THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS: THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE (09/13) 25 February-3 March 2013 (and beyond) This document is for planning purposes only and is subject to change. Please check also our website for latest changes http://www.unric.org or call + 32 476 215 485
VIP Visits
The UN Secretary-General: Addis Ababa, Abu Dhabi, Vienna, Geneva (till 1 March). Jan Eliasson, UN Deputy Secretary-General: Republic of Korea, Japan (till 2 March). Cecilia Malmström, EU Home Affairs Commissioner: Georgia (25 Feb.). Algirdas Šemeta, EU Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud: Washington, (25-26 Feb.). Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: Almaty (26Feb.). Anne-Marie Leroy, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, World Bank: Brussels (26-28 Feb.). Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action: USA (27 Feb. – 2 March). José Ramos-Horta, UN SG Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS): Brussels (03-05 March) Jordan Ryan, UN ASG, UNDP Assistant Administrator, Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery: Brussels (5-6 March). TBC Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, UN ASG for Political Affairs: Brussels (5 -6 March). TBC Adama Dieng, UN SG Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide: Brussels (5-7 March). Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, Brussels (7 March) Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO: Brussels (9 March) Philippe Douste-Blazy, UN USG, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Innovative Finance for Development: Brussels (9 March) Toby Lanzer, UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative in South Sudan: Brussels (18-19 March).
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Monday, 25 February Launch of the UNODC Transnational organized crime threat assessment - Africa West. Brussels: -Agriculture and Fisheries EU Council (till 26 Feb.). -EU-Ukraine summit. -European Parliament: Discussion on the recommendation to the Council on the UN principle of the 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P) (INI). -European Parliament: Public hearing on tobacco products. Geneva: Human Rights Council (till 22 March). Montreal: ICAO Council (till 15 March). Paris: Towards Knowledge Societies for Peace and Sustainable Development: First WSIS+10 Review Meeting (till 27 Feb.). Organized by UNESCO, the meeting will address the major challenges in building knowledge societies for sustainable development. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/flagship-projectactivities/unesco-and-wsis/wsis-10-review-meeting Tuesday, 26 February UNCTAD to launch its publication “Global Value Chains and Development: Investment and Value Added Trade in the Global Economy�. Almaty: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy leads, on behalf of the E3+3, the talks with Iran on Iran's nuclear programme. Brussels: EU Commissioners Andris Piebalgs and Kristalina Georgieva meet with EU Development Ministers to discuss the situation in Mali. -European Parliament: exchange views on the future of European Defence with Lieutenant General Ton Van Osch, Director General of the EU Military Staff. -European Railway Award 2013 ceremony. Geneva: IPU - Annual analysis of statistics and trends on women in parliament: Press conference by Sabine de Bethune, Chairwomen of the Belgian Senate and Anders B. Johnsson, IPU Secretary General. New York: -Briefing and Consultations on the Middle East. -Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group, substantive session (till 15 March).
Wednesday, 27 February Brussels: A decent life for all by 2030”- Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future - The European Commission presents its position on the post 2015 development agenda. The Communication will offer a joint and comprehensive vision for how to end extreme poverty and give the world a sustainable future, in response to the above global challenges and would present an initial common approach to all these issues, with a view to achieve an EU common position to feed the debate at the UN and worldwide. In the margin of the communication, Commissioners Janez POTOČNIK and Andris PIEBALGS will have meetings with representatives of civil society organisations. -Amnesty International's END female genital mutilation (FGM) European Campaign. http://www.endfgm.eu/en/news-and-events/events/upcoming-events/art-for-action-reaches-destination-brussels/
Geneva: Eamon Gilmore, T.D., Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland will address the press on behalf of the European Union at a stakeout. New York: Security Council – Briefing and Consultations on MONUSCO. Rome: UN Seminar - “Assistance to the Palestinians — challenges and opportunities in the new reality of a State under occupation” (till 28 Feb.). http://www.un.org/depts/dpa/qpal/docs/2013Rome/provprog%20EN.pdf
Vienna: 5th Global Forum - UN Alliance of Civilizations (till 28 Feb.). The UN Secretary-General will attend the official opening. http://www.vienna5unaoc.org Thursday, 28 February Brussels: -Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs EU Council (EPSCO). -EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, will host the first direct talks between the European Commission and the EU's capital cities. The aim is to promote a regular dialogue between the capitals and the EU Commission and to mobilise them as key European actors in fulfilling the goals of the Europe2020 Agenda for Growth. Commissioners Neelie Kroes and Janez Potocnik will also participate. The mayors of Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Bratislava, Brussels, Bucharest, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Luxembourg, Madrid, Nicosia, Rome, Sofia, Stockholm, Tallinn, La Valetta, Vienna, Vilnius, Warsaw and Zagreb will present a common declaration on the central role of cities as motors for sustainable, smart and inclusive growth. -European Competition Forum, with participation of the OECD Secretary-General. -European Parliament: »Youth Disengagement – what costs and what remedies?« A discussion with policy makers and stakeholders, jointly organised by the Eurofound and the European Youth Forum. http://database.youthforum.org/events/view/id_event/353 . -European Parliament - workshop on Corruption and human rights. The workshop will be divided into two panels: the first will discuss "Corruption: a human rights issue" and the second panel will debate "The impact of corruption on human rights in third countries". Paris: World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) +10 meeting and Internet Governance Forum Consultations (till 1 March).
