Dear friends and colleagues,
Each May reminds us of two words which are key for the prosperity of the world: peace and unity. For many countries, 9 May is the Day of Victory over Fascism. On the same day, EU member states celebrate the creation of the European Union. The Day of Victory, already celebrated by many countries since the war, was given global relevance by the UN two decades ago in a commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War. UN General Assembly resolution 59/26 of 22 November 2004 declared 8 – 9 May as a time of remembrance and reconciliation and invited all UN organisations, UN member states, non-governmental organisations, and individuals to observe one or both of these days to pay tribute to victims of the Second World War.
Freedom and liberation
In 2010 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaking at an event to commemorate the Second World War declared it as, “One of the most epic struggles for freedom and liberation in history.” He continued, “Its cost was beyond calculation, beyond comprehension: 40 million civilians dead, 20 million soldiers, nearly half of those in the Soviet Union alone.” Indeed, as recognised by the UN Assembly the Second World War established the conditions for the creation of the United Nations. It was a deep felt need to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.
The new role of PR
Yet, the world is still struggling to obtain peace, unity and freedom. One could say we are struggling today more than ever. In this era of growing mistrust, misunderstanding and frequent misuse of information, our role as professional communicators is becoming more important, and more responsible. Communication is no longer just information and feedback. Today communication embraces understanding, the conveying of different views, a respect for ethical practices and a need to use reliable sources. Perhaps most importantly, communication today means communicating with a purpose to have a real impact on the well-being of our societies.
That is why our mission in IPRA is Leading trust and ethics in global communication. That is why we are proud on our consultative status with the United Nations. And because social responsibility starts with personal responsibility, if you are not already an IPRA member, that is why I am inviting you to join us in this important mission.
Kind regards,
Nataša Pavlović Bujas
IPRA President 2024
