UNIC NIO Mohammad Moghadam briefed some 14 students from the Azad University about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The students visited UNIC-Tehran on 29 December 2008. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. At the end of the session UNIC librarian, Ms. Nazanin Ghaemmaghami introduced the UN human rights document/publications in the library and services available to researchers.

UNIC NIO Mohammad Moghadam briefed some 17 students from the News College of Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The students visited UNIC-Tehran on 24 December 2008. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. At the end of the session UNIC librarian, Ms. Nazanin Ghaemmaghami introduced the UN human rights document/publications in the library and services available to researchers.

In order to develop a strategic partnership with journalists and offer the opportunity to the Iranian media to further develop their current technical capacities and expertise in the field of disaster risk reduction, UNIC assisted UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) to organize a one-day workshop on disaster risk reduction at the UN Conference Room on 18 November 2008. UNIC Director Sunil Narula in his opening remarks stressed “the importance of having this workshop” and said it will create opportunities in future to further strengthen UN and media relationship. Some 26 journalists from Iranian newspapers, wire services and television and radio participated in the workshop.

On 16 November 2008, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Tehran, together with the Centre for Graduate International Studies at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, organized a workshop entitled "Finding UN Information” for 13 graduate students of International Relations. The workshop was conducted by the UNIC Reference Assistant, Ms. Nazanin Ghaemmaghami. She elaborated on the definition of a document, UN documentation and how to find and retrieve UN information on the UN web site, the UNIC web site, the United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBISNET), the Official Documents of the United Nations (ODS) and the newly launched sites, such as the UN Yearbook and UN Information Centres, on the web.

To mark the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Day 2008, UNIC as the lead agency of the UN Communications Group in Iran, organized a lecture by a renowned Iranian scholar, Dr. Hossein Elahi Qomshei on the subject of ‘Human Rights in Persian Poetry” at the Niavaran Cultural Centre on 9 November 2008. Some 260 people attended the lecture which was recorded by TV Network 4 and will be aired in due course in its programme dedicated to Dr. Qomshei’s lectures.

UNIC NIO Mohammad Moghadam briefed some 26 students from the Azad University about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The students visited UNIC-Tehran on 5 November 2008. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. At the end of the session UNIC librarian, Ms. Nazanin Ghaemmaghami introduced the UN human rights document/publications in the library and services available to researchers.

On 29 October 2008, the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Tehran, together with the Centre for Graduate International Studies at the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, organized a workshop entitled "Finding UN Information”. Some 15 librarians working in the library of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, including librarians working in the UN Depository Library at the Library of the Centre for Graduate International Studies, participated in the workshop which was conducted by the UNIC Reference Assistant, Ms. Nazanin Ghaemmaghami. She elaborated on the definition of a document, UN documentation and how to find and retrieve UN information on the UN web site, the UNIC web site, the United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBISNET), the Official Documents of the United Nations (ODS) and the newly launched sites, such as the UN Yearbook and UN Information Centres, on the web.

On the occasion of the UN Day 2008, UNIC organized a press conference for UN heads of agencies stationed in Tehran at the UN conference room on 22 October 2008.

Effective 25 October 2004, as part of the UN Day celebrations on 24 October, UNIC-Tehran and UN Association of Iran started a programme of receiving groups of students from middle and high schools in Tehran regularly every Monday. The UNIC Director, the National Information Officer and the Reference Assistant brief them on the UN history and structure and description of the major organs and agencies of the UN. This is followed by a film on the UN and a question and answer session. In addition to the Persian version of UN publications such as the Millennium Development Goals, Image and Reality and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are given to the students. Other schools interested in participating in this programme are welcome to contact UNIC-Tehran.

UNIC in cooperation with UNDP and RC office organized the second MDGs workshop, focusing on MDG 8 and the recent report on the MDG Gap Task Force, for Iranian journalists on Monday 20 October 2008. Some 18 people, including 10 journalists from economic desks of different wire services, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB—TV and Radio), newspapers and magazines along with independent experts participated in a very lively discussion on the Gap Report and its national and global contexts.

UNIC-Director Sunil Narula delivered SG’s message at a conference held to mark the UN Day 2008, organised by the Iranian Association of United Nations Studies at the Tehran University on 20 October. The main speaker at conference was Iran’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, who delivered a lecture on “Developments in the Concept of Sovereignty”. The event was attended by university professors, students and journalists. Some UN information material and posters were displayed and distributed among the participants.

UNIC-Tehran organized a press conference for the visiting UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge Sampaio at UNIC library on Thursday 16 October 2008. At the start of the press conference, UNIC Director Sunil Narula presented copies of UN posters on the Dialogue Among Civilizations and the Millennium Development Goals to Mr. Sampaio.

