Tomorrow, Mayor Jackie Biskupski will issue a Proclamation declaring October 24th as “United Nations Day in Salt Lake City.” UN Day marks the anniversary of the enactment of the UN Charter in 1945. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
Mayor Biskupski will present the Proclamation to Felipe Queipo, a member of the United Nation’s Department of Public Information (DPI), who will be in town to discuss Salt Lake City’s role as host of the 2019 United Nations Department of Public Information NGO (UN DPI/NGO) Conference on August 27-29, 2019.
In August, Mayor Jackie Biskupski led a delegation from Utah to United Nations Headquarters in New York to announce that Salt Lake City had been selected as host of the 68th UN DPI/NGO Conference in 2019. The annual conference attracts 2,000-4,000 representatives from over 300 non-governmental organizations representing more than 80 countries. Each Conference focuses on a different UN topic of interest related to the work of civil society and NGOs.
The Conference is traditionally held at UN Headquarters, but has recently been hosted by global cities, including Melbourne, Australia; Paris; Mexico City; and Bonn, Germany. The 2019 Conference in Salt Lake City will be the first time the event is held in the United States outside of New York.
“I can think of no better time and no better place than Salt Lake City, for the United Nations and the world’s NGOs to expand awareness in this country of sustainable development goals and the value of global unity,” said Mayor Biskupski. “United Nations Day offers Salt Lake City residents the opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to advancing our shared goals of hope, unity, and equity, while we prepare to welcome the world to our City in 2019.”
The effort to bring the UN DPI/NGO Conference to Utah began with the Office for Global Engagement at Utah Valley University. In November 2017, UVU was granted affiliate membership status with the UN Department of Public Information and works to educate the campus and larger community on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Earlier this year Baldomero S. Lago, Chief International Officer for UVU, approached Mayor Biskupski about the possibility of hosting the Conference.
“I knew the United Nations was interested in having the Conference somewhere in the U.S. and with UVU’s new status I thought Utah would be the perfect place,” said Lago. “Given Salt Lake City’s mission of building a sustainable and resilient city, it made perfect sense to approach the City to help make this dream a reality.”
On Saturday, October 27th, UVU’s Office of Global Engagement will be hosting a conference entitled “Working Together, Making a Difference.” The purpose of the gathering is to bring together key stakeholders, including UVU, LDS Charities, Choice Humanitarian, Engaged Now Africa, and the United Nations Department of Public Information in advance of the 2019 conference in Salt Lake City.
October 24th has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly recommended that the day be observed by Member States as a public holiday.
United Nations Day Proclamation reading
Salt Lake City and County Building, 3rd Floor
October 24th at 3:30 PM
Working Together, Making a Difference Conference
Utah Valley University
Science Building, SB 134
October 27th, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Open to the Public