UN office marks 80th anniversary with health walk
The United Nations (UN) Country Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), has held a health walk in Accra last Saturday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the UN.
The event drew over 300 participants from the various UN agencies in the country, members of the diplomatic corps, staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the GAF, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service and the Ghana Prisons.
Participants embarked on a 6.2-kilometre walk in about 90 minutes through the principal streets of the capital.
The exercise, which was climaxed by an aerobics session at the Accra International Conference Centre, was led by the UN Resident Coordinator, Zia Choudhury; a Director at the GAF
Headquarters, Col. Simeon Nyante, and Director of Multilateral Relations Bureau at the MFA, Akosua Okyere-Badu.
It formed part of a series of activities to celebrate the global body’s role in maintaining a relatively peaceful world over the eight decades.
It was on the theme: “UN@80: Ghana and the UN — Shared Responsibility for a Better Tomorrow”.
Peacekeeping and development
The UN Resident Coordinator later told the Daily Graphic that the UN was celebrating the milestone to reflect on the organisation's achievements, particularly in peacekeeping and development.
Mr Choudhury said the UN had successfully conducted numerous peacekeeping missions worldwide, with Ghana being a significant contributor to those efforts.
“Ghana has provided police and armed forces personnel to support UN peacekeeping missions in various conflict zones.
These missions have played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in regions affected by conflict,” he said.
He said the UN had also worked with governments, authorities and civil society to promote development and improve living standards, including vaccinations, improve nutrition and enhance education levels.
Looking forward, Mr Choudhury said the UN would continue to work towards promoting peace, solidarity and human rights worldwide.
He added that the UN aimed to address global challenges and create a more peaceful and prosperous world for future generations.
Collective action
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khadija Iddrisu, in a statement delivered on her behalf, said the health walk was not only to commemorate 80 years of the UN's service to humanity but also to celebrate the importance of health, solidarity and collective action, all of which lay at the heart of the UN's mission.
Ms Iddrisu said the theme of the celebration also represented a powerful reminder that progress was greatest when parties acted together.
“Just as the UN has worked tirelessly to promote peace, human rights, and development across the globe, we too must unite in our efforts to build healthier, stronger and more resilient communities, beginning with ourselves,” she said.
Commitment to peacekeeping
Col Nyante affirmed the GAF’s commitment to supporting UN peacekeeping missions and its role in promoting global peace and security.
He indicated that the Armed Forces regarded the UN as a symbol of peace, collaboration and unity worldwide, with Ghana actively participating in major UN activities and peacekeeping missions.
