24 October 2021 - Cetinje, Montenegro
Six years after joining United Nations, Montenegro inaugurated the United Nations Park, first of a kind in the world. Designed as a symbol of partnership between UN and Montenegrin people, the park is composed of 67 white birches, symbolizing 67 years of life of United Nations. One more tree will be added every year, thus the Park will symbolically grow together with the UN. The park was established in the town of unique historic, diplomatic and cultural value, Old Royal Capital Cetinje.
UN Park was opened with symbolic tree planting by numerous friends of the UN: representatives of the Government, foreign and diplomatic missions in Montenegro, UN staff, representatives of Montenegrin political, economic, cultural and civil society and academia.
To commemorate the fruitful partnerships between the UN and the people of Montenegro, today we planted a United Nations Park. No doubt, it will grow as one more shining symbol of our individual and collective commitment to live up to the ideals of the United Nations Charter and to build a better world and better Montenegro for all.
Rastislav Vrbensky, UN Resident Coordinator at a ceremony after the inauguration.
Successful partnership was also highlighted by Nebojša Kaluđerović, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro.
Good cooperation and continued support of the United Nations to the democratization and development of Montenegro, as well as the success in implementing numerous projects are evidences of strong partnership built between the Government of Montenegro and the United Nations.
Nebojša Kaluđerović, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro
“The UN Park is a place that will symbolize common heritage and values of the United Nations and our country”, added Ana Nikolić, Deputy Mayor of the Old Royal Capital Cetinje, emphasizing that the park will serve as a new country landmark.
This unique initiative brought together number of partners – Municipality of Cetinje allocated the land for the park, Government committed funds for the ceremony, partners from private sector – company UNIQA donated park infrastructure. The UN staff in Montenegro contributed to the unique initiative by procuring majority of white birches.
"This park is great example of Delivering as One way of work and a wonderful legacy for our children and our country," said Vlatko Otašević from the UN Coordination Office in Montenegro
In 2010, Montenegro voluntarily adopted the Delivering as One, aimed at harnessing the unique strengths of respective UN organisations to support the government and the people of Montenegro in their aspirations for development, fulfillment of human rights and European integration.
As recognized by the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, during his historic visit to the country in July this year, Montenegro is a country of excellence when it comes to “Delivering as One”. He applauded the joint work of the Government and the UN within the six-year Integrated UN Programme, which articulates the UN reform in Montenegro.
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