves and their communities for sustainable and peaceful societies. YOUTH POWER The kindness movement has been drawing the youth in India, too. In April 2021, students from 107 schools across the country joined the global campaign. Since then, the schools have collected over 100,000 stories of kindness from students, teachers, parents, and alumni and submitted them to the UN. Clearly, schools have been looking at lessons taught not just in classrooms. “Teaching Science and Mathematics is not the only job of an educationist,” says Jyoti Arora, Principal, Mount Abu Public School, Delhi. “We have to empower students to build a caring and sharing society. How do we do this? By fostering an environment of kindness, where everyone respects each other,” she explains. From early 2020, the school has been organising a slew of activities to inculcate kindness among students. To begin with, it found that most students associated kindness with donations. Educational online sessions were conducted to broaden this definition. “Kindness can be anything — from watering a tree to feeding a stray animal,” Arora stresses. No act of kindness is too small or too big. For Priya Tripathi, a student of Grade IX, it translated into helping a friend who had met with a road accident and had to be taken to a hospital. “The timely treatment helped her recover fast,” Tripathi says. For Tanishka Johar, a Grade VI student at the same school, kindness is about regularly feeding street dogs in her neighbourhood and planting saplings. “These small acts of kindness give me a huge sense of achievement,” she says. The school has set up the post of Kindness Leader in the Student Council. Just outside the school campus, it has erected a Wall of Kindness where anyone can place anything — from warm clothes and utensils to pencil boxes — for others to pick up. During daily attendance, students are asked to relate acts of kindness. The school compiles a monthly list of such deeds by students. Those who score the highest on the kindness barometer win the title of Kindness Ambassadors. “This motivates others to add to their kitty of kindness stories,” Arora says. The school has also proved that kindness is contagious. “It has had a ripple effect. We saw the movement turn into a tsunami,” Arora recalls. Seeing the benefits of the #KindnessMatters Campaign among her students, she gave a presentation to the Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Private Schools, an association of 1,500 schools across India, in April 2021. Of these, 107 signed up for the UNESCO MGIEP campaign. THE LARGER PICTURE The late South African Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, had once said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” This is the crux of the kindness campaign, which highlights the need for people to be kind to themselves, to those around them and, effectively, to the world. “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” By creating connections that strengthen the culture of kindness, the campaign provides young people with an empowering platform where they share stories of compassion, and reflect how these can be used to address global challenges such as climate change, migration, diversity and social inclusion. Many of the stories on the site, for instance, are about cleaning up one’s immediate environment. Scores of Indian students have contributed to the storyboard. In the slums of Bhubaneswar, the capital of the eastern state of Odisha, doctors and interns from the Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences organised awareness campaigns about hand hygiene and social distancing, said one message on the site. A youth posted a message from Kolkata, in the eastern state of West Bengal, about distributing rations to people in COVID-19 times. A school student from the western Indian state of Maharashtra wrote to say that she made cards especially to thank her teachers — describing them as Corona warriors. Acts of kindness continue to pour in. But that’s not surprising, for neuro-scientific studies have found that human beings are inherently kind. And altruistic or kind behaviour engages brain networks associated with rewards. The campaign hopes to capitalise on this biological need to build positive change. Kindness is a trait that is wired in the human brain, says Nandini Chatterjee Singh, Senior Programme Officer, UNESCO MGIEP. “Research shows that practising kindness releases oxytocin, a neurotransmitter that plays an integral role in forming social bonds and trust, and thus contributes to happiness. Being kind also increases serotonin, which helps regulate mood and stay positive. Kindness is highly beneficial as a practice,” she adds. The campaign also underlines the role of other platforms focusing on kindness. Take Alina Alam, who was invited to speak at the 2021 World Youth Conference on Kindness. Alam runs a chain of cafes — called Mitti Café — that are wholly managed by people with physical and mental disabilities. “When a business invests in kindness, the ROI [return on investment] is high,” she says. Mitti Café started as a zero capital start-up in 2017. Almost 90 per cent of the café’s infrastructure came from donations — from spoons, cups and plates, to second-hand ovens. As the project gained traction, Alam rolled out the Mitti Social Initiative Foundation, which trains adults with disabilities and helps them find employment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation launched its Karuna Meal Campaign, which seeks to feed two million people in need. “The idea came from a person with cerebral palsy. He used to live on the road before becoming a part of the Mitti family,” Alam says. Kindness is not just building bridges but also instilling confidence among people. “We expect Governments, NGOs, and corporations to make a difference. The truth is, we need to look inwards and bring incremental change in our lives,” says musician Ricky Kej, who launched the #KindnessAnthem at the #KindnessConcert as part of the 2019 World Youth Conference on Kindness. “We need to know that with each small act of kindness we create a huge positive impact,” Kej adds. The anthem was created by musicians from four continents. Among the organisations that hope to take the campaign further is the WKM. “When UNESCO put out kindness as its goal, I jumped with joy. Here was a powerful, global organisation that says kindness matters to SDGs. It was in direct alignment with the work we were doing,” WKM President Nirmala Mehendale says. As part of the #KindnessMatters Campaign, WKM conducted workshops at the 2021 conference and added 20,000 kindness stories to MGIEP’s storyboard. After the pandemic, what the world needs is a ‘ kindemic’, Mehendale stresses. After the pandemic, what the world needs is a ‘kindemic’. Kindness advocate Debashis Mohanty will agree. The Odisha youth’s story, posted on the campaign storyboard, focuses on the COVID-19 pandemic. “In this pandemic we have started helping people in every possible way” — providing food to those who need it and distributing groceries, masks and sanitisers, he writes. “Good action (would) give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” Acts of kindness embraced the pandemic-induced lockdown in particular, a period that witnessed untold misery. As the offline and online worlds came together, social media played a key role in helping people reach out to NGOs, lend individual help, or set up crowd-sourced social initiatives to provide food, PPE kits, and other necessities to those in need. Social media enabled people to stay connected and work together — both as individuals and as communities — to support people who needed assistance, in a time when physical liaising was almost impossible. Large numbers of students reached out to people who’d been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and faced financial problems because of loss of jobs and other related issues. India’s national lockdown in 2020 left many daily wage workers without work and food. That was when Delhi’s Modern Public School, in collaboration with Roti (bread) Bank, an initiative by a group dedicated to feeding the poor, started Roti Banks on Wheels to feed families in underprivileged areas. The bus collected food packets from citizens who volunteered to contribute to the service and delivered them to those in need of it. Roti is an Indian staple. UNESCO MGIEP Director Anantha K. Duraiappah points out that the need to contribute, help, support and belong is a fundamental predisposition in human beings, who are inherently kind. “Reflect. Empathize. Be kind,” Duraiappah writes in the foreword to the book Kindness Matters. Reflect. Empathize. Be kind. Building on last year’s success, the 2022 goal is to collect 5 millions acts of kindness and to organise the fourth World Youth Conference on Kindness. A little step, indeed, can lead to a movement, and, thereby, a happier world. As Mahatma Gandhi said: “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” To share your kindness stories, log on to https://kindnessmatters.paperform.co. To know more, log on to https://mgiep.unesco.org/kindness. Credits: Writer: UN/Varuna Verma/ Word Wide Media Illustrations: Ishan Mudgal, Anasua, Tulika Trivedi Pictures: Mount Abu Public School

