THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS: THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE (10/13) 4 March-10 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
Michel Forst, UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti: Haiti (till 9 March). José Ramos-Horta, UN SG Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS): Brussels (3-5 March). Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Oslo (4 March). Štefan Füle, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy: Lebanon (45 March). Thein Sein, President of Myanmar and U Wunna Maung Lwin, Foreign Minister: Brussels (5 March). Jordan Ryan, UN ASG, UNDP Assistant Administrator, Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery: Brussels (5-6 March). Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, UN ASG for Political Affairs: Brussels (5 -6 March). Adama Dieng, UN SG Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide: Brussels (5-7 March). Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development and Graziano Da Silva, FAO Director General: Malawi (5-7March). Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel: Brussels, Paris, Strasbourg (5-13 March). Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand: Brussels (6 March). Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, Brussels (6-7 March). Karel De Gucht, EU Trade Commissioner : Hanoi (7-9 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). Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States for the crisis in Syria: Brussels (11 March). Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, UN Deputy Special Representative for Recovery and Governance, UN Mission in Liberia: Brussels (18-19 March). Moustapha Soumaré, MONUSCO Deputy Special Representative, UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in DRC: Brussels (18-19 March). Roger A. Meece, UN SRSG, Head of the UN Mission in the DRC - MONUSCO: Brussels (25-26 March) TBC. Agnes Marcaillou, UNMAS Director: Brussels (28-29 March) ----------------------------------------------
Monday, 4 March Brussels: -Eurogroup. - EU-facilitated high–level dialogue for the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina: EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy hosts the sixth meeting with Ivica DAČIĆ, Prime Minister of Serbia and Hashim THAÇI, prime Minister of Kosovo. -Resilient Threat Management 2013 (till 6 March) - European Parliament-Committee on Foreign Affairs: Discussion with José Ramos-Horta, UN Secretary General's Representative for Guinea Bissau. Dublin: Informal meeting of Ministers for Health (till 5 March). Geneva: UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture – Board of Trustees (till 8 March). - OHCHR Press briefing by Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, on his annual report to the Human Rights Council on the series of steps that are necessary for the empowerment of women and the realization of the right to food. Gothenburg: European Asylum and Refugee Policy Seminar.
http://www.utrikespolitiskaforeningen.se/8/post/2013/02/eu-commissioner-cecilia-malmstrm-about-the-content-ofthe-european-asylum-and-refugee-policy.html
New York: -Commission on the Status of Women (till 15 March). A delegation from the European Parliament Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee will attend the session from 4-6 March 2013. In relation to this session, European Parliament has adopted a resolution on eliminating and preventing all forms of violence against women and girls. -Women’s International Forum: Meeting on “Overcoming human trafficking challenges” (sponsored by the Executive Office of the Secretary-General). Oslo: International conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. Guest speakers include UNHCR Antonio Guterres, the director of OCHA Geneva Rashid Khalikov and ICRC President Peter Maurer, as well as representatives from UNDP, WFP, ICAN and other organizations (till 5 March).
http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/ud/selected-topics/humanitarian-efforts/humimpact_2013.html?id=708603
Paris: -UN High Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP) meeting (till 5 March). -OECD International Business Dialogue 2013: Barriers to 21st Century Commerce (till 5 March). Tuesday, 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
-European Parliament: Committee on Foreign Affairs: Discussion with U Wunna Maung Lwin on the ongoing reforms and the challenges ahead in Myanmar http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pressroom/agenda/2013-W10-By-Day
Geneva: - Annual analysis of statistics and trends on women in parliament. Press conference by Anders B. Johnsson, IPU Secretary General. - OHCHR / UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan E. Méndez: press briefing on his annual report to the Human Rights Council on health care settings and torture, and his reports on the two fact finding missions to Tajikistan and Morocco as well as his follow-up visit to Uruguay which he conducted in 2012 Wednesday, 6 March EU 2013 Civil Society Day
http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-civil-society-day-2013
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 - The state of play in Syria: Press conference by Guy Verhostadt, Chair of the ALDE group at the European Parliament and Brigadier General, Salim Idriss, Commander and Chief of the Free Syrian army. - European civil society workshop on Sustainable Development Goals http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-workshop-sdg#sthash.nbqsy5lv.dpuf
-EU Commission will be holding a roundtable discussion on female genital mutilation with leading campaigners and parliamentarians to discuss the way forward. Hanoi: ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Retreat and related meetings (till 9 March). Within the framework of the Retreat, the 12 th consultation between ASEAN economic ministers and the EU Trade Commissioner will take place on March 9. The two sides will discuss how to promote economic cooperation, trade and investment relations between the two regions. New York: Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters, organized by Secretary-General and the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB).