To mark the International Day of Peace, UNIC-Tehran in cooperation with Khavarn Cultural Center, Tehran and with support of the Resident Coordinator’s Office and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) organized a painting competition for children at the cultural centre on Thursday 9 October 2008. More than 280 children participated in the competition and painted on the theme of “peace and children”. All participating children received gifts including color pencils and UNFPA T-shirts and caps. A jury will now select the best entries, which will then be displayed for a week at one of the galleries in the cultural centre. The event was delayed because 21 September fell not only in the middle of Ramadan, but also because it coincided with a religious holiday in Iran.

UNIC NIO Mohammad Moghadam delivered SG’s message on the occasion of the International Day of Peace 2008 during a ceremony organized by Society for Support of Chemical Weapons Victims, Tehran peace Museum and Tehran Municipality on Sunday 21 September. Deputy Mayor of Tehran, cultural and social issues, Mr. Ahmad Nourian delivered the mayor’s message for some 300 people who had gathered near the Peace Memorial Monument at Parke Shahr (City Park) in downtown Tehran. Also a message from the mayor of Hiroshima was read out. The ceremony ended with a candle light vigil for the victims of wars.

Participants of a two-day training workshop for humanitarian NGOs, government organizations and ministries on “Gender in Emergencies: Women’s Empowerment”, which was jointly organized by UNFPA and OCHA at the UN Conference Room visited UNIC Library on 24 August 2008. UNIC Reference Assistant briefed them on UNIC Library’s services. Copies of ‘UN in Iran’ booklet, MDGs flyer and posters were given to the visitors.

To mark the International Youth Day, an NGO working with the youth in Shiraz, called the Merited Youth Society of Iran (MYSI), in cooperation with UNIC-Tehran organized a meeting of school teachers and members of local NGOs in the Mehr Garden of Shiraz. During the meeting Secretary-General’s message to mark this day was read and distributed among the participants. The ceremony began with the Secretary of MYSI, Mr. Mehdi Rezaei’s remarks on the importance of UN for the youth. Then Mr. Abbas Eskandari from the Islamic Propagation Organization (IPO) talked about the situation of youth in Iran.

On 16 June 2008, UNIC organized a press conference for the Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Knut Ostby to launch the Asia Pacific Human Development Report entitled “Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives” for the Iranian media.

On the occasion of the World Water Day and International Year of Sanitation 2008, UNIC in cooperation with UNDP and RC Office organized a roundtable discussion on the sanitation situation in Iran on 1 June 2008. Senior government officials, experts and journalists participated in the discussion. The programme started with UNIC Director’s remarks followed by other participants’ presentations: Officer-in-Charge of Office of Studying Water and Soil Contamination of the Department of Environment Dr. Soroush Modaberi, Director General of Macro Planning of Water and Sewage of the Ministry of Energy Engineer Ali Reza Daemi, Director of Water and Sewage Centre and Professor of Water and Electricity at University of Water and Electricity Industries Dr. Galik Badalians, Programme Officer of Natural Science in the UNESCO Regional Office Ms. Nilofar Sadeghi and UNDP Programme Officer Saeid Ferdowsi. The roundtable discussion ended with a question and answer session.

UNIC-Tehran as the lead agency of the UN Communication Group, Iran, with the assistance of UN agencies located in Tehran, organized a booth during the 21st Tehran International Book Fair held from 1 to 11 May 2008. According to the authorities about 4.5 million people visited the fair. The agencies represented in the UN booth were FAO, ISDR, UNAIDS, UNAMA, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIC, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNODC, WFP, WHO and IOM. A large amount of UN information material related to these agencies was distributed to those who visited the UN booth. The first vice president Mr. Parviz Davoodi, inaugurated the fair on 1st May. The Parliament (Majlis) speaker, Dr. Gholam Ali Hadad Adel, attended the closing session.

On the occasion of 60th Anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Health Day 2008, UNIC organized a press conference for WHO Representative Dr. Mubasher Sheikh on Saturday 5 April 2008.

UNIC NIO Moghadam briefed some 23 teachers from district 6 of Tehran who visited UNIC-Tehran on 11 March 2008. The briefing was about UN’s history and major organs, the outcome and follow up of the World Summit, UN Reform and MDGs. Then he briefed them on UNIC-Tehran’s activities and services. The briefing was followed by a question and answer session. Copies of the Persian versions of MDG flyer, UDHR, UN Charter, 60 Ways the UN Makes a Difference were given to the teachers.