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12 November 2022

COP 27 - Sharm El-Sheikh

Delivering for people and the planet From 6 to 18 November, Heads of State, ministers, and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs are meeting in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh for the largest annual gathering on climate action. The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 – builds on the outcomes of COP26 to deliver action on an array of issues critical to tackling the climate emergency – from urgently reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience, and adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change, to delivering on the commitments to finance climate action in developing countries. Faced with a growing energy crisis, record greenhouse gas concentrations, and increasing extreme weather events, COP27 seeks renewed solidarity between countries, to deliver on the landmark Paris Agreement, for people and the planet. Read more: https://unfccc.int/cop27

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20 October 2022

A new lease of LIFE for climate action

Our world today is in turmoil, facing multiple, mutually reinforcing crises. Even as we mount a fragile recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, war fuels a devastating energy, food, and cost-of-living crisis. And for the first time since it began over 30 years ago, the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report has warned that global human development measures have declined across most countries in the past two years. This comes against the backdrop of the greatest existential threat of all — the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Nine of the warmest years on record have come in the past decade alone. This year’s record-breaking heat waves, floods, droughts, and other extreme forms of weather have forced us to face these increasingly devastating impacts. Climate change is a disruption multiplier in a disrupted world, rolling back progress across the global Sustainable Development Goals. The Paris Agreement and the COP26 summit in Glasgow represent urgent, collective steps countries are taking to limit emissions. Yet, the window for action is closing fast. Commitments we have now will not keep warming below the 1.5°C target that gives us the best chance of averting catastrophe. With the narrative so focused on geo-politics, the scope for each of us to make a difference as individuals seems increasingly lost. While governments and industry carry the lion’s share of responsibility for responding to the crisis, we as consumers play a large role in driving unsustainable production methods. LIFE, a fresh perspective LIFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in November 2021, brings a fresh and much-needed perspective. Rather than framing climate change as a ‘larger than life’ challenge, LIFE recognises that small individual actions can tip the balance in the planet’s favour. But we need guiding frameworks, information sharing and the scale of a global movement. Mindful choices cultivated by LIFE animate this spirit — actions such as saving energy at home; cycling and using public transport instead of driving; eating more plant-based foods and wasting less; and leveraging our position as customers and employees to demand climate-friendly choices. Many of the goals of LIFE can be achieved by deploying ‘nudges’, gentle persuasion techniques to encourage positive behaviour. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) employs proven nudging techniques such as discouraging food waste by offering smaller plates in cafeterias; encouraging recycling by making bin lids eye-catching; and encouraging cycling by creating cycle paths. According to the UNEP, more than two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to household consumption and lifestyles — the urgent cuts to global emissions we need can only be achieved through widespread adoption of greener consumption habits. And while LIFE is a global vision, India is an excellent place to start. With over 1.3 billion people, if we achieve a true jan andolan here, the momentum generated will be enormous. As India leads, we see the world increasingly follow. India’s track record Today, in Gujarat, from the Statue of Unity, this vision of LIFE is taking flight as a global mission launched by Mr. Modi together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who has come to India to show his support. The Prime Minister and Secretary-General are calling on all consumers across the world to become “Pro Planet People” by 2027, adopting simple lifestyle changes that can collectively lead to transformational change. India has a proven track record translating the aspirations of national missions into whole-of-society efforts. The success of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which mobilised individuals and communities across socio-economic strata to become drivers of collective good health and sanitation is an example. The LIFE mission also recognises that accountability is relative to contribution. Emissions across the poorest half of the world’s population combined still fall short of even 1% of the wealthiest. Those who consume the least, often the most vulnerable and marginalised members of society, will not be asked to consume less, but rather supported to participate in the green economy. Each ‘Pro Planet’ stakeholder is nudged according to differentiated approaches. Onus on the developed world The same applies across countries. LIFE resonates with the global climate justice India has rightfully called for — highlighting enhanced obligations those in developed countries bear, to support climate adaptation and mitigation for those most affected, yet least responsible. The average carbon footprint of a person in a high income country is more than 80 times higher than that of a person in a least developed country. It is common sense and only fair to call on the developed world to shoulder a proportionate share of this transition. