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An Employee Initiative for Cultural Expressions
An Employee Initiative for Cultural Expressions
to Foster Inclusion and Diversity at Work
to Foster Inclusion and Diversity at Work
As is inherent in the UNFPA mandate, we work with many of the most vulnerable populations, especially girls, adolescents, and women. We have a history of standing up for rights and choices and our commitment is to every human being. Our work and programmes do not depend on skin colour, religion, community, location, age, ability, gender, sexual orientation or any other dimension of human identity and experience.
At the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, we chose a tangible aesthetic expression of our commitment to gender equity and SRHR through the "Fabric of Being" textile exhibition. Similarly, when the COVID-19 pandemic routinized remote work, personnel again reached for the arts; this time to socially connect, keep up morale, and maintain engagement to ensure personnel did not feel isolated.
The online space was expanded as part of HQ's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) conversations, Let's Talk About It, as the Arts and Culture Lounge (ACL), all the while trying to retain its spontaneous and innovative origins.
The ACL is a virtual platform in which personnel and external guests share their artistic talents as a creative and fun way to engage with the UNFPA mandate as well as to learn and appreciate the cultural diversity among personnel.
The underlying principle is that while UNFPA personnel through their work collectively advance fundamental and universal themes, they do so from diverse backgrounds and cultures that can be channeled into the core business of UNFPA.
Below you can find the recordings from previous Arts and Culture Lounge sessions. This page will, of course, be updated with more sessions in the future.
16DaysArtivismEventNov2022.mp416 Days of Artivism
28 November 2022
The event demonstrated the linkages between the worlds of art and activism, bringing together technical expertise and artistic expression to showcase the work of artists who represent UNFPA's mission to achieve gender equality and end violence against women and girls.
Celebrating the new Strategic Plan
.24 September 2022
Through music, rhythm, harmony and spoken word, the event demonstrated how UNFPA can harness the creative and innovative power of the arts as an accelerator for the new Strategic Plan, encouraging ownership of the plan by everyone across the Fund.
Summer Splash Open Mic '
30 July 2022
Staff responded to a call for talents which were showcased in this lounge to user in the start of summer.
GlobalPrideParade2022Recording.mp4Global Pride Parade
24 June 2022
A global parade showcasing UNFPA's commitment to addressing the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ people around the globe and featured guest R&B and Soul artist, Nichelle Bernard, based in Toronto, UNFPA's own talents in senior management and colleagues from different regions celebrating diversity and inclusion.
UN Diversity Day
20 May 2022
UNFPA, UNDP, UN OHCHR, UN Women, ION to the first ever interagency event to mark Diversity Day.
April 9 ACL Recording Fashion & UNFPA.mp4Fashion Design and Quilting
8 April 2022
Featuring UNFPA partnership with the Prada Group for a first-of-its-kind fashion training in Ghana and Kenya. The "Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears" programme is a valuable experience to gain practical and relevant skills with a focus on local styles, upcycled fashion, traditional textile design and financial literacy.
Guitarist and DED-M, Ib Petersen, alongside spoken word artist Alfred Howard
5 March 2022
The event reflected on the power of words to create change and highlighted the notion that in acknowledging and embracing our diversity, we are celebrating our unity.
BlackHistoryMonth2022Recording.mp4Black History Month
25 February 2022
Focused on UNFPA's approach to diversity and inclusion, and the UN Secretariat Strategic Action Plan on Addressing Racism as well as Black History Month and 19th century black photographers in NY.
JuneteenthReflectionsandConversations2021Recording.mp4Juneteenth Reflections and Conversations
18 June 2021
Conversation with UNFPA DED-P, Diene Keita, and artist FreeQuency on Juneteenth and the impact poetry and artistic expressions have in promotion and advocacy of reproductive health issues.
End of Year Special
19 December 2021
An extravaganza for poetry and singing, taking the form of a once-only drama parody!
Suggestions
Suggestions
Please use the form below to submit any suggestions for themes and creative, fun acts to be featured in future Arts and Culture Lounge sessions. Kindly also include your details so that we can explore this further with you.
The Arts and Culture Lounge ES.pdfThe Arts and Culture Lounge FR.pdfSpanish Translation of the Page
French Translation of the Page
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