El Fasher—Renowned Sudanese entertainer Omer Ihsas today launched a new song dedicated to peace in Darfur at a United Nations Day event, which included a military and police parade representing some of the many nationalities serving with the UN in Darfur, Sudanese performances and exhibits of the UN system’s varied work in Darfur.

El Fasher is the third largest UN duty station in the world, after New York and Geneva, largely due to the thousands of
peacekeepers deployed there with the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur.

United Nations Day, observed annually on 24 October, renews the commitment on the part of its personnel and the 193 UN Member States to uphold the universal values which the organization espouses. UN Day is also used to pay tribute to staff who died while in the service of the UN. UN Day activities went on also in the Darfur towns of Nyala, El Geneina and Zalengei.

“On this UN day, we salute not only the UN as an institution, but also the people who are at its heart,” UNAMID Joint
Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari told a crowd of hundreds of UN personnel and local residents at an El Fasher
stadium. “We recognize and deeply appreciate the efforts of every unpaid community policing volunteer patrolling the
IDP camps, of all the national and international staff, and of each and every person working to assist those in need
and to promote reconciliation, justice and peace.”

Sudan became a UN Member State 56 years ago, a decade after the Organization was formed.

The UN in El Fasher commemorated the anniversary with the theme “United Nations--Working for Darfur's Future”.
A Nigerian marching band coalesced in a parade dozens of UN police officers from as many countries and peacekeeping troops from across Africa.

UNICEF official Olushola Ismail highlighted the efforts by UN agencies working in Darfur aimed at bringing peace and
stability. “The people of Darfur need support for development and early recovery and we are working together for the
rehabilitation of better services for the people of Darfur,” he said.

UNAMID collaborates with noted Sudanese artists in order to promote issues of peace and reconciliation and has produced two songs with Mr. Ihsas, “New Era,” launched today, and “When Clouds Conceive,” which he wrote and performed for the Darfur International Conference on Water for Sustainable Peace in Darfur in June 2011.

The two songs are available for download on www.unamid.unmissions.org