| dc.description | 2017 United Nations Day was celebrated under the theme Potential in Diversity on 24 October 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The United Nations family in Ethiopia on Tuesday marked UN Day with pomp and fanfare as they celebrated the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter, the foundational treaty of the United Nations. Key activities for the day, held under the theme ‘Potential in Diversity’, included the UN flag-raising ceremony, performances by the Ethiopian police band, speeches, and a rendition by Ethiopian youths on the importance of Africa to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and transform the continent. Ms. Giovanie Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary at the Economic Commission for Africa, delivered Secretary-General António Guterres’ speech marking the day. Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa-Onochie, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, and UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, in her presentation, said this year’s UN Day theme resonated for the UN in Ethiopia as ‘we are working in a country that officially celebrates diversity as the fabric of its national identity – and the engine of its ambitious growth’. | en |
