jeudi 26 octobre 2017

Drylands to Green Landscapes:Gva 31.10.2017

INVITATION - UN Library Geneva - Special Event - From Degraded Drylands to Green Landscapes: What is in Land Restoration for Youth and Sustainable Peace ? - 31 October 2017, 12.30 p.m. ? 2.00 p.m.

mardi 3 octobre 2017

Le Qatar & liberté d’expression

Le Qatar défend la liberté d’expression

Dr. Mubarak K. Al-HajriAmbassadeur de l’Etat du Qatar auprès de la Confédération suisse02.10.2017

Depuis longtemps, chaque fois que les peuples de la région des pays arabes, et en particulier du Conseil de la coopération du Golfe, réclament à leurs régimes des droits politiques, ces derniers n’hésitent pas à apporter des réponses répressives à ces réclamations. La récente crise liée au blocus imposé au Qatar par quatre pays est assez significative à cet égard.

Nous ne prétendons pas qu’au Qatar, nous sommes à l’abri de la critique. Cependant, il serait injuste de mettre le Qatar dans le même panier que les pays qui lui ont imposé le blocus. Le Qatar les devance tous en effet en termes d’indicateurs de développement dans maints domaines, comme le témoignent les chiffres cités par plusieurs organisations internationales.

Nous prenons à titre d’exemple la liberté d’expression; nous n’avons aucun prisonnier politique et les autorités de mon pays n’exercent aucune politique de bâillonnement d’opinion, contrairement à ce qui se passe envers les peuples des pays imposant le blocus, où on aura de la peine à compter le nombre exact de prisonniers politiques qui croupissent dans leurs prisons. L’Arabie saoudite en est l’exemple par excellence. Les Emirats arabes unis ne manquent pas non plus de prisonniers politiques. Ces graves abus ont été également commis par les Emirats arabes unis contre des citoyens yéménites, de par leur implication dans la guerre: la découverte récente faite par des organisations internationales quant à l’existence de prisons secrètes construites par ce pays au Yémen en est la preuve irréfutable. Bahreïn fait lui aussi l’objet de critiques dans le domaine des droits de l’homme. Les rapports des organisations internationales abondent à Genève, attestant de l’ampleur des violations des droits politiques commises contre ses propres citoyens.

Quant à l’Egypte, un des pays associés au blocus imposé à mon pays, il est considéré comme un des pires régimes violant les droits de l’homme au monde, et cela n’étonne personne de par sa nature militaire, à l’instar de tout régime identique ou paramilitaire au monde: ses prisons sont remplies de prisonniers condamnés par voie extrajudiciaire, certains ont même été innocentés après leur mort.

Si j’insiste sur les violations des droits de l’homme les plus élémentaires, à savoir la liberté d’expression, c’est que ce droit est le plus mis en cause par les régimes imposant le blocus. Indubitablement, cela met en évidence la crainte desdits pays de voir leurs propres citoyens menacer ou ébranler leur autorité.

Pour sa part, le Qatar a fait preuve d’une attitude digne dans le traitement de cette crise: il n’a décrété aucune peine, n’a empêché personne de s’exprimer librement et n’a refoulé aucun citoyen des pays concernés de son territoire, contrairement à ce qu’ont fait ces pays à l’égard des Qatariens, étudiants ou malades en traitement ou même des simples visiteurs.

Les pays qui ont imposé le blocus se trouvent aujourd’hui dans l’impasse sur le plan de la politique intérieure et extérieure. En plus du bourbier de la guerre où ils se sont enlisés au Yémen, ils font fausse route en appuyant le référendum de séparation du Kurdistan de l’Irak en vengeance de ce dernier et de la Turquie.

Vouloir jouer cette carte ne sera pas dans leur intérêt et, surtout, cela prouve encore un manque évident de vision et une superficialité de ceux qui gouvernent. (TDG)

Créé: 02.10.2017, 18h33

mardi 26 septembre 2017

INVITATION: Gandhi in the 21st Century ? 02 October

INVITATION - UN Library Geneva - Book Launch - Gandhi in the 21st Century ? 02 October 2017, 4.30 p.m. ? 6.00 p.m.

lundi 24 juillet 2017

Freedom of Expression: Facing Up to the Threat of a War

Are journalists really free or bought by big groups ?

The National Human Rights Committee of the State of Qatar in cooperation with the International Federation for the Protection of Journalists and the International Press Institute has organized an international conference on “Freedom of Expression: Facing Up to the Threat ” in Doha from 24 to 25 July 2017.

