United Nations Public Service Day 2024- History & Significance

The United Nations Public Service Day is observed on June 23 of each year. This day was instituted by the United Nations to recognise the importance of public service in the process of development and acknowledge the virtue and value of public administration and service to the human community. Additionally, this international day of importance also encourages young minds to opt for jobs in the public sector. On this occasion, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) bestows the United Nations Public Service Awards (UNSPA) to public servants who have contributed to the public service. Let’s read more about the history and significance of this day.

United Nations Public Sevice Day History

The UN Public Service Day hails back to 2003. This day was officiated by the United National General Assembly (UNGA). Given below is a timeline of the officiation of this important day:

•  On 20th December 2002, the General Assembly announced 23rd June as the United Nations Public Service Day. This was followed by the adoption of Resolution 57/277.
• Further, in 2003, the UN and the world celebrated Public Service on the 23rd of June.
• Furthermore, in 2003, the UN Organisation introduced the UN Public Service Awards. This award was instituted to commemorate the day.

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United Nations Public Service Day Significance

Public Service Day is of utmost importance to the UN and public servants. As this day is dedicated to recognising the achievements of public servants, let us look at the reasons why this day is considered so important:

• This day is celebrated to generate awareness about the importance of civil behaviour and social issues.
• On this day, the UN instils the importance of public service in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among the general public.
• Moreover, Public Service Day also encourages governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the private sector to highlight the finest practices used to provide public services. Additionally, organisations are also encouraged to underscore the best practices to improve the effectiveness and quality of public administration.
• Furthermore, the day is a platform for civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, and governments to discuss shortcomings in the public service sector at their levels. In addition, stakeholders get an opportunity to prioritise methodologies to improve public service delivery, governance, and public administration.
• Additionally, this day also serves as a global platform to nurture relationships and promote partnerships among several stakeholders.

Friday is UN #PublicServiceDay, an opportunity to honour the invaluable contributions of public servants in our communities, shaping a better future for all. https://t.co/LlE8WaNDFf pic.twitter.com/kep3pWYuVN

— United Nations (@UN) June 22, 2023

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United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA)

UN awards United Nations Public Service Awards to acknowledge the significance of public service by awarding individuals and organisations who innovate and contribute to this sector. The primary objective of UNSPA is to boost the spirits of public service entities to achieve greater heights in public administration. These entities must ensure that their innovations and achievements are sustainable. Furthermore, this award upholds the ideal that public service and public administration are key to a successful democracy and governance. 

About UNSPA

Key details of UNSPA are as follows:

• This award was introduced by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to commemorate the day on 3rd June 2023.
• After 13 years, in 2016, UNSPA was revised to conform to the 2023 Sustainable Development Agenda.
• UNSPA is awarded to people and organisations who have contributed significantly to the objectives of ameliorating the dignity and values of public service.

UNSPA Winners 2022

This annual award can be bestowed on an organisation or an individual or a community. Tabulated below are the names of UNSPA 2022 winners and their achievements:

UNSPA 2022 Winners	Achievements	Countries
Pay Equity Act in Quebec	For encouraging gender-responsive services to meet the 2030 SDG Agenda	Canada
Koh Libong Community	For nurturing innovative ways to provide equitable and inclusive public service	Thailand
Community Peace Center	For improving the quality and effectiveness of public institutions to achieve Agenda 2030	Brazil
Mo Bus	For introducing cost-effective and sustainable public transport	India
Prozorro.Sale	For adopting innovative ways to improve public administration	Ukraine
Science for Change Program	For adopting innovative ways to improve public administration	Philippines

Celebration of United Nations Public Service Day

The UN and other stakeholders celebrate Public Service Day on June 23 each year through award ceremonies, seminars, conferences, and other public events. On each forum, countries, regional organisations, and global entities discuss present-day challenges in public service and administration. Additionally, they also acknowledge the contributions of organisations and individuals in this field and encourage more people to participate.

Here are some of the ways in which the UN celebrates this annual event:

• This global organisation organises fairs and job shadowing events all over the world.
• Furthermore, it also awards the United Nations Public Service Awards to deserving individuals, communities, and organisations.
• In addition, the United Nations Organisation also orchestrates the Public Service Forum to bring together policymakers, public administrators, public service professionals, academicians, and other stakeholders on a single platform to improve public service delivery. 

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