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “the world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” And there has never been a better time for India’s leadership on climate action, at home and on the international stage. From the Panchamrit targets announced by Mr. Modi at COP26, to support for the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and South-South cooperation platforms, from the world’s fifth largest economy with vibrant businesses making enormous investments in renewables and electric mobility, to a world class public digital tech stack, India brings scale, expertise and legitimacy; a well-positioned founding UN Member State bridging the G20 and G77. With COP27 next month, and India set to assume the G20 Presidency weeks after, followed by the halfway mark to Agenda 2030 next year, we at Team UN India and our 26 entities are proud and committed partners in this mission to help give new lease of LIFE to climate action. Shombi Sharp is UN Resident Coordinator in India. Shoko Noda is Resident Representative, UN Development Programme. Atul Bagai is Country Head, UN Environment Programme

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20 October 2022

Remarks of the United Nations Secretary-General

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26 September 2022

Interview with Soumalya Mukherjee

How did you set up Tan90 Thermal Solutions? It all started during my third year of PhD at IIT Madras. Rajnikant Rai [co-founder of the start-up] was my lab mate with a good hold on chemical synthesis. We found that farmers were suffering from a loss of produce owing to the lack of cost-effective cold storage solutions and decided to look at that. I work on nanoparticles and Rai on chemicals. We decided to go for phase change materials (PCM). At the market place we heard that it takes about 18 hours for PCMs to get frozen and be used for preservation. So, we worked on reducing the freezing time for PCMs so that our panels were economical and preserved horticulture products for a longer period. What was the role of UNIDO? We were a clean technology company and decided to participate in competitions to win cash prizes and take our idea forward. Then we came across the Facility for Low Carbon Technology Deployment (FLCTD) programme, implemented by UNIDO. In 2019, we won the Innovation Challenge held by FLCTD — an open award competition calling for innovative solutions. One of the major problems that we had faced was taking the Tan90 boxes to the market. Customers were not willing to pay for a new product, though they were willing to try it out. FLCTD provided financial assistance of about ₹3 million to conduct free pilots for a year. The FLCTD team did the project due diligence and also did hand-holding. The team from UNIDO helped us to understand the needs of the market segments that we were targeting. Our journey was steady but challenging. And UNIDO helped us to progress. What was the outcome of the initiative? We got lots of feedback from the market that made Tan90 Thermal what it is today. Initially, we had a PCM for only a single temperature range. However, the market was in need of PCMs for a varied temperature range and we expanded our offerings. We also optimised and fine-tuned the box size and the PCM panels. Now we have about 10-15 major retailers across the nation using our products for last-mile or mid-mile transportation. What kind of a role does the private sector have to play in mitigating climate change? The private sector has a huge role to play in mitigating the impact of climate change. The public-private-partnership (PPP) mode can help in a big way. While the public sector or the government concentrates on project implementation, innovation comes from the private sector, such as solar-powered cold storages. In Tamil Nadu, we have partnered with the state government and have given our products to Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). Similarly, we are working with 10 FPOs in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. We are also working with the Shri A.M.M. Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre. How did you meet your funding needs? We participated in various business idea competitions and won prizes. We also got grants from the government and others based on our business idea. An investment of ₹20 million was raised from grants, prize money and private equity. Tata Trust-backed Social Alpha and the Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad also funded us. We are also raising about half a million dollars for research and development of new products for Indian and South East Asian markets. We are looking at moving into the pharma segment. We will also set up plants in Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai to cater to those markets as transporting the PCMs is uneconomical. You had to tone down your box prices… Pricing is an interesting topic. It is a tug-of-war between the value offered by the product and what the customer is willing to pay. Our competition is ice or dry ice. We have to compete against the low value product. Initially our price point was higher, but it was later aligned with the competition. How does Tan90 Thermal contribute to sustainable development? We are working towards achieving four of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals — zero hunger, affordable clean energy, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. Climate change is real. Temperature levels are increasing. This will increase the demand for cooling solutions which in turn will hike the demand for energy. We are now working on a solution for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) segment. Our new PCMs will be integrated with certain devices to give the desired results — for instance reduction in room temperatures. This will be useful for data centres and other applications. In the case of solar cells, proper thermal management is important and the current water-based solutions are costly. We have a PCM for this segment and are testing it out. We see Tan90 Thermal not just as a cooling company but a thermal management company. Cold storage is a small part of our overall plans. We are reducing India’s carbon footprint. Credits: Writer: UN/Nitya Varadarajan/Word Wide Media Photographs: Kannan Srinivasan (Tiruvallur) and Word Wide Media (Chennai)

