On 25 June, 44 public organizations from 29 countries will receive international recognition for excellence in public service, in acknowledgement of the UN Public Service Day. The UN Public Service Awards, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2012, will be held in the General Assembly Hall in New York. Commemorated on 23 June, the UN Public Service Day was established to “celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community.”

A total of 471 nominations from more than 80 UN Member States were received in 2012, with 16 Member States participating for the first time. This represents an increase of 58 per cent compared to the number of initiatives submitted in 2011.

The winners of the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) are as follows: 1st place – Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and United States; 2nd place – Australia, Canada, Egypt, Georgia, Grenada, India, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey.

The United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration selects winners according to category and region. The five UNPSA categories are: i) prevention of corruption; ii) improving service delivery; iii) promoting innovative mechanisms for citizen participation in policy-making; iv) advancing knowledge management in government; and v) promoting gender responsive service delivery.

United Nations E-Government Survey 2012 Special Awards
As part of the UNPSA Ceremony, countries that performed well in the 2012 UN E-Government Survey rankings will also be recognized. A UN E-Government Survey Special Award will be given to the top winners. The award is based on findings from the 2012 United Nations e-Government Survey, and acknowledges recipients for: establishing robust telecommunications infrastructure; investing in the development of human capital the usage of e-government facilities; providing exceptional e-services; and making e-content available on a continuous basis.

Innovation and Citizen Engagement for Effective Governance
Over 400 participants from across the globe are expected to attend the event, which will also include the United Nations Public Service Forum. The Forum will take place from 26 to 27 June 2012, and will focus on “Innovation and Citizen Engagement for Effective Governance”.

This high-level global event is expected to make recommendations on how to promote greater understanding of policy options and practices to promote innovation in public governance and effectively engage citizens. Areas of focus will be institutional frameworks, leadership capacities, national development strategies and uses of ICT, including e-participation and preventing corruption in public service.

The theme of the 2012 United Nations Public Service Forum – “Innovation and Citizens Engagement for Effective Governance” – is of global relevance. Citizens the world over are demanding better governance, greater participation in public affairs, and enhanced integrity and accountability from public leaders.

Concert celebrating 10th anniversary
As part of the UN Public Service Day and Awards celebration, DESA’s Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM) will also present the Sound of Harmony Cultural Performance, showcasing Chinese traditional and contemporary dance and music, on 25 June in the General Assembly Hall. The performance will be available live and on-demand on UN Webcast. The concert will also be broadcast live on Time Warner Channel #150 in New York City.