United Nations Global Themes
Create your most imaginative films to illustrate the importance of any of the following themes and you will be eligible for any of three special awards.
The six United Nations Global Themes for the 2008 FYI competition are: Climate Change, Human Rights, Intellectual Property, Peace, Tolerance and Migration.
Climate Change
Climate Change has finally taken hold in the public consciousness. With it, inevitably, comes a sense of urgency that decisive action is needed now, before it’s too late. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called climate change the “defining issue of our era (…) How we address it, will define us, our era and ultimately the global legacy we leave for future generations.”
Find out more about Climate Change.
Human Rights
Human rights refer to “the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, including the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law.” On 10 December 2008, the United Nations will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Find out more about Human Rights.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property - such as copyright, patents, trademarks, industrial designs – is an increasingly hot topic as governments and consumers come to realize the extent of its impact on the economy, on innovation, on the way we do business, and on our daily lives. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest.
Find out more about Intellectual Property.
Peace
Peace is a universal quest. The maintenance of peace and security is the raison d'etre of the United Nations. Peace is a common desire for peoples throughout the world. The establishment of the United Nations in 1945, at the end of the most devastating war in human history, was an embodiment of this universal desire. Keeping peace and developing friendly relations among nations are among the main objectives of the United Nations.
Find out more about Peace.
Tolerance
In its extreme, intolerance leads to conflicts and wars. There is also racial, ethnic, and religious intolerance, as was evident in conflicts such as in Bosnia and Rwanda. 1995 was declared the United Nations Year for Tolerance by the United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 1993, with UNESCO the lead organization.
Find out more about Tolerance.
