UN: Support People Trapped by Poverty, Armed Conflict, Secretary-General Urges in Video Message

for ‘Giving Tuesday’---press release from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message for “Giving Tuesday”, in New York today:
I am pleased to join people across the world in marking Giving Tuesday, which this year is framed around the Sustainable Development Goals.  From HIV to human rights, from education to the empowerment of girls, all issues are part of the Goals.
At a time of massive humanitarian need, Giving Tuesday is a time to show our solidarity with the most vulnerable members of the human family.  And at a time of growing divisiveness, today we reaffirm our common humanity.
I thank the businesses, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, schools and citizens that are working together to support people caught up in poverty or armed conflict.
Such steps are needed urgently to ease suffering today.  They also contribute to our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a future of peace and prosperity for all on a healthy planet.
I urge people across the world to advance the Sustainable Development Goals by giving back on Giving Tuesday.  When we give, everyone gains.
ref. http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/sgsm18312.doc.htm

UN NEWS CENTER: Syria: Amid ‘chilling’ situation in Aleppo, 16,000 flee intense fighting, UN aid chief warns
29 November 2016 – Citing preliminary reports that that up to 16,000 people have fled fighting in the eastern neighbourhoods of Syria’s Aleppo city, the United Nations humanitarian chief today warned that thousands more will have no choice but to flee should the attacks spread and escalate over the coming days.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55665#.WD3BjPkrIpt

Amid battle for Mosul, ISIL forcing civilians ‘squarely in harm’s way,’ UN rights wing warns
29 November 2016 – As the Iraqi military intensifies its operations to wrest Mosul from terrorists, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) today warned that it continues to receive reports of “serious breaches” of international human rights and humanitarian law by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) in and around the war-torn city.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=55667#.WD3CBPkrIps

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