The UN coorganises the ceremony of the Public Services Awards with the Generalitat de Catalunya. The ceremony will take place in Barcelona on 23 June. Almost 400 representatives of world governments will be present as well as the UN Under secretary general for economic and social affairs, Sha Zukang, and other spanish and catalan authorities. Two days of debates will preceed the award (21 and 22 June) with public administrators and experts that will culminate with the approval of a Declaration of Barcelona on practices of good governance and transparency.

This is the first time the UN coorganises the event with a Government and celebrates it outside its headquarters. The Generalitat de Catalunya won the award in 2008 for its innovatives policies in public service.

Public Service Day at the UN

In 2003, the UN General Assembly designated 23 June as Public Service Day to celebrate the importance of the services public administration brings to the communities and its contribution to development.