DYB2011-Part-II-web

Related issues, including information and outreach
The 10th United Nations–Republic of Korea Joint Conference on
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues took place in Jeju Island, Republic
of Korea, from 7 to 8 November. The participants examined both setbacks
and progress in the past decade, as well as future challenges and the expected
outcome of the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. Some 80 representatives
from Governments, academic institutions, industry and civil society attended
and the United Nations Secretary-General sent a video message emphasizing
his commitment for a world free of nuclear weapons.
The United Nations regional workshop for East and South-East Asia
entitled “Strengthening the Capacity of the Media in Advocating and
Promoting Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific” was held in
Beijing from 20 to 21 January. It was organized by UNODA and supported
by the Government of China and the China Arms Control and Disarmament
Association. Over 50 participants including senior media staff from 11 East
and South-East Asian Member States as well as disarmament experts from
think-tanks and representatives of international organizations took part in
the workshop, which provided a unique occasion for interactive discussions
on disarmament topics, and for empowering the role of regional media in
promoting disarmament.
In 2011, a month-long social media Poetry for Peace contest90 took
place. The public was invited to hear the living testimonies of atomic bomb
survivors, called hibakusha, and to respond to their stories in verse. People
were also encouraged to “like” the poems that most touched them. Some of
the poems echoed the pain of the victims, while others called for nuclear
disarmament and almost all pleaded for peace. The finalists were narrowed
down to three winners, who were announced on 25 October at a ceremony in
New York.
The Permanent Representative of Japan, the Under Secretary-General
for Public Information, and the Deputy to the High Representative for
Disarmament Affairs spoke at the ceremony. In addition, Monique Coleman,
singer-actress and United Nations Youth Champion, also addressed the event.
A number of New York City schoolchildren listened to and engaged with two
hibakusha, who were also appointed by the Government of Japan as Special
Communicators for a World without Nuclear Weapons.
The Poetry for Peace contest website91 had more than 150,000 page
views from visitors in 169 countries. A total of 741 poems were accepted for
submission.
The three UNODA regional centres for peace and disarmament held
numerous conferences, panel discussions and other information and outreach
activities in their respective regions (see chap. IV for details).
90 More information is available from http://www.un.org/disarmament/special/poetryforpeace/.
91 Ibid.
185