As an expression of his appreciation for the tireless work, effort and contribution of all UN staff members around the globe, the UN Secretary-General has dedicated 25 October 2016 as UN Staff Day. On 25 October 2016, the United Nations family will gather at all duty stations and field missions in celebration of the courage, commitment and sacrifice of the men and women who have answered the noble call to become international civil servants.
On this occasion NOWPAP family recognizes Dr. Alexander TKALIN, who has retired in August this year after serving for more than a decade as a NOWPAP Coordinator in Toyama, Japan and Busan, Republic of Korea. As the first staff member of the inaugurated in 2004 NOWPAP Regional Coordinating Unit (RCU), he steered the program through challenging and opportune times. Under his leadership NOWPAP evolved into one of the flagship intergovernmental initiatives under the umbrella of the UN Environment Regional Seas Programme. Alex worked tirelessly developing cooperative relationships with the NOWPAP four member states – China, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Russia, helped to establish and make operational NOWPAP Regional Activity Centres (RACs). In his term, NOWPAP regional and global network of partners grew exponentially and now includes some of the major regional environmental institutions such as the Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA), North-East Asian Subregional Programme for Environmental Cooperation (NEASPEC), North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) and others. As a national expert and consultant for UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Dr. Tkalin was among the first who started preparing and later negotiated the Action Plan under the auspices of UN Environment. His career in the UN started in 2000 when he was appointed a Programme Officer for the UN Development Programme project co-funded by the Global Environment Facility to develop Strategic Action Programme for Tumen River shared between Russia, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and China. His former colleagues in Busan and Toyama remember Alex as a kind gentlemen always willing to give his support and being open-minded. They say with a sense of humor that “while Alex could not master Japanese beyond the essential polite phrases necessary for daily conversation, he is regarded highly among his peers as one who could distinguish all brands of sake in Toyama”. In Japanese Shinto-style wedding ceremonies the bride and groom take turns sipping sake from three different bowls, each one larger than the one before. Sharing from the bowls is meant to represent sharing joys and sorrows. NOWPAP family will miss one of its members. While we wish Alex the best for new life in the well deserved retirement, we are also saying またお会いしましょう、お元気で！ [Many happy returns, let’s meet again], Alex!
