Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - Economic and Social Council, Special meeting.

Opening remarks by Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The objectives of the Special Meeting are to:

Examine the role of governance frameworks in guiding the ethical and responsible deployment of AI technologies to support the achievement of the SDGs;

Showcase real-life examples and case studies illustrating how AI has been utilized to address specific SDGs, highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons learned; and

Facilitate knowledge sharing, collaboration, and partnerships among stakeholders from governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, the private sector, technical standards organizations, and AI experts in leveraging AI for sustainable development.

The Special Meeting will bring together diverse stakeholders from governments, international organizations, academia, civil society, the private sector, technical standards organizations and AI experts to foster dialogue, collaboration and knowledge sharing on leveraging AI for sustainable development.

Watch the Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - Economic and Social Council, Special meeting.

Building resilience of communities to prevent radicalization to terrorism.

Member States have the primary responsibility for countering terrorist acts, including in building resilience of communities against radicalization to terrorism. The Security Council recognizes that acts of terrorism are most effectively prevented and countered through a comprehensive approach that includes actors from all sectors of society.

The objective of the open meeting is to convene a broad range of experts to discuss experiences, identify the latest trends, and share best practices on building community resilience to prevent and counter radicalization to terrorism. The open meeting will also provide an opportunity to strengthen collaboration with all relevant United Nations bodies and stakeholders in line with Council resolution 2617 (2021).

In addition, the open meeting will help to foster understanding of the issues and challenges posed by the use of use of new and emerging technologies, including AI, for terrorist purposes, as well as explore ways to build resilience to terrorism through the use of these technologies.

Watch the Open meeting of the Counter-Terrorism Committee - Building resilience of communities to prevent radicalization to terrorism.

General Assembly: Briefing by the Co-Chairs of the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States - Informal meeting of the plenary, 78th session.

Briefing by the Co-Chairs of the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States - Informal meeting of the plenary, 78th session

Watch the General Assembly: Briefing by the Co-Chairs of the High-Level Panel on the Development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States - Informal meeting of the plenary, 78th session.

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME - Celebration of the International Day of Forests 2024.

On March 21st, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at the United Nations Trusteeship Council chamber, New York;

- OPENING SESSION - Opening remarks: Ms. Juliette Biao, Director, UN Forum on Forests Secretariat  H.E. Ambassador Paula Narváez, President of the UN Economic and Social Council  H.E. Ambassador Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Chair of the UNFF19 Bureau  Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General, DESA - PANEL SESSION - Chair: Ms. Leticia Zamora Zumbado, Vice-Chair of the UNFF19 Bureau  Mr. QU Guangzhou, Director, FAO Liaison Office, New York  Speaker tba, USDA Forest Service  Ms. Anna Rathmann, Executive Director, Jane Goodall Institute  Speaker tba, International Forestry Students’ Association  Mr. Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada  Mr. José Carlos da Fonseca, Executive Director, The Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá)  Mr. Kai Lintunen, Head of International Communication, Finnish Forest Association - GENERAL DISCUSSION- Chair: Mr. Javad Momeni, Vice-Chair of the UNFF19 Bureau Statements by Member States, UN entities and other accredited IGOs and Major Groups FOREST VIDEO SHOWCASE Short films from FAO and the 2024 World Wildlife Day Film Showcase (CITES and Jackson Wild)  Forests and innovation – new solutions for a better world  How Old Cell Phones Are Protecting the Rainforest  This New AI Forensic Tool is Fighting Illegal Logging  NASA Joins Jane Goodall to Conserve Chimp Habitats

United Nations Forum on Forests, UNDESA on the International Day of Forests 2024.

416th Meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Watch the 416th Meeting of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.

Agenda Programme of the 25th anniversary of the Rome Statute.

