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Augustinians Support United Nations Day

‘Global Partnership for Development’ is Theme

October 24, 2009

Augustinians of the Midwest are encouraged to mark United Nations Day, October 24, 2009, in their communities and ministries. The Augustinians invite and encourage all who identify with Augustinian spirituality and traditions to do likewise.

U. N. Day Theme for 2009

The theme for the 2009 observance is Global Partnership for Development. This theme speaks to Millennium Development Goal No. 8 (Opens new window): Develop a Global Parthership.

Poor countries are primarily responsible for attaining the Millennium Development Goals, the U. N. Millennium Campaign said. Poor countries must be accountable to their citizens and efficient in their use of resources. “But for poor countries to achieve the first seven Goals, it is absolutely critical that rich countries deliver on their end of the bargain with more and more effective aid, more sustainable debt relief and fairer trade rules,” the Millennium Campaign noted.

The U. N. has set several targets to facilitate a global partnership for development. They include

• Further develop an open trading and financial system which is rule-based, predictable and non-discriminatory

• Address special needs of developing countries, including tariff-free and quota-free access for exports, national and international measures to make debts of heavily indebted poor countries sustainable in the long run, and development assistance for countries committed to reducing poverty

• Develop decent and productive work for young people

• In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries

• In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies-especially information and communications technologies

This year's U.N. Day theme encourages us to learn, discuss and act to support policies and initiatives which will facilitate the development of global partnerships and promote a peaceful world for the mutual benefit of all nations.

History of U. N. Day

October 24, 2009 is the 64th birthday of the United Nations. Delegates from 50 of the world's countries, large and small, strong and weak, and in different stages of political and social development, worked together to develop the U. N. Charter. They envisioned an organization which would preserve peace, advance justice and be a permanent structure for international cooperation.

Most of those 50 countries had ratified the Charter by October 24, 1945. In a ceremony on that date, the new organization offically came into being. Two years later the U. N. General Assembly designated each October 24 as United Nations Day. The General Assembly asked that this observance be “devoted to making known to the people of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations, and to gaining their support for the work of the United Nations.”

Although not all of the hopes and dreams of the organization's founders have been fully realized, the U. N. has done much to bring together the peoples of the world to work for the elimination of disease, for access to education for children and an improved rate of literacy for adults, for human rights, and for a more just society.

Augustinian N.G.O.

The Augustinian Order is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (N.G.O.) at the U. N. The Augustinian presence at the U. N. is an instrument for implementing in the international forum the values of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the traditional social teaching of the Catholic Church.

The U. N., the planet's only universal organization, provides a forum for addressing global issues that require global responses: public health, climate change and biodiversity, terrorism, traffic in drugs and arms, human rights, strengthening the family, etc.

In September, 2000, every country belonging to the U.N. (189 in 2000, 191 in 2004) pledged to work towards attaining eight goals focusing on various aspects of global development. Known as the Millennium Development Goals (Opens new window), they are a guide to all nations in moving toward bettering the lives of every citizen of the world by 2015.

The Augustinians of the Midwest encourage you to observe United Nations Day by learning more about the Millennium Development Goals (Opens new window) and by supporting policies and actions that will help our world to attain them.

United Nations Day Prayer

       » United Nations Day Prayer Service
             Suggested Augustinian prayers from International Justice and Peace Secretariate, Rome

Additional Information

       » United Nations Day 2009 (Opens new window)
             Information from the United Nations Association of the U.S.A.

       » 24 October: United Nations Day (Opens new window)
             Briefing Paper: What is U.N. Day, Why observe it, How you can celebrate it

       » Strengthening the Global Partnership for Development in a Time of Crisis (Opens new window)
             Millennium Development Goal Gap Task Force Report 2009
                         (.pdf file - Adobe Reader required - Get Adobe Reader

       » Millennium Development Goal 8: Global Partnership (Opens new window)
             Facts from the U.N. Millennium Campaign

       » Millennium Development Goals (Opens new window)
             Goals the world community is committed to attain by 2015

Other UN Days Reflect Christian Values

      » Augustinians Support International Days
             Seven U.N. Days reflect Catholic Christian values

U. N. photo courtesy of the United Nations (Opens new window)