2010 was a busy year with many important events, including the Global Millennium Development Summit in New York where world leaders reviewed the progress that had been made towards achieving the MDGs, Maria Dotsenko, UNDPI Representative in Yerevan told NEWS.am.

“The UNDPI has achieved a lot last year: 2010 was the Year of Youth, Year of Rapprochement of Cultures and the Year of Biodiversity.  In the framework of the International Day of Mother Language and the International Year of Rapprochement of Cultures, UNDPI together with the State Department on National Minority and Religious Affairs organized a series of events for the national minorities of Armenia. Especially productive were the discussions amongst authorities, civil society experts and minority representatives on the preservation and promotion of minority languages, preparation of text books and teachers,” she said.

Among the actins planned for 2011 Maria Dotsenko pointed few Model UN Conferences as well as numerous outreach lectures for students and school children.

“We plan to mark many more UN Days, promoting UN values in the areas of peace and security, environment protection and climate change, human rights, health, sustainable development, children and youth, and education,” she stressed.  

“I would like to use this opportunity to thank all our partners for their support and cooperation with the UNDPI in 2010, especially to our journalist friends for their continued interest in, and coverage of, the work in Armenia.  I look forward to the continuation of our fruitful cooperation in 2011.  I wish you all wonderful winter holidays!”