8:00-9:30 - INFORMAL BREAKFAST ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMEMORATION OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ROME STATUTE. Hosted by the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations Invitees: Panelists and Ministers (upon invitation) Location: Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations

Date: Monday, 17 July 2023. Location: Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters. Duration: one day (two segments of three hours each from 10:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 18:00) Interpretation into Arabic, English, French, and Spanish (to be confirmed)

10:00-10:45 OPENING CEREMONY Presided by Ms. Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, President, Assembly of States Parties. Speakers - H.E. Mr. Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Italy) (tbc.) - Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel (on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations) - Judge Piotr Hofmański, President, International Criminal Court Institutional video 1998-2022 Speakers - H.E. Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada - Mr. William R. Pace, former Convenor, Coalition for the International Criminal Court - Ms. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Chair, Board of Directors of Trust Fund for Victims In Memoriam (video tribute to key figures from Rome who have passed) 10:45-12:30 - STRATEGIC VISION FOR THE NEXT DECADE: HOW TO ENSURE CONSISTENT AND SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR THE ICC High-level, in-person Ministerial Roundtable on the strategic vision of the Court for the next decade, open only to Ministerial Level Representatives. - Ms. Melinda Reed, Acting Convenor of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), will address attendees on behalf of civil society.

12:30-13:00 TREATY CEREMONY Treaty Ceremony for depositaries of instruments of ratification/accession to the Rome Statute, Amendments, Agreement on Privileges and Immunities or cooperation agreements with the Court.

13:00-15:00 LUNCH BREAK.

15:00-18:00 STRATEGIC VISION FOR THE NEXT DECADE: HOW TO ENSURE CONSISTENT AND SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FOR THE ICC (cont.)

15:00-15:55 - Panel I - Connecting the dots: Strengthening the international criminal law ecosystem. 55 minutes. Moderator H.E. Mr. Robert Keith Rae, Vice-President, Assembly of States Parties. Speaker:

Mr. Karim A. A. Khan KC, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court. Discussants:

Ms. Catherine Marchi-Uhel, Head, International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism on Syria

Mr. Dapo Akande, Professor, Oxford University Counsel for the Defence (tbc) Question and answer segment break: five minutes

16:00-16:55 - Panel II - Ensuring adequate remedy to victims of Rome Statute Crimes. 55 minutes Moderator Ms. Deborah Ruiz Verduzco, Executive Director, Trust Fund for Victims (tbc) Speakers

Judge Chang-ho Chung, International Criminal Court

Mr. Fabian Salvioli, UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice and reparation

Ms. Evelyne Ombeni, Legal Representative of Victims, International Criminal Court

Representative from civil society (tbc) - Question and answer segment break: five minutes

17:00-17:50 - Panel III - Strengthening the Rome Statute system: The Review Mechanism and beyond. 55 minutes. Moderator Mr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association. Speakers

H.E. Mr. Paul van den Ijssel, State Party Representative for the Review Mechanism (Netherlands)

H.E. Mr. Michael Kanu, State Party Representative for the Review Mechanism (Sierra Leone)

Mr. Osvaldo Zavala Giler, Registrar, International Criminal Court

Ms. Elizabeth Evenson, Associate Director, Human Rights Watch. Question and answer segment.

17:50-18:00 - CLOSING

18.00-20:00 - RECEPTION ON THE OCCASION OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ADOPTION OF THE ROME STATUTE. Hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations Open to all attendees.

Location: Sputnik Lounge, Visitor’s Entrance, United Nations Headquarter.

Side-event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Liechtenstein to the United Nations.

Information regarding inscription to the list of speakers will be communicated prior to the event.

PRESIDENCY OF THE ASSEMBLY OF STATES PARTIES

High level panel discussion on ''Women in Diplomacy''.

Women, as we all know, are realists, but they are also realists who, while they keep their feet on the ground, also keep their eyes on far horizons.

Global norms and standards play a key role in establishing benchmarks for the international community to abide by, and for countries to implement.

"It begins with worlds and each of us: Effective action to counter hate speech."

The objective of the high-level event is to showcase good practices that exist from within the UN system, from Member States, regional organizations, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to tackle hate speech. The good practices will emphasize efforts that deal not only with the impact and spread of hate but also its root causes and drivers. It is further aimed to take stock of some of the challenges and lesson learnt from these initiatives in order to enhance knowledge sharing and to strengthen our collective efforts to address the scourge of hate speech globally.