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26 September 2022

‘Entrepreneurs and start-ups … are playing an important role by developing solutions’

What was your initial reaction to Tan90? We came to know about Tan90 in 2019 when it submitted its application in response to the FLCTD innovation challenge… We were quite impressed with the rigour that has been put to develop a solution that could greatly benefit the food supply chain in India in reducing spoilage and loss of perishable food during transit and storage. Entrepreneurs and start-ups like Tan90 are playing an important role by developing solutions that – (a) reduce the dependence on fossil-fuel powered technologies (DG sets) for temperature control; (b) help to maintain quality of perishable produce, when it reaches the end-consumer and (c) help to reduce spoilage of food and perishable products that are often under reported, but lead to economic losses and contribute to the emission of greenhouse gas. Such solutions are important baby steps that need to be scaled up in order to reduce emission in the food-supply chain. What was the critical input given by your team to Tan90 Thermal Solutions? FLCTD provided financial support to Tan90 to test and validate its thermal solution with different types of perishable products. We encouraged Tan90 to identify potential clients, customers (end users) and test its solution for different products that needed cooling, over a period ranging anywhere from six to 12 months. Besides proving the technical aspects of the solution, it will provide insights to Tan90 on the efficacy of its product. The trials will further help Tan90 configure solutions and develop different business models for different clients and for different products - for instance delivery of flowers, organic drinks from farm to market, inter-city supply of seafood and poultry, delivery of vaccines and the like. It establishes credibility of the solution and gives confidence to the start-up that it can scale up. FLCTD will provide further support in the form of financial mentoring and prepare them to raise funds, thus providing hand-holding for their growth journey. What in your view was lacking in Tan90 Thermal Solutions and how did FLCTD assist in filling that gap? Tan90’s solutions need to be tested and validated with different types of perishable products, at a large volume and over a period of time to establish a clear cost-benefit. This is the gap FLCTD’s financial support helps start-ups like Tan90 to fill. Credits Writer: UN/Nitya Varadarajan/Word Wide Media Photographs: Kannan Srinivasan (Tiruvallur) and Word Wide Media (Chennai)

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Press Release

01 December 2022

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF COMMEMORATION IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST - 27 Jan 2022

Today we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who perished in the Holocaust, the Roma and Sinti, and the countless other victims of its unprecedented horror and calculated cruelty. The Holocaust defined the United Nations. Our very name was coined to describe the alliance fighting the Nazi regime and its allies. Our Charter was drafted in San Francisco as the Dachau concentration camp was liberated. The United Nations must always be on the frontline of the fight against antisemitism and all other forms of religious bigotry and racism. Today, we witness an alarming resurgence of xenophobia and hate. Antisemitism – the oldest and most persistent form of prejudice – is rising yet again. Attempts to downplay or downright deny the Holocaust are proliferating. No society is immune to irrationality or intolerance. We must never forget that the Holocaust could have been prevented. The desperate pleas of the victims fell on deaf ears. Too few spoke out, too few listened – fewer still stood up in solidarity. Remembering the past is crucial to safeguarding the future. Silence in the face of hatred is complicity. Today, let us commit to never be indifferent to the suffering of others, and never forget what happened or let it be forgotten by others. Let us pledge to always be vigilant and uphold human rights and dignity for all. Thank you. [END] Video Message Link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+INTL+DAY+HOLOCAUST+18+JAN+22/MSG+SG+INTL+DAY+HOLOCAUST+COMMEMORATION+18+JAN+22.mp4

