With the aim to appreciate the value of public institutions and public servants, June 23 is observed as United Nations Public Service Day.
This year the United Nation will be organising a virtual event on the theme – “Building back better from COVID-19: Enhancing innovative partnerships to meet the Sustainable Development Goals”.
It highlights the contribution and role of public service in the development of all sectors around the world. While acknowledging the work done by the public servants and their sheer dedication towards effective and responsive public administration, the United Nations Public Service Day also encourages youth to pursue their careers in the public sector on this day.
The origin of the UN Public Service day goes back to December 20, 2002, when the General Assembly selected June 23 as Public Service Day after adopting a resolution 57/277. With an aim to give the day its recognition, the UN established the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) programme in 2003, which was later reviewed in 2016. This was done to align the day with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.