A/RES/61/121 A-B Recalling its resolution 59/309 of 22 June 2005 on multilingualism, and emphasizing the importance of making appropriate use of the official languages of the United Nations in the activities of the Department of Public Information, with the aim of eliminating the disparity between the use of English and the five other official languages, Welcoming Austria to membership in the Committee on Information, I Introduction 1. Reaffirms its resolution 13 (I), in which it established the Department of Public Information, and all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly related to the activities of the Department, and requests the Secretary-General, in respect of the public information policies and activities of the United Nations, to continue to implement fully the recommendations contained in paragraph 2 of its resolution 48/44 B of 10 December 1993 and other mandates as established by the General Assembly; Also reaffirms that the United Nations remains the indispensable 2. foundation of a peaceful and just world and that its voice must be heard in a clear and effective manner, and emphasizes the essential role of the Department of Public Information in this context, the activities of which should be so organized and directed as to promote to the greatest possible extent an informed understanding of the work and purposes of the United Nations among the peoples of the world; Stresses the importance of the clear and timely provision of information 3. by the Secretariat to Member States, upon their request, within the framework of existing mandates and procedures; Reaffirms the central role of the Committee on Information in United 4. Nations public information policies and activities, including the prioritization of those activities, and decides that recommendations relating to the programme of the Department of Public Information shall originate, to the extent possible, in the Committee and shall be considered by the Committee; Requests the Department of Public Information, following the priorities 5. laid down by the General Assembly in its resolution 59/275 of 23 December 2004, and guided by the United Nations Millennium Declaration 5 to pay particular attention to such major issues as the eradication of poverty, conflict prevention, sustainable development, human rights, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and the needs of the African continent; Also requests the Department of Public Information to pay particular 6. attention to progress in implementing the internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration, and the outcomes of the major related United Nations summits and conferences in carrying out its activities; Reaffirms the need to enhance the technological infrastructure of the 7. Department of Public Information on a continuous basis in order to widen its outreach and improve the United Nations website; _______________ 5 4 See resolution 55/2.