The high-level event will also feature the launch of a publication developed by OSAPG showcasing some of the good practices from within the UN system, in particular from UN field entities on countering and addressing hate speech.

Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age.

The World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed on 15 June. It was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 66/127 in 2011, following a request by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), who first established the commemoration in 2006. WEAAD represents the one day in the year when the world voices its opposition to elder abuse, a human rights violation, and helps to enhance the recognition of the dignity of older persons and their right to live free of fear and violence. In the context of last year’s commemoration of WEAAD, the WHO, in partnership with UN DESA, OHCHR, UNFPA, and UN-WOMEN, with support from INPEA, published Tackling abuse of older people: five priorities for the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030. The resource outlined key priorities to prevent and respond to abuse of older persons and, hence, contribute to improving their health, well-being and dignity. This year, the commemoration will provide an update on the implementation of the priorities. Ahead of the milestone of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), this year’s commemoration of WEAAD will also connect with the year-long campaign to promote and recognise the 75th anniversary. As the month of June of the campaign will focus on showcasing the UDHR by raising awareness on its legacy, relevance and activism as relates to women’s rights, the theme of the 2023 WEAAD commemoration in the United Nations Headquarters in New York is entitled Closing the Circle: Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age - Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses.

@shlomo_fishman

One of the main foundations of the Palestinian narrative states that: "according to international law, Israel is occupying Palestinian land".

What most people don't know is that the international law states, in fact, the exact opposite. I'll explain.

In the picture below, you can see article 80 in the UN charter, signed by the UN in 1945 during the San Francisco convention. As stated, its purpose was to ensure the rights given by trusteeship agreements approved by the UN, one of them being the British Mandate which officially began in 1920 and was designated to the establishment of a "national home" for the Jewish people on the area shown in the map below, as previously declared in the Balfour Declaration in 1918.

Now you may say: "but what about the UN general assembly Resolution 181 (the partition plan)?". The answer here is pretty simple: first of all, the general committee has no official power to enforce their decisions, which are mostly symbolic. Second, the plan was never set in motion, as the Arab leadership refused to accept it and the war between the Jewish population and the Arab one, broke down. Regarding the UN security council, Article 24(2) states: "the Security Council shall act in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the United Nations". Which means it also cannot overrule article 80 in the UN charter.

There is also an argument I heard, about the British Mandate being a class A mandate. Class A mandates, were territories formerly controlled by the Ottoman Empire that were deemed to "... have reached a stage of development where their existence as independent nations can be provisionally recognized subject to the rendering of administrative advice and assistance by a Mandatory until such time as they are able to stand alone. The wishes of these communities must be a principal consideration in the selection of the Mandatory". There is one major problem with this argument: the Muslim Arabs NEVER had any national ambitions back then, nor wanted an independent state until after 1948.

Haj Amin Al-Husseini, probably the most prominent Muslim leader during the British Mandate and the Mufti of Jerusalem at that time, who dedicated his life to combat Zionism and purge the Jewish population in the area, even reaching Adolf Hitler at some point to help him fulfill those plans, never wanted an establishment of an independent Muslim state.

While launching massacres against the Jewish population (the great Arab revolt, 1929 Arab riots and more) and trying to convince Arabs not to sell lands to Jews, he justified it only using religious Islamic motives and blood libels against the Jews. Their only mission was to erase Zionism, so there was never an appeal by him, nor the Arab League and not any other Muslim leadership of that time to the international community, for the establishment of a Muslim state called "Palestine".

So when I define the Palestinians as: "a political movement pretending to be a nation, only to combat Zionism", I talk about this exactly.

This text sums up the main things you should know about the non-existent Israeli occupation, which many people unfortunately don't. So it was very important to me to write about it, especially in these difficult times, and I'd appreciate your support in spreading this message, a lot.