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Press Release

20 October 2022

Remarks of the Secretary-General of the United Nations

Professor Chaudhuri, All protocol observed, I am delighted to be here with all of you. This institution is 54 years old, and as it was said, 54 years ago, I was a student at a university in Lisbon, and my school was called, I will say in Portuguese, but you will understand, Instituto Superior Técnico. And my dream at the time was to be a researcher in physics. Now, we don’t control our destiny. We lived in a dictatorship that was at the same time an oppressive colonialist regime. We had fortunately a revolution, and that revolution led to the liberation of the former colonies and to democracy in Portugal. And at that time as a student, I was as a volunteer working in the slums of Lisbon in different areas related to health and education, and I felt the compulsion to get involved directly into politics. And so, I never became a researcher in physics. And I am envious of all those who will be able to contribute to the wellbeing of human kind, to the scientific work that is as necessary as the political work, to make sure that we can live in a better world. And I am very pleased to start this visit to India because I have a double love affair with India. First, because of India’s culture, history, India’s people, its contribution to today’s world, and to the world civilization. And the second reason because my wife was born in Goa. So, with this double love affair, and I am delighted to be here with all of you. And it is indeed a pleasure to be here at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, to talk about the partnership between India and the United Nations and strengthening South-South Cooperation. I am also delighted to celebrate with you the 75th anniversary of India’s independence; Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. I congratulate India on its achievements over the last 75 years as the world’s largest democracy, and now, as the fastest-growing major economy. As an engineering graduate, with a lifelong commitment to education, I feel, as I said, very much at home at IIT Bombay. The Institute’s global mission and long history of transformative education make this the ideal place to talk about the strong partnership between India and the United Nations. India was a founding member of the United Nations. The drafters of the UN Charter took great inspiration from Gandhi-ji’s message of peace, non-violence and tolerance. And thanks to an Indian woman, Hansa Mehta, Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the equality of women and men: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Human beings, some people thought that it should be all men, linking to the old traditions of the past. As a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77, India has always been a leading advocate for the concerns and aspirations of developing countries. India is also the biggest provider of military and police personnel to UN missions – including the first all-women UN police contingent to a peacekeeping mission. Over 200,000 Indian men and women have served in 49 peacekeeping missions since 1948. A remarkable contribution to peace in the world. As a member of the Security Council for the past two years, India has contributed significantly to promoting multilateral solutions and to address crises. We welcome India’s initiative on greater accountability for those who target peacekeepers. So, dear students, dear members of the faculty, our world today faces mounting global challenges. Countries still reeling from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are being battered by energy, food and cost-of-living crises, accelerated by the war in Ukraine. Old and new conflicts have displaced more than 100 million people all around the world. The devastating impact of climate disruption is more apparent by the month. You have felt this across India, from heatwaves in the grain-growing heartlands to flooding in the northeast and coastal states. Halfway to the finish line, some of the most fundamental Sustainable Development Goals have gone into reverse. Moving backwards, instead of moving ahead. More people today are hungry. More people are living in poverty than a few years ago. And today, I would like to focus on India’s unique opportunity to shape the global agenda, as a principal player and a model for others. As the home of one-sixth of humanity and the world’s largest generation of young people, India can make or break the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. India’s success in translating the Sustainable Development Goals into action will mean the difference between success and failure for up to half of the global Sustainable Development Goal targets – far more than any other country. India’s recent development journey is characterized by high-impact programmes delivered at scale. This includes the world’s largest food-based social protection scheme and the massive expansion of access to clean water and sanitation services. India’s whole-of-society approach to development combines old-fashioned community outreach with cutting-edge technology. Many of your most successful programmes are driven by world-class public digital infrastructure, which aligns more than one billion mobile internet users with financial inclusion initiatives, online health services and more. Indian women have played a central role in many of these initiatives, from health workers at community clinics, to scientific research and technology. And today the number of Indian women and men taking STEM degrees are nearly at parity. India’s digital health platform, CoWIN, hosted the world’s largest vaccination programme for COVID-19, delivering more than two billion doses. And the United Nations has accompanied India in all these development milestones, from the World Food Programme’s support for India’s Public Distribution System to the UN Development Programme’s partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. India also demonstrates a practical and generous approach to global solidarity and South-South cooperation. It was the first country to launch a single country South-South cooperation support framework, via the UN-India Development Framework Partnership. And indeed, our relationship with India on development is a two-way partnership. From your donations of medicines, equipment and vaccines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to your humanitarian assistance and development finance for Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, you are increasing your impact on the international stage, India is today, a partner of choice of the United Nations. India’s upcoming presidency of the G20 will be an important opportunity to bring the values and vision of the developing world to the top table of the global economy. There is an interesting coincidence. We have the presidency of Indonesia, followed by the presidency of India, followed by the presidency of Brazil, and followed by the presidency of South Africa. Which means that for the first time in history, four crucial developing countries will lead the G20. And it is an opportunity that cannot be missed, to make our international economic and financial relations, that are extremely unfair, there is an opportunity that we cannot miss, to deeply reform institutions, procedures, regulations and norms to make sure that we have a world economy for all, and not only a world economy for the rich. I welcome your declared aim of sharpening the G20 approach to the 2030 Agenda. Four successive G20 Presidencies by developing countries could be used to create the space for comprehensive strategies to address current global crises. And I count on India’s support in mobilizing G20 countries around debt relief. Many developing countries are at or near debt distress and require multilateral action, including the expansion and the extension of the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative. We live in a dramatic situation for developing countries. When COVID 19 emerged, there was a huge inequality in the world in relation to vaccines. But as important as the inequality in relation to vaccines, was the inequality in relation to the resources available for the economy. 