Drawing in thousands of people, UN Day was marked in the northern capital Khartoum with exhibitions and music and in the south with donations to a Malakal orphanage and a clean-up exercise in Wau.

Addressing Government of National Unity officials and representatives from civil society and the United Nations in Khartoum on 25 October, Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ashraf Qazi read Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message for the Day.

"We are deploying more peacekeepers than ever -- more than 115,000. In the last year alone, we provided electoral assistance to almost 50 countries," the message stated.

In the afternoon and evening, Rashid Diab Arts Centre in Khartoum displayed photo exhibitions by UN agencies and partner organizations. The large, grassy yard of the centre was filled to capacity, with about 1500 people attending musical performances and speeches.

"People look to the United Nations to defeat poverty and hunger, to keep the peace, to expand education and stand up for human rights in every corner of the globe," said UNMIS Chief of Staff Farid Zarif, reading the Secretary-Generals message to the crowd of students, professionals, mothers with small children and jallabiya-clad men.

When asked how they perceived the United Nation's presence in Sudan, university students Ula and Eman Sheikh said they thought the organization "was helping poor people in areas like Darfur and the south."

"Now I know more about the objectives of the UN," spectator Amel Ibrahim Sheikh said during the concert staged at the arts centre, adding that the exhibition and speeches increased her knowledge about UN activities.

Other participants in the audience praised UNMIS' presence in the country, including the manager of the band Igd Alglad, Aamir Taha.

"Sudan has a history with too much conflict," Mr. Taha said, adding "I hope with the help of the UN organizations, all of Sudan will be peaceful."

In Malakal, Upper Nile State, UNMIS marked UN day on 23 October, together with orphanage children and social workers of Save Our Souls (SOS) Children Village. Besides representatives of UN agencies, state officials attended the celebration, which featured children singing and dancing.

In opening remarks, Director of SOS Akwoch Dok stated that Malakal's SOS Children Village is the second biggest orphanage in Southern Sudan and thanked the Indian Battalion for their support in organizing weekly movie nights.

Minister of Social Development Sarah Nyawati Elijah praised UNMIS for its close coordination with the Upper Nile State government, but stressed that many things remained to be done, especially prior to the elections.

The event's guest of honor, Upper Nile State Security Adviser Ludia Thomas praised UNMIS for its presence in the most insecure state in Southern Sudan, and asked for continued assistance to maintain peace and stability.

Closing the celebration, Malakal Head of Office Rose Sakala donated food items including rice, sugar, wheat flour, sorghum, and sweets to children of the orphanage.

Western Bahr El-Ghazal State marked UN Day on 23 October with a clean-up campaign at Wau's biggest market and the teaching hospital, followed by a celebration at the town's Isaac Stadium.

Addressing the gathering of hundreds of staff members from UNMIS, UN agencies and residents, Wau area Acting Sector Commander, Lt. Col. Isaac Muchendu said, "Today we are marking this important day in commemoration and recognition of the United Nations Organization's triumphs and challenges in bringing world peace."

UNMIS Chinese Medical Team and Kenyan Demining Company donated clothes and medicines to Wau Teaching Hospital to mark the event. Director General Dr. James Morgan thanked the organization for the donations which "highlighted how the UN was working to assist people who live in poverty and destitution".

Local cultural group Kwoto entertained the gathering, and the UN flag was ceremonially hoisted. UNMIS staff in Wau observed a minute of silence to remember Deputy Force Commander Maj. Gen. Muinuddin, who recently lost his life while on leave in Pakistan.