2 July 2014, Bonn, Germany

The United Nations Organizations in Bonn participated in this year’s Global Media Forum organised by the Deutsche Welle with a plenary session on civil society participation to shape the global development agenda. In line with the overall Global Media Forum theme ‘’From information to Participation. Challenges for the Media‘’, the workshop aimed to boost the opportunities for individuals and media to have a say in global debates. The panel consisted of a mix of staff members representing the United Nations across all levels. Mr Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC and current Chair of the UN Agencies in Bonn, welcomed the audience and stressed the importance of TVET and skills for the world of work in the post 2015 Agenda. In a world where challenges still exist, he highlighted that sustainable development cannot be achieved without a change in attitudes and education.

The session was also attended by representatives from other UN organizations in Bonn including the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC), United Nations Volunteers (UNV), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The panellists held presentations to introduce the work of the agencies to the audience and called for further participation from the public. All representatives highlighted the role of media as a key element to engage individuals in the global debates and discussed the challenges of globalization for the media.

Members of the audience also had the opportunity to ask questions about the link between the role of the United Nations and the media.