UN General Assembly meets annually to discuss global issues #diplomats #globalissues #UN #UNGeneralAssembly #worldleaders

The United Nations Trusteeship Council: A Narrative of International Governance

The United Nations Trusteeship Council, established in 1945, played a crucial role in the decolonization process and the promotion of self-determination for non-self-governing territories. This blog aims to provide a narrative account of the Trusteeship Council’s formation, its functions, and its impact on the world stage. By examining its historical context, key initiatives, and challenges…

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Events 12.22 (after 1950)

1963 – The cruise ship Lakonia burns 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives. 1964 – The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) takes place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, United States. 1965 – In the United Kingdom, a 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) speed limit is applied to all rural roads including motorways for the first time. 1968 – Cultural Revolution: People's Daily posted the instructions of Mao Zedong that "The intellectual youth must go to the country, and will be educated from living in rural poverty." 1971 – The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders is founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France. 1973 – A Royal Air Maroc Sud Aviation Caravelle crashes near Tangier-Boukhalef Airport in Tangier, Morocco, killing 106. 1974 – Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli vote to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remains under French administration. 1974 – The house of former British Prime Minister Edward Heath is attacked by members of the Provisional IRA. 1975 – U.S. President Gerald Ford creates the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the 1970s energy crisis. 1978 – The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is held in Beijing, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for Chinese economic reform. 1984 – "Subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on a 2 express train in Manhattan section of New York, United States. 1989 – Romanian Revolution: Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife Elena flee Bucharest in a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers. 1989 – German reunification: Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany. 1990 – Lech Wałęsa is elected President of Poland. 1990 – Final independence of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia after termination of trusteeship. 1992 – During approach to Tripoli International Airport, a Boeing 727 operating as Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 collides in mid-air with a Libyan Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, killing 157 people. 1996 – Airborne Express Flight 827 crashes in Narrows, Virginia, killing all six people on board. 1997 – Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces. 1997 – Somali Civil War: Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991. 1999 – Just after taking off from London Stansted Airport, Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashes into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury, killing all four people on board. 2001 – Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Islamic State of Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai. 2001 – Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63. 2010 – The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama. 2016 – A study finds the VSV-EBOV vaccine against the Ebola virus between 70 and 100% effective, thus making it the first proven vaccine against the disease. 2017 – United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 against North Korea is unanimously approved. 2018 – A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more. 2018 – The 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, the longest shutdown of the U.S. federal government in history, begins.

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II. Its mission is to promote international cooperation and maintain peace and security. The UN has 193 member states and is headquartered in New York City, with additional major offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.

The UN has several principal organs, including the General Assembly, the Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council (which suspended operations in 1994). Each organ has specific functions and responsibilities within the UN system.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the UN and is composed of representatives from all member states. It meets annually and discusses a wide range of international issues, including peace and security, human rights, development, and the environment. The General Assembly also elects non-permanent members of the Security Council and approves the UN budget.

The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It has 15 members, including five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The Security Council has the power to authorize military action, impose sanctions, and establish peacekeeping missions.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the UN and settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on legal questions. It is composed of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council.

The Economic and Social Council is responsible for promoting economic and social development, including poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. It has 54 members, elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms.

The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a renewable five-year term. The Secretariat provides administrative support to the other UN organs and carries out the day-to-day work of the UN.

The UN also has specialized agencies, programs, and funds that carry out specific tasks, such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The UN has played a key role in promoting international cooperation and resolving conflicts through diplomacy and peacekeeping operations. It has also worked to advance human rights, promote sustainable development, and address global challenges such as climate change and pandemics. While the UN faces many challenges and criticisms, it remains an important forum for addressing international issues and promoting cooperation among nations.

Programme of the commemoration 2023 at United Nations Trusteeship Council Chamber.

Celebrate the power of activism, solidarity, resilience building, and leadership that many women and youth-led networks.

Inspired by the Generation Equality Forum’s principles of feminist leadership, intergenerational solidarity, and meaningful youth engagement, the at the United Nations represents a unique opportunity to celebrate the power of activism, solidarity, resilience building, and leadership that many women and youth-led networks and movements demonstrated around the world while the COVID-19 pandemic challenged humanity.

The concert will also raise awareness about 2023 marking the midpoint of the Generation Equality journey and call for accelerated ambition and commitment. 

Con Alma concert – Special performance by Magos Herrera and Paola Prestini, 14 March 2023, 6–7.30pm EDT, Trusteeship Council Chamber, UN Headquarters.

Registration is required.