16 trillion dollars in the world were mobilized for recovery, through direct financing by states to guarantees and other financial mechanisms. The United States and Europe have printed money. Now, of course, printing money is done in a very sophisticated way, through interventions of the Central Bank, through different kind of buying bonds. It is like in the past. Printing money. But most developing countries could not print money, because if they would print money their currencies would go down the drain. And so, the truth is, that the recovery from the pandemic, was largely concentrated, from a financial point of view, in the developed countries. Developing countries have received very little from the financial instruments of recovery. And the result, because of the direct impact in their societies and the need to support their people, was a dramatic increase in debt. And we have today, a large number of countries that are on the verge of collapse. And we do not have any effective instrument of debt relief in today’s world, especially for middle income countries that have been dramatically impacted. Imagine a Small Island Developing country, like countries in the Caribbean, in the Pacific or even in the Indian Ocean. That small island has 40 per cent of GDP from tourism. But for two years there were no tourists. That small island had to import fuel, food, and now, the price of fuel and food are skyrocketing. So that small island accumulated debt, but it is considered a middle-income country, so it has no access to any debt relief instrument and no access for concessional funding from international financial institutions. That is why I’ve said several times, the international finance system is morally bankrupt. It was devised by the rich, to serve the interests of the rich. This is the moment to change it. And that is why I encourage India’s engagement in deep reform of the global financial architecture, which, as I said, favors those that conceived it and is terribly detrimental to the interest of the developing countries, especially the least developed countries. Now, the climate crisis could be the greatest barrier to our collective development aspirations, and India is no exception. It is already a grave threat to India’s economy, agriculture and food sector, and to the health, lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. Record-breaking heat waves, droughts and floods in parts of India are causing havoc already. These are a foretaste of what is to come without much greater global climate action. Climate devastation is a reality at 1.2 degrees of warming. Now, current global commitments put us on track to more than double this level. And let us not forget. G20 countries are responsible for 80 per cent of global emissions. And they must take the lead in cutting greenhouse gases. It is important to fully recognize the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the respective capacities in light of national circumstances. This is the sentence that resulted in a compromise in the Paris Agreement to take into account that the effort that it is required to developed countries must be bigger than the effort that is required to developing countries. Even if all must contribute to all objectives. Now, while we fully recognize this principle, the truth is that I’ve also asked the emerging economies to take an extra step to close the so-called mitigation gap. But they can only do this with the financial and technical support of developed countries. This is the moment in which we will be defeated by climate change forever, if there is not a historical pact between developed countries and emerging countries. Of course, Small Island Developing States do not contribute much to climate change, most African countries do no contribute much to climate change. But today, thanks to the development of countries like India, or China, or Indonesia, there is a contribution also from emerging economies. But it is clear that those emerging economies can’t go as fast as developed economies because of their industrial structure, their agricultural structure, and because, in the past they have contributed much less to climate change. So we need a historical pact in which developed countries strongly support with financial and technical resources emerging economies, to allow for combined efforts of the two, with extra requirements from developed countries to allow us to defeat climate change, and to keep the temperature under control if possible, and I would say, it is necessary at 1.5 degrees. Now, this is why I have called for coalitions of support around countries, I did it in Glasgow at COP26, namely India, with ambitious plans to accelerate the deployment of renewables. And I therefore welcome the establishment of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships. Such partnerships can help emerging economies to accelerate the deployment of renewables, through a closely coordinated process that is nationally owned. And above all, a just energy transition will benefit millions of Indians and other peoples who suffer the triple impact of pollution, energy poverty and the climate crisis. I welcome India’s leadership in converting domestic climate action into international collaboration, through the International Solar Alliance and the International Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. The United Nations and I have a very clear perspective: we need a renewables revolution, but that renewables revolution will only be possible with the effective solidarity of the developed world with developing countries that are also needed in this revolution. Also to the benefit of their own populations. Critical renewables technologies such as battery storage should be treated as global public goods. I had the opportunity to see a very interesting development just a few minutes ago. So, we need to diversify supply chains and manufacturing capacity. And we must reduce the cost of capital for renewable energy investments in the developing world. One of the problems we have today is that it's much cheaper to produce electricity with solar or wind than with coal or gas. But the cost of electricity produced by solar or wind is