A time to reflect, a time to look forward.

• Position: Gillian Martin Sorensen, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General for Information and Public Policy, plans 50th anniversary events

Seated comfortably in her 31st-floor office in the tall, glass UN Secretariat building in New York, Gillian Martin Sorensen, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General for Information and Public Policy, reflects confidence in her overwhelming task of coordinating the Un's fiftieth anniversary celebration.

"We've laid the groundwork for what we believe will be an extraordinary year, a memorable year. An anniversary that will strengthen and reinforce the UN for the next half century", the Under-Secretary-General stated with pride.

With the official theme "We the peoples of the United Nations . . . united for a better world" as a guide, many partners are working to make this an unforgettable event, she said. Not only are the UN system and the United Nations Associations around the world deeply involved in the preparations for the celebration, but government groups, national committees from many Members States, as well as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), have all responded with great enthusiasm to the challenges of making the event memorable, said Mrs. Sorensen.

On 17 December 1991, at the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly, delegates decided to include an item on "Commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations in 1995" in forthcoming agendas.

A few months later, in April 1992, the Assembly established an official 50th anniversary Preparatory Committee, open to all UN Member States' participation. Furthermore, this Preparatory Committee's task would be to consider and recommend proposals for suitable activities for the anniversary, acting by consensus.

To date, the Committee has met 13 times. At a March 1994 meeting, it proposed that a special meeting of the General Assembly at the level of Head of State or Government should be held in October 1995. That meeting, it was decided, should include the adoption of a declaration on the occasion of the 50th anniversary.

The regular UN budget will not be used to fund anniversary programmes. A UN50 Trust Fund has been created to receive extra-budgetary funds raised for this sole purpose.

To learn from the past

According to Mrs. Sorensen, interest in the anniversary runs high and some of the scepticism that the celebration would be "one big birthday party" has been overcome.

"We've done that by focusing on the enormous educational opportunities that exist, on the intellectual core. We've strengthened that core math curricula materials, documentaries, conferences and symposia...