Note to Correspondents

‘WORLD TB DAY’ TO BE OBSERVED AT HEADQUARTERS 22 MARCH WITH LAUNCH

OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REPORT

 

In the context of the global observance of World TB Day on 24 March, the Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro, will formally open the first-ever photographic exhibition on Tuberculosis, entitled “World Free of TB”, at United Nations Headquarters on Thursday, 22 March.  The exhibition is part of a series of high-profile events whose goal is to draw public and media attention to the fact that tuberculosis is one of the world’s leading infectious diseases -- second only to HIV/AIDS.

The idea for the exhibition was conceived by United Nations Messenger of Peace Anna Cataldi, and will feature 33 photographs by acclaimed photographer Jim Nachtwey that portray the human cost of the disease and the urgent need to address it.  Mr. Nachtwey’s compelling images illustrate the men and women devastated by the disease and the caregivers who work tirelessly to help and support patients under treatment.  Mr. Nachtwey’s images will be combined with a historical exhibit featuring portraits of famous people throughout history who have suffered or died from the disease.

The TB photographic exhibition will be linked with a media strategy developed by the World Health Organization (WHO)/Stop TB Partnership and the Department of Public Information.  It is hoped that Mr. Nachtwey’s images will bring home to a national and global audience the United Nations and WHO’s commitment to ensuring the United Nations Millennium Development Goal target on TB is met by 2015.  A press preview of the exhibit will be held at 10 a.m. at the Main Gallery of the Visitor’s Lobby and the official opening will be held at 6 p.m.

The events at Headquarters will also coincide with the launch of the WHO Global TB Control Report 2007, which will release new data and information on the epidemic.  The report will illustrate the progress that is being made in TB control and the 26 countries and areas that have achieved the global TB targets.  It will underline the important impact TB control is having in reaching and treating the most vulnerable people in the world today, especially in low-income countries.  A press conference to launch the report will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Room S-226.

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Stop TB and former President of Portugal, Jorge Sampaio, will participate in the promotion of the exhibition.  During a recent visit to New York, Mr. Sampaio gave a brief outline of the exhibition to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Mr. Sampaio, Ms. Cataldi, Mr. Nachtwey and Mario Raviglione, Director of WHO’s Stop TB Department, will participate in two media events on 22 March.  They will be present for the special media preview of the exhibition and the press conference to launch the WHO report.

An NGO briefing will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12 noon in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium.  Ms. Cataldi, Dr. Raviglione and Gordon Cave will address non-governmental organizations on the subject “NGO Support to United Nations Campaigns: the Stop TB Example”.

For information on the Global TB Control Report 2007, please visit www.who.org.

For media accreditation, please visit www.un.org.media/accreditation.  For general information on the events, please contact Yvonne Acosta, Tel: 1 212 963 7214.

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For information media • not an official record