Published on: 2026-04-20
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Main news of the day at the UN and in the world: Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier completed a trip to Ukraine, as part of European Immunization Week the WHO reminds about the effectiveness of vaccines, in New York the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was launched, at the UN the Chinese Language Day is observed.
Trip of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Ukraine
Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier completed a five-day trip to Ukraine, during which she discussed with the country’s leadership and humanitarian partners the protection of children affected by the war. Frazier also met with children who told her about their desire to study and live without fear. This was her first visit to the country in the position of Special Representative.
European Immunization Week
The twentieth European Immunization Week has started. Its goal isÂincrease public awareness about vaccines. According to estimates, over the past half-century vaccination has saved approximately 154 million lives worldwide. However, in a number of countries in the European region, the vaccination level is decreasing, and cases of large-scale outbreaks of diseases are being recorded more and more frequently. For example, in 2024 the number of measles cases exceeded 127 thousand, reaching the highest level in the past 27 years.
Permanent forum on indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are bearers of knowledge accumulated over millennia, and their role in making global decisions is now more important than ever. This was stated by the UN Secretary-General at the opening of the 25th session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The UN Chief emphasized that conflicts related to land resources often occur around the world. In this context, Guterres noted that violations of indigenous peoples’ rights frequently happen, including illegal extraction of minerals on their land. The Secretary-General called to protect their rights worldwide.
Chinese Language Day
April 20th is celebrated by the UN as Chinese Language Day. It is one of the six official UN languages, alongside English, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and French. The decision to commemorate this Day was made in 2010 – with the aim of encouraging cultural and linguistic diversity. The date was chosen in honor of Cangjie, the legendary founder of Chinese writing. According to legend, on this day the heavens sent the people of China rain of millet grains to thank Cangjie for his contribution to Chinese culture.
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