In Africa, the diversity of activities across 49 countries included a photographic exhibition in Ethiopia, dissemination of memorial coins and stamps in Egypt, popular processions in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ghana, Decent Work songs in Madagascar and the Seychelles, talks and marches with children in Morocco and Niger. There were also poetry and essay competitions in Cameroon, Namibia and Swaziland as well as tripartite basketball games in Guinea and football matches in Sudan. And in Algeria, the inauguration of the new ILO Office was a very moving moment.
As pointed out by ILO Regional Director for Africa, Charles Dan, that diversity highlighted three major features. First, there was a focus on today’s urgent priorities, principally the implications of the global crisis on Africa’s peoples. The strong message was the importance of a concerted reply anchored in local development and a vibrant social economy. Second, the urgency emerged to implement Decent Work programmes in countries coming out from crisis, and third, tripartism was widely promoted as a powerful development tool.
In Asia and the Pacific, Regional Director Sachiko Yamamoto said, the aim was to make the world of work, work better for the world. In Asia also, the present economic and social crisis was the underlying theme in all of the of 22 countries which marked the Anniversary. ILO 90 organizers used the occasion to extend the message of ILO’s continuing relevance by reaching out to other partners such as Ministries of Commerce, Industry and Women’s Affairs, the media and the public at large, including children. Similarly, in Lebanon a high-level tripartite event was held in Parliament, and in Jordan, events were co-sponsored by the ILO and other Agency partners.
A number of heads of State and government also participated, which included an innovative Proclamation by the President of the Philippines declaring 21 April to 1 May, “ILO Week”.
Twenty-two countries in Latin America and the Caribbean participated in ILO 90 with tripartite events. Here too, the occasion afforded opportunity for new partnerships, including parliamentarians and youth, for instance. A number of new publications and tools were also launched, from mechanisms for social protection and national tripartite certification of labour skills to a regional labour statistics database. A blog created for this occasion provided up to date interactive knowledge sharing.
Regional Director Jean Maninat also drew attention to the crisis and the very concrete response set in motion by Argentine President Kirchner when she highlighted the need for the ILO to be part of G-20 discussions, and then subsequently obtained the support of Brazilian President Lula to send a joint letter to that effect to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
In Europe and Central Asia, Regional Director Petra Ulshoefer started off by emphasizing the enthusiasm of tripartite constituents and the high-level participation that was mobilized amongst the 20 countries involved. The diversity of events reflected national priorities, but like the other regions, references were made to the global crisis and the importance of adhering to the principle of social justice.
As in Latin America, plans were unveiled to imbue regional and international mechanisms with the ILO agenda. For example, Belgium’s Vice-Prime Minister announced that decent work would be an important theme for its forthcoming EU Presidency. Events focused on country achievements as a result of cooperation with the ILO over the years in the context of the universality of ILO values and their enduring relevance for each national context. The slogan “90 years working for social justice” was repeated to highlight ILO’s past and present strong response to the crisis and its capacity to adapt and modernize.
The intent to harness local dialogues to have global significance and impact, to quote the Director-General, was well documented in this preliminary overview provided by the Regional Directors. A number of further activities remain in the pipeline through the end of the year. These also span the globe, helping to make ILO messages, values and solutions local and sustainable.