The Conference is discussing how to:

Address the enforcement of international human rights law, instruments and procedures with regards to freedom of opinion and expression and access to information;
Address the problems and challenges to international human rights law in connection with modern communication technology;
Protect and support journalists and promote pluralistic, independent and free media;
Enhance the protection of journalists in hostile zones and conflict areas and end impunity for crimes against journalists;
Raise up to ethical challenges, in particular threats posed by the resurgence of racism as well as cultural and religious conflicts, and rekindle a positive ethic for the profession.

MM Benoît Ouellet and François de Siebenthal has been interwied by various TV and will pass soon at the news in many countries, in French or in English, not. in Algeria, Soudan, Iran and Quatar.

They are working for the newspaper "www.Versdemain.org " and the institution " Louis Even" based in Canada since 1939.

This newspaper is published in 4 languages, ( French, English, Spanish and Polish )

and has more than 50'000 paying subscribers all over the world and millions of people connected in a way or an other.

jeudi 20 juillet 2017

Invitation to Quatar. Freedom of opinion ...

Doha . Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29419999

By Francisco Anzola - Doha skyline in the morning, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32181989

Wars or peace ?

Threats to freedom of opinion !

Invitation to “The International Conference on confronting threats to freedom of opinion and expression and access to information

CONFERENCE ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: FACING UP TO THE THREAT

DOHA 24 JULY-25 JULY 2017

TIME	DESCRIPTION
Day One MONDAY 24 JULY
8:00-9:00	Registration of participants
OPNENING SESSION
9.00 –10.00	Opening session
9.00 –10.00	Dr. Ali Bin Samikh Al Marri , President of National Human Rights Committee ( HNRC ) Mr. Mohammad Ali Al-Nusur, Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) Mr.Younes M' Jahed, Senior Vice-President of International Federation of Journalists ( IFJ ) Mr. John Yearwood, President of International Press Institute ( IPI ) Mr.Giacomo Mezzone , European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
10:00-10:30	Coffee Break
10.30 – 12:30	Plenary: Freedom of Expression: Facing Up to the Threat
10.30 – 12:30	Chair: Jim Boumelha, International Federation of Journalists Imen Ladjimi, Article 19 Tim Dawson, National Union of Journalists, UK and Ireland Elena Chernievska, Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Representative on Freedom of the Media Daoud Kuttab, Community Media Network, Jordan Dominique Pradalie, Senior journalist, formerly of France Television
12:30-14:00	Lunch

WORK SESSIONS
14:00 – 15:30	Work session (1): MEDIA FREEDOM, INTERNET UNIVERSALITY Legal and regulatory ecology	Work session (2): MEDIA FREEDOM AND JOURNALISTS’ RIGHTS For a pluralistic, independent and free media
	Chair: ……. Luckson Chipare ,Media Institute South Africa Rodney Dixon, Temple Gaedens Chamber, UK Prof. Curtis F. J. Doebler, University of Makeni, USA Jim Killock, Open rights, UK	Chair: Seamus Dooley, Acting General Secretary NUJ Ireland Larry Goldbetter ,National Writers Union, USA Kathy Kiely, Nationa Press Club Journalism Institute, Washington Melody Patry ,Index on Censorship Dr. Mostefa Souag, Acting Director General of Al jazeera Mr. Jaber Bin Shafaa, Doha Center for Media Freedom
15:30-16:00	Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:30	Work session (3): MEDIA AND WAR Protecting journalists on the frontline	Panel Session (4): ETHICS IN THE NEWS Facing up to rights and wrongs
	Chair: Marius Lukosiunas, UNESCO Dr Carmen Draghici ,City Univessity, London Zuliana Lainez ,Federation of Journalists of Latin America John Yearwood, International Press Institute Al Sadiq Al-Rezaigi, Sudanese Journalists Union Haydee Dijkstal, Lawyer at International Criminal Court	Chair: Moubia Belafia, france 24 Prof. Chris Frost ,Liverpool James Moores University Prof. J. Fernandez ,Curtis University, Western Australia Mr.Tom Law, Ethical Journalism Initiative Prof. Khaled Hroub, Northwestern University, Qatar

