UNITED NATIONS TO THANK NEW YORK CITY IN LIGHTS
Press Release
UNITED NATIONS TO THANK NEW YORK CITY IN LIGHTS
20000908NEW YORK, 8 September - The United Nations will spell out THANK YOU NY in lights on its Headquarters building on Sunday and Monday evenings, 10 and 11 September, to express its gratitude to New Yorkers for hosting the Millennium Summit. Nearly 150 world leaders have been gathering at the United Nations from 6 to 8 September, and their motorcades have been creating gridlock on the east side of Manhattan.
This is our way of thanking the people of New York for all they have put up with this week, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement. I am aware that there has been a great deal of disruption in the lives of ordinary New Yorkers, but I hope they are proud of this reaffirmation that our city is truly the capital of the world. I would like to thank the people of New York for their courtesy, understanding and support.
The Summit will wrap up this evening with the leaders expected to adopt a declaration affirming the importance of the United Nations and the need to strengthen its peace operations, as well as committing themselves to targets on reducing poverty, slums, HIV/AIDS and providing basic education for all children.
In addition to lighting up its Headquarters building, the United Nations has arranged for Madison Square Garden and Shea Stadium to run The United Nations Thanks NYC on their marquees and scoreboard, respectively. The NBC Astrovision big screen in Times Square will also run a Thank You message on Monday, 11 September.
Putting a message in lights on the United Nations building has been done only twice before: UN50 was spelled out for the Organizations fiftieth anniversary in 1995, and UN2000 was lit up at the turning of the millennium. Such messages are spelled out by raising or lowering the buildings venetian blinds according to a detailed plan.
Note: Photographs of the United Nations building lit up with the message Thank You NY will be posted on the United Nations Web site at www.un.org/millennium under Photos. Prints can be obtained from the United Nations Photo Library, tel. (212) 963-6927, Room S-805.
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