Remarks by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner at Award Ceremony for Xinhua News Agency

Xinhua has shown through its news gathering and publishing that it is a leading organization striving and delivering that vital service to the global public.

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Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director (L) and Mr Li Congjun, President of the Xinhua News Agency (R) at the award ceremony

Beijing, 14 December 2012 - Dear President Li Congjun, Honorable guests and friends,
It is my pleasure to be here today to personally thank Mr Li Congjun, President of the Xinhua News Agency and his team for their support and communication of UNEP’s mission towards an environmentally sustainable world.

In a time full of challenges but also opportunities, UNEP could not fulfill its ambition to bring the environment into the centre of the affairs of nations, cities, communities and citizens without committed partners.

UNEP could not have brought the concept and the pathway of an inclusive Green Economy from idea to an outcome at the recently held Rio+20 Summit without the many organizations and institutions who also recognized the urgency of fundamental and transformative change.

A key partner and a central catalyst in terms of the spreading of ideas, in terms of stimulating debate and empowering action is the media.

In a world of noise and competing interests-from blogs and facebook to twitter, TV, radio, the internet and print media - honest, factual, stimulating and reliable reporting of events, opinions and new concepts is a vital service for seven billion people.

Mr Congjun, Xinhua has shown through its news gathering and publishing that it is a leading organization striving and delivering that vital service to the global public.

UNEP is honoured to have partnered with you since 2009 through the “Bright Moon Action· Care for Africa” initiative which in turn has triggered support from the government of China.

Our cooperation in 2012 has been another milestone including the event we jointly hosted at Rio+20 - “China in Action · Meet in Rio” and just in advance of Rio+20, “Global Action: Green Economy Transforming Lives” where we collaborated with other international organizations and media.

And throughout the year, Xinhua News Agency has been at the forefront of reporting the assessments UNEP has been launching in the run up to Rio+20 including the sobering science presented in our flagship document-Global Environment Outlook-5 during World Environment Day week-and the myriad of analytical, financial and policy studies on the ways and means to realize an inclusive green economy.

I know both personally and from the comments by Nick Nuttall, my Spokesperson and Director of Communications that almost every press conference we have held in 2012 has been graced by several Xinhua reporters, often backed by a camera crew and photographer.

Thank you Mr Congjun for this unswerving support that has assisted greatly in getting our message of environment and sustainability out to world leaders and to the general public.

Mr Congjun, I know that for you this is also a mission of highest importance in your head and your heart.

At the World Media Summit in 2009 you pointed out that “Environmental protection is an important part of media’s social responsibility and mission to improve public welfare”.

I know too that the environment and green development-a key theme at the nearby China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development meeting - are not just words to you but part of a personal philosophy you have been advocating for a more sustainable China and for the world.

And as President of what is now one of the biggest and most influential news agencies on the planet, you have taken this advocacy to the four corners of the Earth shaping public opinion in favour of the Future We Want.

Mr Congjun there is much more I could say in appreciation of your personal leadership and commitment and that of Xinhua to our joint mission in support of people and the planet.

For these contributions and for many others, UNEP has the pleasure to award you a trophy and a certificate recognizing “Excellence and Leadership in the Media and Environment".

I am sure that our cooperation and our friendship will continue and deepen in the years to come and that through your guidance Xinhua will become an ever more influential force for positive environmental change in the world.

Again thank you to you personally and to your network of 170 bureaus around the globe for championing environmental sustainability and UNEP’s work.