19:00	Dinner
Day Two Tuesday 25 July
9.00 – 11:00	Plenary: THE FIGHT GOES ON FOR GLOBAL MEDIA FREEDOM
9.00 – 11:00	Chair:…….. James Tager, PEN America Yolanda Qintana, Platforma de defensa de la libertad de informacion PDLI, Spain Barbie Zelizer, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania; James Cusick, Editor Open Media,UK Beth Costa,
11:00-11:30	Coffee Break
11:30 – 12.00	Report back from work sessions
12:00 – 13:00	Conclusions

International Conference on “Freedom of Expression: Facing Up to the Threat” 24- 25 July 2017 Ritz Carlton Hotel Doha, Qatar Freedom of opinion and expression, and its corollaries press freedom and freedom of information, are considered as cornerstones for the promotion of international peace and security for every democratic and free society. They are also considered as indispensable for the development of individuals and the consolidation of the principles of transparency and accountability, which in turn are essential for the promotion and protection of all human rights. They also constitute the fundamental basis for the full enjoyment of a wide range of other human rights, including the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and the right to participate in public affairs. Exchanging information and opinions freely is essential for the development of societies. Pluralistic, uncensored, unobstructed and free media that are able to comment on public issues and inform public opinion without censorship or restraint are indispensable in any society. The public also has the right, in return, to receive what the media produces. Many United Nations bodies have repeatedly stressed that freedom of opinion and expression are the cornerstones of a democratic society and prerequisites for progress and development. Free media help build inclusive societies and democracy of knowledge, and promote intercultural dialogue, peace and good governance. UN bodies also call on States to pay particular attention to the promotion of independent and pluralistic media, and emphasize that the rights that people have offline must also be protected online, particularly with regards to freedom of expression. International and regional human rights mechanisms also make it clear that freedom of opinion and expression are the basis for participation in public affairs, accountability, sustainable development, human development and the exercise of all other rights. The right to freedom of expression enables vibrant, multi-faceted public interest debates giving voice to different perspectives and viewpoints, while ensuring a respectful and enabling environment for dialogue and discussion, stimulating exchange and examination of opinions and developing critical thinking. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both assert the right of everyone to hold opinions, without interference, and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers and by any means, including any technical mode. The ICCPR, which is of pivotal importance to human rights law, provides the main legal standard for the vast majority of the principles and guarantees relating to freedom of opinion and expression. It provides that any form of effort to coerce the holding or not holding of any opinion and to punish, harass, or intimidate individuals due to their opinions is prohibited. Freedom of opinion may not be restricted even in time of public emergency. According to the ICCPR, no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights, freedoms and reputations of others. The restrictions on freedom of expression should be clearly defined, and moreover, should reflect an urgent need and should be the least restrictive of freedoms of expression. They should be justified on the basis of the interests to be protected and applied in the narrowest possible manner. There should also be no excessive restrictions on access to information. Otherwise, States must prohibit by law any propaganda for war or any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. States imposing restrictions on freedom of expression shall be responsible for their compliance with the above-mentioned requirements and other conditions guaranteed by international human rights law. Although the constitutions of the major countries of the world and, many national legislations, call for freedom of opinion and expression, this is not always clearly reflected on the ground. In recent years, freedom of expression has been further restricted in many countries in different regions of the world, and journalists have been increasingly subjected to abuses, including searches, confiscation, expulsion, threats, abduction, arbitrary detention, forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, imprisonment and torture. These measures and other acts violate not only the right of journalists to freedom of expression and freedom of the press, but also the public's right to know. Some countries justify their restrictions on freedom of expression with reference, for instance, to the ‘war on terror’, or the outbreak of armed conflict or political disagreements. In doing so they violate the principles guaranteed in international human rights law, which is considered in some cases as a backlash against respect for human rights in those States, and have been condemned by many human rights commissions and organizations. While modern technologies, including digital broadcasting, mobile phones, the Internet and social networks, enable an environment that supports freedom of expression and the right to access and exchange information, they also constitute major challenges to governments' ability to impose restrictions on freedom of expression and exchange of information. However, these technologies are also used by some States and non-State actors to broadcast false news and information to mislead the public in a way that violates human rights by impacting on their right to know, receive and share information. They are also used to incite to hatred, discrimination, racism and violence, and even as platforms for supporting terrorism. These technologies have also created other challenges, such as cybercrime and new patterns of transnational crime. The challenges to freedom of expression and exchange/access to information that have accompanied the rapid spread of modern technologies can be addressed. These challenges have been the subject of many studies, declarations and reports prepared by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the OSCE representative on freedom of information, the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights and Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as in numerous initiatives by international, regional and national civil society organizations. However, some States have used these challenges as an excuse and cover for justifying imposing restrictions in violation of the requirements of international human rights law, the right to freedom of expression and the right to access and exchange information. This has been criticized by United Nations human rights bodies as well as many international and regional human rights commissions and organizations. In an effort to address these challenges the National Human Rights Committee of the State of Qatar in cooperation with the International Federation for the Protection of Journalists and the International Press Institute are pleased to invite you to an international conference on “Freedom of Expression: Facing Up to the Threat " in Doha from 24 to 25 July 2017. The Conference will discuss how to: • Address the enforcement of international human rights law, instruments and procedures with regards to freedom of opinion and expression and access to information; • Address the problems and challenges to international human rights law in connection with modern communication technology; • Protect and support journalists and promote pluralistic, independent and free media; • Enhance the protection of journalists in hostile zones and conflict areas and end impunity for crimes against journalists; • Raise up to ethical challenges, in particular threats posed by the resurgence of racism as well as cultural and religious conflicts, and rekindle a positive ethic for the profession.

