1,000 leaders discuss public service innovation in Colombia

By on 23/06/2015 | Updated on 24/09/2020

Around 1,000 decision-makers from more than 100 countries will meet in Colombia today to discuss innovation in the delivery of public services to mark the United Nations Public Service Day.

The UN General Assembly in 2003 designated 23 June as Public Service Day and since then, the day’s celebrations have been accompanied by a global discussion forum.

Hosted by the government of Colombia this year, the forum is taking place over four days starting today.

Topics discussed will include accountability in the public services of Latin America countries; e-government; innovations in gender responsive service delivery; public service management models; and Internet governance for innovations and sustainable development.

Participants will include senior civil servants, as well as leaders of international and regional organisations, academic institutions, non-profit organisations and the private sector.

Since its formation the UN’s Public Service Day also features the Public Service Awards, which “reward the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide.”

Run by the Division for Public Administration and Development Management of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the awards this year received 848 nominations, of which 638 – from across 71 countries – met the eligibility criteria, growing from 510 eligible nominations from 55 countries in 2014.

Winners of the awards’ four categories – improving the delivery of public services; promoting whole-of-government; fostering participation in policy-making decisions through innovative mechanisms; and promoting gender-responsive delivery of public services – will be revealed at a special ceremony on 26 June.

About Winnie Agbonlahor

Winnie is news editor of Global Government Forum. She previously reported for Civil Service World - the trade magazine for senior UK government officials. Originally from Germany, Winnie first came to the UK in 2006 to study a BA in Journalism & Russian at the University of Sheffield. She is bilingual in English and German, and, after spending an academic year abroad in Russia and reporting for the Moscow Times, Winnie also speaks Russian fluently.

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