United Nations Day
Channel: UNMISS VIDEOS
Date: 30/10/2017

Voices of children from an orphanage choir echoed across the field as diplomats and government officials listened to their pleas for peace at a United Nations Day celebration.

The children spoke and sang from their hearts about their hopes and dreams for the future. Their words reflect the desire of many across South Sudan as well as the thousands of UN workers who support vulnerable communities caught in conflict. 

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General says there is a common goal – to build durable peace so that those who are internally displaced can return home. 
SOUNDBITE (English) David Shearer, Special Representative of UN Secretary General 
“Since being here in South Sudan I have traveled throughout the country. Diversity in South Sudan is astonishing. I have met people from all regions very different people and each people have a unique to tell but almost everything that unites them in this country is the same thing – they are yearning for a desire for peace. They want to return home they want their children to go to school. They want to be productive citizens and they want to the above all self-reliant in forging their own future themselves. That’s why South Sudanese everywhere I go urge their leaders to silence the guns and give peace a chance.”

The Cabinet Affairs Minister says the transitional government of national unity is committed to bringing peace back to South Sudan. 
SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Eliah Lomuro, South Sudan’s Cabinet Affairs Minister,
“It is very encouraging that you chose ‘United Nations South Sudan Building the Future Together’ as the theme to celebrate this day. This is a very touching theme. One that gives hope to the long suffering people of South Sudan but also a theme that can inspire the TGoNU (Transitional Government of National Unity) to strengthen its relationship with the United Nations. We are encouraged and we promise to work coherently with the UN and its partners to achieve the intentions of this day’s theme.”

More than 20 UN organisations work in South Sudan to protect civilians, build durable peace, and create stability and development within the young nation. They provide vital services such as food, access to clean water, sanitation, education, health care, infrastructural development, peacekeeping, policing, demining, human rights and other forms of advocacy. 

On UN Day, the UN and South Sudanese government joined together to acknowledge that work and the professionalism, commitment and courage of UN staff working in remote and dangerous locations across the country.