Adaptation Fund Participates in ‘UN Day’ in Bonn, Germany to Honor 72nd Anniversary of United Nations

UN Day Celebration Featured Special Focus on Climate Action

Bonn, Germany (October 14, 2017) — The Adaptation Fund participated alongside more than 25 UN agencies in the central Market Square in front of the historic Old Town Hall in Bonn, Germany to celebrate ‘UN Day’ as part of a special exhibition show and international gathering.

Held all day on October 14, the event commemorated the 72nd anniversary of the United Nations and featured a special theme focused on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development goals and in particular Climate Action (goal 13), in view of the upcoming UN COP 23 climate change conference scheduled to draw between 20,000 and 30,000 people to Bonn next month.

UN Day celebrates the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN charter on October 24, 1945 to promote human rights, social progress and world peace. Today, the UN is composed of 193 countries that continue to support those ideals, as well as health, human security, climate action, sustainable development and partnerships, among others. Other UN agencies to participate in UN Day included the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, World Food Programme and World Health Organization, among many others.

According to city observations and statistics, more than 20,000 people attended throughout the day. About 2,000-2,500 people visited the main tent and the UN counted a record participation of 29 organizations.

“We were delighted to take part alongside so many UN partners who do such important work to fight climate change, as well as foster food and water security, sustainability and health. The work of the Adaptation Fund is all about funding concrete action, innovation and learning to help the most vulnerable people adapt and build resilience to climate change, so it was an honor to participate in UN Day,” said Manager of the Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat Mikko Ollikainen. “We’d like to thank the City of Bonn for hosting such a great event to honor the UN.”

Throughout UN Day, the Adaptation Fund managed an exhibit space alongside several other UN agency exhibits within the main 180-square meter tent in the center of the square. The Adaptation Fund exhibit featured materials, posters, project stories, brochures and videos related to the 10th Anniversary of the launching of the Fund’s operations and the strategic themes of pioneering Action, Innovation and Learning. The exhibit served as a sneak preview to a special anniversary event the Fund is planning for November 16 in Bonn, and the release of a special print publication highlighting its achievements over the past 10 years — including its concrete adaptation projects on the ground in vulnerable countries and innovations in climate finance such as its pioneering Direct Access modality to help build national capacities to adapt to climate change.

UN Day also served as a primer and special link to COP 23, which will be hosted by Germany and presided over by the government of Fiji. It will take place in Bonn, as well, from November 6-17, 2017 and the Adaptation Fund will also have an active presence at COP 23.

The Adaptation Fund, which funds concrete projects to help vulnerable communities in developing countries adapt and build resilience to climate change, was originally created by the seventh Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC in 2001 and was launched by establishing its Board in follow-up decisions at COP13 in 2007. The Fund has a progressive Environmental and Social Policy that promotes human rights, gender equality, biodiversity conservation and vulnerable groups in its projects, and has been praised by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment as a possible model for a similar mechanism called for in the Paris Agreement.

UN Day also featured a ceremony in the Old Town Hall, speeches from City of Bonn mayor Ashok Sridharan and Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification Pradeep Monga, and special concerts throughout the day – including one from the international choir of the University of Bonn which is represented by students from 23 nations.

Sridharan called 2017 ‘a year of progress for our planet’ and praised the City of Bonn, UN, national, state and local governments and CSOs for actively contributing to the goals of COP 23 and enhancing climate action.

Monga praised the City of Bonn for being a leader in sustainability and a climate-smart city that is a great example of ‘acting locally and thinking globally’, as well as the UN and international organizations for ‘working together toward a sustainable future that is better, brighter and healthier for everyone.’

ABOUT the ADAPTATION FUND

Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has committed US$ 462 million to support 73 countries, with more than 5.4 million direct beneficiaries.

Communications: Matthew Pueschel, mpueschel@adaptation-fund.org or +1-202-473-6743

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