A flag raising ceremony to mark Jamaica's 50th anniversary as a member of the United Nations (UN) will be held today at the organisation’s New York headquarters.

The event, which gets underway at 11:00 am, will be attended by the president of the General Assembly, New York state and city officials who are Jamaican either by birth or descent, ambassadors, including those of countries that co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution providing for Jamaica’s admission, and other dignitaries.

Jamaica became a member of the world body of nations on September 18, 1962. Fourteen countries co-sponsored General Assembly resolution 1750 (XVII) entitled ‘Admission of Jamaica to membership of the United Nations’. They are Australia, Canada, Ceylon (Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka), Cyprus, Ethiopia, Malaya (Malaysia), Ghana, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tanganyika (United Republic of Tanzania), and the United Kingdom.

In reflecting on Jamaica’s 50 years of membership, the country’s Ambassador to the UN Raymond O Wolfe noted that along with other members of the global community, Jamaica seeks to bring renewed attention to the most pressing challenges facing the world today, including the impact of the global financial crisis, climate change, human rights, and sustainable development.

Over the past 50 years, Jamaica has served on a number of influential bodies within the UN system, including the Security Council.

As a responsible member of the global community, Jamaica has spearheaded debates on critical issues of international concern such as the empowerment of women, human rights, non-communicable diseases, racial discrimination, and the abolition of slavery.

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