A/HRC/4/106 page 10 39. In 2006, four press conferences were arranged and moderated by the Department for human rights special rapporteurs, relating to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, torture, counter-terrorism and food. These press conferences received good media coverage, which was subsequently compiled and reported to OHCHR. 40. The observance of Human Rights Day (10 December) in New York, Geneva and at other United Nations Offices provides an important opportunity for the Department to promote the work of the United Nations on human rights. In 2005 and 2006, the Department designed the website for Human Rights Day in all six official languages, arranged translations into all official languages of press and public information materials prepared by OHCHR, and disseminated them to target audiences electronically and through the network of UNICs. An op-ed piece by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the theme of human rights and poverty was placed in 30 publications in 27 countries in December 2006. 41. In 2006, the Department also sponsored a Human Rights Day essay contest in partnership with OHCHR. The contest, hosted by the United Nations Cyberschoolbus, was open to students between the ages of 8 and 18, and approximately 700 entries from around the world were received in all official languages. Given the importance and demand for educational materials on human rights, the Cyberschoolbus is working with the German Translation Unit in the Secretariat and several human rights NGOs in Austria and Germany to create a German-language version of the Cyberschoolbus website that will place strong emphasis on human rights issues. The new website will be launched in the first half of 2007. 42. The Department hosted annual student conferences in observance of Human Rights Day aimed at promoting awareness of human rights issues among young people, and to encourage them to devise ways of taking action concerning human rights. Through these conferences, it worked with a number of educational and non-governmental groups to raise awareness of specific issues, using multiple media, to gather participants on such issues as “Water as a human right” (2005) and “Migration and development: challenges for human rights” (2006). Participating via videoconference, an interactive website and e-mail, students throughout the world drafted plans of action on each theme, which those assembled at Headquarters presented to the President of the General Assembly. 43. The Department also participated in the first teacher conference on human rights, held at Adelphi University, New York. A workshop organized jointly by the Cyberschoolbus and UN Works introduced teachers from different countries to educational materials produced by the United Nations on human rights issues for use in the classroom. 44. Activities in observance of other special days related to human rights were organized by the Department at Headquarters and by UNICs, including International Women’s Day (8 March), International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March), World Press Freedom Day (3 May), International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (26 June), International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (9 August), International Day for Tolerance (16 November) and World AIDS Day (1 December). The Department prepared fact sheets and collaborated with OHCHR and other partners in the organization of media or other special events for many of these Days.