essentially the investment cost, and the cost of electricity produced by gas or coal is the running cost of burning those fuels. And today we have a dramatic situation. Already 20 countries are paying interest rates ten points above the American Treasury bills. So the only way to allow for a renewables revolution in the developing countries is reducing the cost of capital in developing countries. And for that, there must be a concerted effort, namely making the multilateral development institutions – the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the IMF – understand that beyond the loans that they can provide, they need to be able to leverage some guarantees. Through first the risk takers, to leverage massive doses of private finance to allow to reduce the cost of capital in the developing world, for the developing world to be able to do the just transition that is necessary for their economies. I urge India to become a global superpower in renewables technology, and a manufacturing hub to fuel this revolution around the world. And I've seen through the examples that were shown for me that you will have the capacity to do so. And I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi and the Indian government to drive this agenda forward. And I will continue to urge developed countries who bear a historic responsibility to provide the necessary finance in adequate conditions to the developing world. The Lifestyle for Environment initiative that Prime Minister Modi will launch – I will be there tomorrow – seeks to create a self-reliant model that transforms consumption habits for the benefit of all – in India and around the world. I can see here today that India’s research and innovation ecosystem is strong and vibrant. And if I may be allowed to address the students in the hall: I urge you to use your considerable talents to tackle the planetary emergency we face. To develop renewable technology; to find new solutions to pollution and to biodiversity loss. Naturally, I respectfully urge you not to work for those who are wrecking our climate. I’ve been saying that to university students all around the world. Don’t look only at your future goal, look at the contribution of the countries or entities for which you work, to have a better world, a more sustainable and inclusive world. And you will feel much happier afterwards. There are unfortunately a number of people in the world that still have only one objective, one day be the richest person in the cemetery. That doesn’t bring happiness. Now, COP27 in Cairo will demand strong leadership from India, as we accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement. I count on India to participate at the highest level, and to deliver a balanced outcome that recognizes the importance of adaptation, mitigation and finance. We also need to make serious progress on loss and damage in Cairo. Loss and damage will be crucial to establish trust between developing countries and developed countries. And loss and damage is, first of all, the recognition that it exists. And the second, the assumption of responsibilities to be able to address the needs that it generates. And that is why adaptation is so important and funding to adaptation is so important. If you have a flood and you have a road at the level of the ground, the road will disappear. If you have a road system that is higher, the road will not disappear. If you have mangroves all around your coastal areas which are more vulnerable, the coastal areas will resist. If the mangroves have been wiped out, the coastal areas will not resist. And all that requires huge investment. And that investment needs to be financed through international cooperation. And the recognition of loss and damage might be a very important instrument to do so. As climate impacts grow, we must scale up financing for loss and damage to support the world’s most vulnerable people, communities and nations. On this global challenge, all countries have to move together. We need an honest conversation around rights and responsibilities. It is clear that countries that had no part in creating this crisis cannot continue to pay the highest price for it. India has been a global leader from the moment of its birth. Your non-violent independence movement encouraged anticolonial struggles around the world. Your victory was a catalyst that helped to end the long epoch of European imperialism everywhere. As an elected member of the Human Rights Council, India has a responsibility to shape global human rights, and to protect and promote the rights of all individuals, including members of minority communities. India’s voice on the global stage can only gain in authority and credibility from a strong commitment to inclusivity and respect for human rights at home. The Indian model of plurality is based on a simple but profound understanding: diversity is a richness that makes your country stronger. The understanding is the birthright of every Indian, but it is not a guarantee. It must be nurtured, strengthened and renewed every day in this and every other society. By practicing the values of Gandhi. By securing and upholding the rights and dignity of all people — especially the most vulnerable. By taking concrete action for inclusion, recognizing the enormous value and contributions of multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic societies. By condemning hate speech unequivocally. By protecting the rights and freedoms of journalists, human rights activists, students and academics. And by ensuring the continued independence of India’s judiciary. This is the India that the world has celebrated. I urge Indians to be vigilant and to increase your investments in and inclusive, pluralistic, diverse community and society. In India, as across the world, much more needs to be done to advance gender equality and women’s rights. This is a moral imperative, and a multiplier for prosperity and sustainability. No society can reach its full potential without equal rights and freedoms for women, men, girls and boys. India is at a decisive moment. You have an unprecedented opportunity to speak up for the Global South and to lead by example, as a model of resilience and an advocate for sustainable development, global financial reform, and climate justice. The decisions you make today and the path you chart over the next 18 months could have a global resonance for decades to come. I urge India to continue speaking up for peace; to expand its global leadership; to align its development and its foreign policy with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement; to find innovative solutions to today’s global crises. As your first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, said at the dawn of Independence 75 years ago: “Our dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart.” Across the United Nations system, at the global level, through the UN Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team of Agencies, Funds and Programmes, we are proud to be your committed partners. Let’s work together for the next 75 years to create a more peaceful, just, sustainable and inclusive world for all. And I trust that India will be the fundamental contribution for that to be possible. Thank you.

