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Over 300 Lions Clubs members, as well as representatives of Permanent Missions and staff of the Vienna-based Organizations (VBOs) participated in the 32rd Annual Lions Day with the United Nations on Friday, 26 March 2010, at the Vienna International Centre (VIC).
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Lions Clubs Past International Director Joseph Wroblewski |
The meeting which was held for the first time in Europe was organized by Lions Clubs International in co-operation with the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV) and the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna. Prior to the conference, more than 200 participants enjoyed special guided tours of the Vienna International Centre (VIC), conducted in English, German, French, Italian and Chinese by tour guides of the Vienna Visitors Service.
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President Lions Clubs International Eberhard Wirfs |
Past International Lions Clubs President Joseph Wroblewksi welcomed the participants and expressed appreciation for Vienna being host city for this year's UN Lions Day.
The President of the International Lions Association of Lions Club, Eberhard Wirfs, embraced the long-standing relationship between Lions Clubs International and the United Nations which dates back to 1945, when Lions founder, Melvin Jones and Past International Presidents Fred. W. Smith and D.A. Skeen participated in the San Francisco Conference. "Over the past 65 years cooperation between the United Nations and Lions Clubs International has multiplied," Mr. Wirfs stated. "We have partnered with the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) doctors for our SightFirst programme to combat childhood blindness, distributed the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) School-in-a-Box kits to students whose schools were affected by natural disasters, and agreed to participate in the United Nations Global Compact to strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals," he continued. "Thanks to SightFirst, Lions have restored sight to 7.6 million people through cataract surgeries, prevented serious vision loss for 30 million people and improved eye care services for hundreds of millions," he said.
In addition, Mr. Wirfs referred to the Lions QUEST programme, which empowers and supports adults throughout the world to nurture caring and responsibility in young people and to cultivate capable and healthy young people of strong character.
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UNODC Executive Director and Director-General of UNOV Antonio Maria Costa |
UNODC Executive Director and Director-General of UNOV Antonio Maria Costa expressed appreciation for the work of Lions Clubs International and the outstanding global charity and awareness-raising campaigns conducted for so many years: "Over the course of more than 60 years, the Lions Club has worked side by side with the United Nations in pursuit of our shared goals," he said.
Mr. Costa furthermore highlighted the positive commitment of the Lions Club Foundation in relation to health education and access to health clinics, and referred to the similarities between the UNODC methods to prevent drug abuse and effective methods against drug abuse conducted by the Lions QUEST programme. In addition, he welcomed the opportunity to establish UNODC-NGO-twinning projects, and expressed appreciation of the club's work with the UN Children's Fund and the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent and reverse blindness through the SightFirst programme.
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Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger |
Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger referred to Austria's international role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and appreciated Vienna being chosen as host city for the 32th Annual Lions Day with the United Nations. He furthermore pointed to the European Union's role as a global partner for development to create a better and peaceful world: "More than half the money spent to help poor countries comes from the European Union and its member States, making it the world's biggest aid donor", he said.
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Chief of the Communciation and Advocacy Section of UNODC Alun Jones |
Alun Jones, Chief of the Advocacy Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), outlined the work of UNODC, including some of its awareness-raising campaigns, such as the Blue Heart Campaign, which aims to support the prevention of trafficking in persons, and the World Drug Campaign which raises awareness about the major challenge that illicit drugs present to society as a whole and to youth in particular. Mr. Jones also pointed to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the first legally binding international anti-corruption instrument, which obliges its States Parties to implement a wide and detailed range of anti-corruption measures affecting their laws, institutions and practices. "Drug trade finances organized crime and terrorism and harms development which deepens vulnerability," he emphasized.
"Lions International supports the United Nations ideals of a better world and will continue cooperation with the United Nations for the benefit of humanity", International Lions Clubs President Eberhard Wirfs concluded.
From left to right: UNODC Executive Director and Director-General of UNOV Antonio Maria Costa, Lions Clubs Past International Director Joseph Wroblewski, President Lions Clubs International Eberhard Wirfs, Lions Clubs Past International Director Ernst Musil, Lions Clubs Past International Director Giuseppe Grimaldi