mardi 11 juillet 2017

Transcending conflict through song: The #YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus

The United Nations Library at Geneva is pleased to invite you to its event «Transcending conflict through song: The #YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus», a musical dialogue on the empowerment of young #singers to become #peace leaders in their communities.

= DATE AND VENUE =
Wednesday, 12 July 2017, 12h30-13h30. Hall XIV, A Building, Palais des Nations, Geneva.

= REGISTRATION =
Interested participants are invited to register on-line before 12 July 2017 at: reg.unog.ch/event/21190.

#LibraryEvents — #Music — The YMCA Jerusalem Youth Chorus — #Youth

jeudi 18 mai 2017

Invitation - UN - SDG 3 and Senior Citizens:- 23 May 2017

Invitation - UN Library Talks Geneva

- SDG 3 and Senior Citizens: ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages

- 23 May 2017,

4 p.m.- 5:30 p.m.

Vous devez ouvrir un compte et vous inscrire en deux étapes complètes, merci.

https://reg.unog.ch/user/register

IMPORTANT

For those without a UNOG badge, registration for this event is obligatory.
Interested participants are invited to register on-line before 23 May 2017.

The Library also manages UNOG’s Cultural Activities Programme. Learn more
Contact us

UNOG’s Cultural Activities Programme
libraryculture@unog.ch
+41 (0)22 917 41 43

mercredi 17 mai 2017

Ministres de Macron ?

COMPOSITION DU GOUVERNEMENT - Nicolas Hulot et François Bayrou sont nommés ministres d'Etat. Bruno Le Maire a accepté un poste important. Voici la liste des ministres du gouvernement Macron / Philippe.

L'ESSENTIEL - La liste des ministres vient d'être donnée. Voici les premiers noms : Gérard Collomb est nommé ministre de l'Intérieur. Nicolas Hulot est nommé ministre d'Etat, ministre de l'Ecologie, François Bayrou est nommé ministre d'Etat, garde des Sceaux, Bruno Le Maire, ministre de l'Economie. Sylvie Goulard est nommée ministre des Armées, Jean-Yves Le Drian ministre de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères, Richard Ferrand ministre de la Cohésion des territoires, Agnes Buzyn ministre des Solidarites et de la Sante, Francoise Nyssen ministre de la Culture. Murielle Pénicaud ministre du Travail, Jean-Michel Blanquer ministre de l’Education nationale, Jacques Muzard ministre de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation, Gérald Darmanin ministre de l’Action et des Comptes publics, Fredérique Vidal ministre de l’Enseignement sur de la Recherche et l’innovation, Annick Girardin ministre de l’Outre-mer. Laura Flessel ministre des Sports, Elizabeth Borne ministre chargée des Transports. Marielle de Sarnez est ministre chargée des affaires européennes. Les secrétaires d'Etat : Christophe Castaner est nommé porte-parole du gouvernement chargé des relations avec le Parlement, Marlène Schiappa est chargée de l'égalité des femmes et des hommes, Sophie Cluzel est chargée des personnes handicapées, Mounir Mahjoubi est chargé du numérique.

Comme l' avait prévenu François Baroin, les trois membres du parti des Républicains nommés ci-dessus en ont été exclus ...

Corps consulaire et diplomatique