MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
Australia will host a major annual United Nations Conference on global health issues.
The 63rd UN Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organisation Conference will be held in Melbourne from 30 August to 1September 2010.
This will be the first time Australia has hosted a UN event of this size and only the third time this Conference has been held outside of the UN Headquarters in New York.
The UN Conference has previously been held in Paris in 2008 and Mexico City in 2009.
The Conference will be organised in partnership with the UN Department of Public Information, Non-Government Organisations and the Australian Government.
A major aim of this year's Conference is to attract participation of NGOs in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Conference will bring together hundreds of NGO representatives from around the world to discuss global health as it relates to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Health issues are central to the MDGs, which are the internationally agreed targets for reducing poverty. Goals include reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other preventable diseases.
Improving the health of men, women and children in developing countries ensures that the poor can expand their range of choices, improve their productivity and participate more fully in society.
Australia looks forward to welcoming the international community to Melbourne in August for what will be a significant event on 2010 UN calendar.