Friday, 1 March The Russian Federation assumes the monthly rotating Presidency of the Security Council. Geneva: -The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend a High-level Panel Discussion on Human Rights Mainstreaming at the Human Rights Council and will also deliver the Annual Sergio Vieira de Mello Lecture. He will address the press. -The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) will present its concluding observations on Angola, Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Pakistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. - International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH) (till 10 March). http://www.fifdh.org/?lan=en&rubID=1 Leuven: Roundtable Discussion of EU Ministers with responsibility for Homelessness. Nairobi: A delegation of 7 MEPs will observe the general elections on 4 March. MEPs will be deployed in Nairobi and Naivasha as part of the EU Election Observation Mission. Preliminary observations will be delivered at a press conference in Nairobi on Wednesday 6 March. Paris: EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva gives a presentation to Franรงois Hollande, President of France, on the results of Broad public consultation on the Development policy. Rome: Rotterdam Convention Chemical Review Committee. Sunday, 3 March 40th anniversary of the CITES Convention Bangkok: Conference of the Parties to the CITES COP 16 (till 14 March). http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/index.php
Washington, DC: American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee Conference (till 5 March).
And beyond: Other dates to pin
4 March Brussels: Eurogroup. Dublin: Informal meeting of Ministers for Health (till 5 March). New York: Commission on the Status of Women (till 15 March).
5 March Launch of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) Annual Report 2012 Brussels: Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN). - Review and Update of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies Consultation Meeting. www.worldbank.org/safeguardsconsultations 6 March Brussels: High Level Conference on Threat Management (gathering senior decision makers from the Irish Department of Defence, EU Military Staff, NATO, FBI, EUROPOL, ISAF and Guardia Civil). Venue: Royal Military Academy. -European Parliament – Hearing: Can gender parity present a cure for the crisis? - Friends of Europe: International Women’s Day: Why women hold the key to sustainable development. http://www.friendsofeurope.org/Contentnavigation/Events/Eventsoverview/tabid/1187/EventType/EventView/EventId/ 1199/InternationalWomensDayWhywomenholdthekeytosustainabledevelopment.aspx
- Crans Montana Forum on Africa and South-South Cooperation: Africa in 2013, Upheavels and changes (till 9 March) http://www.cmf.ch/events/2013-03-09-2013-africa-2013-upheavals-changes 7 March Brussels: Justice and Home Affairs EU Council (till 8 March.). Dublin: Sports Conference. Organiser: Irish Sports Council and addressing the EU Sports Agenda. Frankfurt: Governing Council meeting of the ECB. 8 March International Women's Day 11 March Bangkok: Official launch of the ASEM Outlook Report 2012 organised by UNU-CRIS and the Asia-Europe Foundation Brussels: - Transport, Telecommunications and Energy EU Council (TTE Transport). - General and Foreign Affairs EU Council. -CINE ONU: Screening of "Sweet Dreams"To celebrate International Women’s Day, organised by the UN, the EU and the BOZAR -Friends of Europe: "Building resilience: Lessons from post-tsunami Japan". Strasbourg: European Parliament Plenary (till 14 March).
