30 October 2006

Aswan: With the rhythms of local folklore emerging from the Nile up to Aswan’s Fyrial Gardens, His Excellency Samir Youssef, Governor of Aswan, Dr. Aziza Helmy from the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and Maher Nasser, the Director of United Nations Information Centre in Cairo, proudly inaugurated the first stop of the Sailing the Nile for Development project.

The project is a joint initiative between national and local government, United Nations and civil society organizations aimed at raising awareness about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and encouraging action at all levels to achieving them by the target year of 2015.

Eight feluccas circled the river each bearing an 18 metre sail imprinted with MDG icons designed by Egyptian artists alongside logos of private partners such as Vodafone and P&G who through their Corporate Society Responsibility Programme are co-funding this project, thereby illustrating the role the private sector can play in development.

Dr. Aziza Helmy, who was representing Ambassador Moushira Khattab, opened the event immediately stressing the importance of working in partnership with various stakeholders.  “The objectives that Egypt has committed to in the Second Decade of the Child are consistent with the MDG’s and this is why we are concentrating our efforts on achieving them” Said Dr. Aziza, citing the Girls Education Initiative as an example.

“Sailing the Nile symbolizes partnership” said Maher Nasser.  “Through this initiative we hope to see a cross-fertilization of ideas and projects where MDG symbols become the centre piece of local dialogue”.

Samir Youssef spoke of the importance of poverty reduction and quality health and education, recognizing the presence and importance of NGO’s in this regard. “Our priority is the human being” said Governor, “every woman and every man”. 

Over the next two days, the Aswan local committee has organized a series of events around the theme of the MDG 7 –environmental sustainability. The events include workshops, sports tournaments and films. The next stop for the feluccas will be Luxor, on 4^th Nov, where MDG 4 – reducing child mortality -- will be featured in workshops as well as arts and sports events.

For further information please contact:

Layla Saad

Consultant Communication Section, UNICEF Egypt

Tel: 526- 5083 through 5087 (Ext. 212), E-mail: lsaad@unicef.org

Eva Otero Candelera

UNV Programme Officer

Tel: 394-9004, E-mail: eva.candelera@undp.org

Magda Khorshid

National Information Officer, UNIC Cairo,

Tel. 7900022, E-mail:  info@unic-eg.org