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Press Release

21 September 2022

UNESCO launches 2022 State of the Education Report for India: Artificial Intelligence in Education

This publication is the annual flagship report of the UNESCO New Delhi Office and is based on extensive research. This fourth edition of the State of Education Report provides an introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to demystify a subject that has endured various misconceptions. This is supplemented by an overview of challenges and opportunities in the Indian education sector that Artificial Intelligence can address. Today, improving the quality of education and the learning outcomes of students are the utmost priorities of all countries. India has made significant strides in its education system and strong indicators point to the country’s notable efforts to enhance learning outcomes, including by using Artificial Intelligence-powered education technology. Eric Falt, Director, UNESCO New Delhi The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) is really pleased to note that UNESCO has dedicated the theme of its 2022 ‘State of the Education Report for India’ to Artificial Intelligence in Education. We believe that this report is timely, as it can contribute towards transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy and make Digital India, a reality. Dr. Rajendra Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology It is reported that the AI market in India is expected to reach US$7.8 billion by 2025 at the rate of 20.2 per cent compound annual growth. To align India’s curriculum to the 21st century and to prepare the students for the AI economy, India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 lays profound emphasis on the need to impart the necessary technical knowledge at all levels of education. It emphasizes the integration of AI in Education to also promote quality and skill-based education. With this Report, UNESCO offers a glimpse of the varied dimensions and suggestions for future uses of Artificial Intelligence in the school setting. We hope this publication will serve as a useful reference tool for enhancing and influencing programmes and policies related to technology and, in particular to Artificial Intelligence; while at the same time, never losing the focus that all technology should be human-centered and benefit the greater interest of humanity. In line with the national vision of Digital India, the report concludes with a set of ten action-oriented recommendations that we hope will catalyze India’s transformational journey through technological education and advanced tech-driven solutions in the educational processes. The ten recommendations are: Consider the ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Education as an utmost priority Rapidly provide an overall regulatory framework for Artificial Intelligence in Education Create effective public-private partnerships Ensure that all students and teachers have access to the latest technology Expand AI literacy efforts Attempt to correct algorithmic biases and the resulting discrimination Improve public trust in Artificial Intelligence Request the private sector to better involve students and educationists in developing AI products Place ownership of data with the students Embrace the versatility of Artificial Intelligence in Education systems The substance of the Report has been developed by an expert team of researchers under the guidance of the UNESCO New Delhi Office. The Office extends its gratitude to Intel India and Vantage for their timely support and cooperation. To illustrate the report, the following audio-visual package is also available free of copyright: 1. Words from the Author 2. Thematic videos: Creating effective public-private partnerships Ensuring that all students have access to Artificial Intelligence Correcting algorithmic biases and the resulting discrimination Improving public trust in Artificial Intelligence AI projects by Students _________________ Note to the Editors
UNESCO’s mandate calls inherently for a human-centred approach to AI. UNESCO has developed within the framework of the Beijing Consensus a publication aimed at fostering the readiness of education policy-makers in artificial intelligence. This publication, Artificial Intelligence and Education: Guidance for Policy-makers, will be of interest to practitioners and professionals in the policy-making and education communities.

The Artificial Intelligence and the Futures of Learning project builds on the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence that was adopted at the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference. Previous editions
•   N for Nose: State of the Education Report for India, 2019
•   Vocational Education First: State of the Education Report for India, 2020
•    No Teacher, No Class: State of the Education Report for India, 2021 About UNESCO
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. In this spirit, UNESCO develops educational tools to help people live as global citizens free of hate and intolerance. UNESCO works so that each child and citizen has access to quality education. By promoting cultural heritage and the equal dignity of all cultures, UNESCO strengthens bonds among nations. UNESCO fosters scientific programmes and policies as platforms for development and cooperation. UNESCO stands up for freedom of expression, as a fundamental right and a key condition for democracy and development. Serving as a laboratory of ideas, UNESCO helps countries adopt international standards and manages programmes that foster the free flow of ideas and knowledge sharing. Follow UNESCO New Delhi on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram For more information, please contact: Joyce Poan, Programme Specialist and Chief of Education
E-mail: j.poan@unesco.org(link sends e-mail) Rekha Beri, Information Officer
E-mail: r.beri@unesco.org(link sends e-mail)

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Press Release

09 September 2022

Mr. Volker Türk of Austria as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Volker Türk of Austria as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, following approval by the General Assembly. He will succeed Michelle Bachelet of Chile, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her commitment and dedicated service to the United Nations. Mr. Türk has devoted his long and distinguished career to advancing universal human rights, notably the international protection of some of the world’s most vulnerable people - refugees and stateless persons. He is currently Under-Secretary-General for Policy in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General where he coordinates global policy work. He also ensures UN system- wide coordination in the follow-up to the Secretary-General’s “Call to Action for Human Rights” and his report, Our Common Agenda, which sets out a vision to tackle the world’s interconnected challenges on foundations of trust, solidarity and human rights. He previously served as Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (2019-2021). Assistant High Commissioner for Protection in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva (2015-2019), Mr. Türk played a key role in the development of the landmark Global Compact on Refugees. Over the course of his career, he held a number of key positions including at UNHCR headquarters where he served as Director of the Division of International Protection (2009-2015); Director of Organizational Development and Management (2008-2009); and Chief of Section, Protection Policy and Legal Advice (2000-2004). Mr. Türk also served UNHCR around the world, including as Representative in Malaysia; Assistant Chief of Mission in Kosovo and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, respectively; Regional Protection Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and in Kuwait. Mr. Türk holds a doctorate in international law from the University of Vienna and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Linz, Austria. He has published widely on international refugee law and international human rights law. He is fluent in English, French and German and has a working knowledge of Spanish.

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