12 March Brussels: Launch of the 2013 Human Development Report ( under embargo) by UNDP Brussels office. Contact: Froger@unric.org (more to come). 14 March Launch of the 2013 Human Development Report “The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World.”
Brussels: - European Council (till 15 March).
- 5th edition of the European Consumer Day 2013 at the European Economic and Social Committee
New York: ECOSOC, Bretton Woods institutions, WTO and UNCTAD high-level meetings. 16 March Brussels: final session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine (till 17 March). 18 March Brussels: Meeting of Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRI FISH) (till 19 March). New York: Final UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (till 28 March). 20 March International Day of Happiness Bonn: OECD - Advancing the post-2015 sustainable development agenda: Reconfirming rights, recognising limits, redefining goals (till 22 March) http://www.berlin-civil-society-center.org/shared-services/post-2015
21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination World Down Syndrome Day World Poetry Day International Day of Forests and the Tree Brussels: Meeting of the Environment Council (ENVI). 22 March World Water Day: "International Year of Water Cooperation" http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013/index.html
Dublin: Informal meeting of EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs (till 23 March).
23 March World Meteorological Day
http://www.wmo.int/worldmetday/
24 March World Tuberculosis Day
http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/
Int. Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims http://www.un.org/en/events/righttotruthday/ Dublin: Interparliamentary Conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Defense and Security Policy (CSDP) (till 26 March). 25 March Int. Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade http://www.un.org/en/events/slaveryremembranceday/
Int. Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members http://www.un.org/en/events/detainedstaffday
Bali: Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on post-2015 will meet with a focus on partnerships and financing (till to 27 March). http://www.post2015hlp.org / 26 March Brussels: Lunch lecture with Professor Weiss on the topic "Is There a Future for the United Nations?" organized by the Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies and the Flemish UNA: VVN in cooperation with the European External Action Service and UNRIC, Residence Palace, Pollack Room. Registration: conference@ggs.kuleuven.be Durban: BRICS Summit: BRICS and Africa - Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation (till 27 March). http://www.brics5.co.za Tunis: World Social Forum (till 30 March). http://www.fsm2013.org/en --------------------------------------------
UN Campaigns, Competitions, Apps and Games For a more complete list of Competitions, Mobile Apps, Campaigns and Games visit: http://www.unric.org/en/competitions-campaigns-mobile-apps-a-games 22nd International Children’s Painting Competition
http://www.unric.org/en/competitions
The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is organized every year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation. It has been held since 1991 and has received more than 3 million entries from children (6 - 14) in over 150 countries. The theme of the 22nd painting competition will be “Water: The Source of Life”. The submission deadline is 28 February, 2013 2013 World Environment Day blogging competition
http://www.unric.org/en/competitions
UNEP, in partnership with TreeHugger, invites you to enter the 2013 World Environment Day blogging competition by writing an inspiring blog on this year's theme: Think.Eat.Save. The task is to call for heightened awareness and immediate action to reduce food waste and loss across the food supply chain. There is so much to blog about! The submission deadline is 28 February, 2013 2013 International Anti-Corruption Day Campaign Theme and Logo Competition http://www.unric.org/en/competitions
If you’ve got a good anti-corruption campaign design idea in mind they’d like to know! UNDP and UNODC would like to encourage young people's engagement in the anti-corruption campaign. This competition is open for all young people between the ages of 15 and 25 years. UNDP and UNODC, in particular, encourage young women to participate in this competition. The submission deadline is 15 March, 2013 “WORK4YOUTH” photo contest (ILO)
http://www.unric.org/en/competitions
The ILO Youth Employment Programme has launched a photo contest focusing on young people at work. The objective of the contest is to highlight the challenges young people face in the workplace, as well as innovative ideas to address them. Photos submitted by participants should capture youth at work The submission deadline is 15 April, 2013
New Game(s): Stylista - WFP and Sandbox Global Join Forces
http://www.unric.org/en/games
Hosted on the social networking site Facebook, the Stylista game will now offers limited edition t-shirts and bags that will contribute to the World Food Programme's (WFP) assistance operations inside Syria. ----------------------------------