UN Chronicle | 'What's Going On?':United Nations Screens TV Series Illuminating Worldwide Child Issues

'What's Going On?'
United Nations Screens TV Series Illuminating Worldwide Child Issues
By Darrell Dela Rosa, for the Chronicle

Article

The United Nations Department of Public Information on 15 April hosted a screening of one episode of "What's Going On?", a ten-part series produced by the UN Works programme in collaboration with Showtime Networks and RCN Entertainment. It explores critical global issues, such as fighting, poverty, racism and environmental matters, through the eyes of a child. No matter where children live, the series portrays their shared experiences, even if they are on opposing sides of a conflict. It is a breakthrough effort to make those in the modern world more aware of the issues by bringing them into homes via primetime television.

From left to right—Gillian Sorensen, Michael Douglas and Shashi Tharoor.
UN Photo

A spokesperson for the United Nations hosts each half-hour episode on a chosen topic via one-on-one interactions with the children involved. The first episode, hosted from Trinidad and Tobago by Danny Glover, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme, highlighted the plight of children infected with HIV/AIDS. In the second episode, screened at the United Nations, UN Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas meets with former child soldiers in Sierra Leone. Other episodes include Angelina Jolie visiting a refugee camp in the United Republic of Tanzania, Jeff Bridges covering poverty in the United States, Laurence Fishburne showing the deadly impact of landmines in Cambodia, Susan Sarandon speaking with child labourers in Brazil, and Glenn Close presenting girls' education in Morocco.

What's Going On? is broadcast on the Showtime television network and is intended for audiences of all ages. The goal is for parents and children to watch the documentaries together and learn about the origins of the problems that children of the world encounter and how the United Nations attempts to address them. In addition, through the UN Works web site, children are able to respond to the episodes. There are also online learning resources available, developed through the CyberSchoolBus, which acts as a liaison between audiences and children in the field.

From left to right—Shashi Tharoor, Matthew Blank, Louise Fréchette, Michael Douglas, Danny Glover and David McCourt. UN Photo

The 15 April event was opened with remarks from UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor, followed by Matthew Blank and David McCourt, Showtime and RCN Entertainment Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers, respectively.

The event was also attended by actors Michael Douglas, Danny Glover and Glenn Close, as well as by UN Deputy-Secretary-General Louise Fréchette, who spoke of the importance of the series and the different ways in which the UN can get its messages across to the public. Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations Gillian Sorensen was also present at the event. After the episode on child soldiers in Sierra Leone aired, Carmel Mulvany of the UN Works programme spoke of the importance of the efforts to inform and educate audiences on critical global matters.

What's Going On? provides the American public with insight into the atrocities affecting children in remote parts of the world. Through celebrity goodwill ambassadors and messengers of peace, viewers are presented with familiar figures who make them realize that the events that affect these children's lives are indeed real. They come to embrace these issues and get the sense that they are happening closer to home. The series is truly the quintessential embodiment of the work that the United Nations puts forward in order to aid children. In the case of Mr. Douglas' episode, he helped a former child soldier locate his long lost mother. Perhaps more importantly, however, is how What's Going On? puts a human face on these issues and promotes a message of tolerance and understanding for all children, and that problems for children around the world are everybody's problems.

"My fellow Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, cherish this opportunity to serve the United Nations. We will continue to do good by all of you."

—Michael Douglas at the launch of "What's Going On? Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone"

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