Thank you, Madame Chairperson.
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the 35th session of the Committee on Information. My delegation wishes you much success in guiding our work.
I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General Launsky-Tieffenthal for his engaging opening statement yesterday – as well as his work in general on behalf of the UN Department of Public Information.
Madame Chairperson,
The UN DPI serves as the vessel for the UN’s message. It takes the work that is done in these halls and makes it accessible and understandable to everyone across the globe. From press releases to video campaigns, from worldwide information centers to outreach programs here in New York, the DPI is helping the UN fulfill its basic promise of being a true global parliament.
Madame Chairperson,
The digital age has helped foster a new era of communication. Countries and cities that were once separated by oceans are now just a click away.
Our delegation is pleased that the DPI is keeping pace with these rapid advances in technology. We welcome the DPI’s flexible and skillful use of social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to help spread its message. We also applaud the UN’s creative use of the latest social media tools to engage as many members of the next generation as possible.
Israel appreciates the DPI’s efforts to raise awareness of the UN’s work among young people. We encourage the DPI to continue sponsoring Model United Nations simulations worldwide – and organizing student conferences at UN headquarters. In an age of short attention spans, it has never been more important to find new ways to instill the passion of global civic participation in the next generation.
Madame Chairperson,
Israel is proud of its partnerships with the DPI over the past year. Last month, the DPI helped facilitate a concert in the UN General Assembly hall by the Iranian-born Israeli artist Rita. The concert, sponsored by our delegation and with an audience of more than 1,200 people, featured songs in Persian, Hebrew, and English.
Earlier this month, Israel also partnered with the DPI to mark World Autism Awareness Day. Our delegation convened a panel discussion on the issue, featuring the General Director of the Israeli National Autism Association, and an Israeli journalist who is the mother of an autistic child. Before the panel, our delegation screened This is My Child, a powerful documentary that explores the challenges faced by autistic children during infancy and after diagnosis.
Israel was proud to bring this moving event to the United Nations. This is the fifth year in a row that my delegation has hosted an event to mark World Autism Awareness Day.
Madame Chairperson,
In January, the DPI hosted the eighth annual International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. This day not only honors those who perished, but also ensures that the tragedies of the past serve as clear lessons for the future.
Israel strongly supports the work of the UN's Holocaust Outreach Program. Along with an impressive series of films and exhibits at UN Headquarters on the theme “Rescue During the Holocaust: The Courage to Care,” the Outreach program provided a poster series, teacher’s guide, and student handouts to UN Information Centers worldwide.
In December, the Holocaust Outreach Program also held a symposium on Holocaust history and education at Yad Vashem—World Holocaust Center—in Israel.
The Holocaust Outreach Program remains an essential part of global Holocaust education. Its work has never been more vital. The numbers of eyewitnesses to this horrific period in human history decreases year by year. We are—and will continue to be—committed to preserving the memories of those who perished in the Holocaust.
Israel expresses its deep appreciation for the DPI's ongoing work on Holocaust remembrance and education. We are confident that the Holocaust Outreach Program will continue to receive enough resources to even further expand the scope of its activities.
Madame Chairperson,
Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel once said, “words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds.”
The goal of the DPI is to help amplify the UN’s deeds through the power of words. Israel looks forward to helping the DPI achieve its objectives. Together, we can ensure that the UN’s message of dialogue, coexistence, and understanding reaches the greatest number of people – and inspires as many members of the next generation as possible.
Thank you, Madame Chairperson.