24 May 2002

Bonn, Germany: The Government of Japan is sponsoring a four-day regional security awareness workshop for UNV Country Office teams from 15 different countries in the Arab States, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe next week at the Pyramids Park Intercontinental Hotel in Giza.

Meeting from 27 to 30 May, the UNV Country Office Teams will discuss UN global security coordination, country specific security management, stress management, organizational and personal responsibilities in ensuring one's safety and security. Gerry Ganz, from the UN Security Coordinator's office in New York, will be the lead resource person.

This is the ninth regional UNV security workshop sponsored by Japan since 1998. Mr. Antonio Vigilante, the Resident Coordinator of the UN system, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative and Designated Official of the United Nations in Egypt, will inaugurate the workshop at 9 a.m. on Monday, 27 May. H.E. Mr. Takaya Suto, Ambassador of Japan to the Arab Republic of Egypt, will deliver the keynote address.

In recent years, the contribution of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to peacekeeping, peace-building, elections, humanitarian relief and human rights promotion has increased considerably. Consequently, the number of UN Volunteers serving in countries and territories in or emerging from crisis has also increased. While UN Volunteers are covered by the security arrangements that apply to all United Nations personnel under the Office of the United Nations Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD), UNV has -- thanks to the strong and continued support of the Government of Japan -- developed additional measures to safeguard further the well being of its volunteers. The organization of these regional security awareness workshops for the UNV Country Office Teams is one such measure.