Thursday, 7 March Brussels: -Justice and Home Affairs EU Council (till 8 March.). -The EU Commission is publishing a Green Paper on plastic waste -European Parliament - EU action in the area of non-proliferation and disarmament. -European Parliament - Public hearing on the military and security situation in the South China. The hearing will discuss escalating disputes over the islands and waters of the strategic and resourcerich South China Sea. -European Parliament - "Zero Waste" Conference. -European Parliament - Women's Response to the Crisis - International Women's Day 2013. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201302/20130228ATT61909/20130228ATT61909EN.pdf
- European Parliament: The challenges facing Pakistan in the run-up to the general elections
http://www.alde.eu/event-seminar/events-details/article/the-challenges-facing-pakistan-in-the-run-up-to-the-general-elections-40864/
Dublin: -Sports Conference on EU Sports Agenda. Frankfurt: Governing Council meeting of the ECB. Geneva: - OHCHR – press briefing by By Heiner Bielefeldt, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief on his annual report to the Human Rights Council. London: Fifth ministerial-level meeting of the Friends of Yemen. EU High Representative / Vice President Catherine Ashton will take part. Oslo: The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action Conference "How to achieve an effective global climate agreement in 2015". EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard participates. Rome: UN High Level Committee on Management (HLCM) spring session (till 8 March). Friday, 8 March International Women's Day Brussels: 5th European Forum on cooperative banks and SMEs. Copenhagen: Conference on violence against women. http://www.lokk.dk/_files/Dokumenter/pdfer/invitationbrydtavshedenstopvolden.pdf
Paris: concert "Tribute to Women in Music: from Romantic to Electronic" organized in cooperation with Sveriges Radio and Radio France, live- broadcasted from UNESCO Headquarters on Swedish radio P2 and France Musique, and on the Euroradio satellite network, a Radio-Television activity of the European Union. Sunday, 10 March Amsterdam: Rape. Sexual violence in the age of genocide, film Symposium, NIOD.
And beyond: Other dates to pin
11 March Bangkok: Official launch of the ASEM Outlook Report 2012 organised by UNU-CRIS and the Asia-Europe Foundation Brussels: - General and Foreign Affairs EU Council. The Council, chaired by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, will discuss developments in the EU's southern neighbourhood, in particular in Syria, Egypt and Tunisia. Ministers will also examine issues concerning Japan, in view of the EU's forthcoming summit with this country. Furthermore, the Council is expected to address relations with Russia ahead of a debate at the European Council on 14/15 March. During lunch, ministers will exchange views with Lakhdar Brahimi, United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy for Syria. - Transport, Telecommunications and Energy EU Council (TTE Transport). -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: -The Commission will present a Recommendation calling upon European political parties to nominate their candidate for the function of President of the European Commission. -Press briefing on the new UNDP Human Development Report (HDR 2013) (under embargo) by UNDP Brussels office. Venue: UN House, Rue Montoyer 14, 10.00-11.00 am. Registration and more information: froger@unric.org 13 March Amsterdam: 2013 Ministerial Summit on the Teaching Profession.
http://www.teachersummit2013.org /
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). The European Council will be preceded, by a tripartite Social Summit where the President of the European Council, the current and the two subsequent Council presidencies and the Commission meet representatives of the social partners to discuss related employment and growth issues. The summit will focus on how to address the challenges of recovery and renewal of the EU's social dimension, with particular attention being given to the issue of youth unemployment. Heads of State or government will also hold an exchange views on relations with strategic partners, in particular Russia.
- European Consumer Day 2013 at the European Economic and Social Committee -External dimension of EU social security coordination – conference. http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-external-social-securitycoordination#sthash.KDiKv1xe.dpuf - Conference / Debate on: "The Geopolitics of Water", organized by APNU and UNRIC. 6 pm. Registration: invitation@unric.org More: https://www.unric.org/en/events/28257-conferencedebate-on-qthe-geopolitics-of-waterq Geneva: UN Transparency Workshop Common challenges and shared solutions: The transparency agenda at the United Nations. Leuven: colloquium Maritime Security: current challenges. 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). 19 March Brussels: Development debate ‘fragile states’ (in Dutch). http://www.vvob.be/vvob/nl/node/3509#inschrijven
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: -EU Environment Council (ENVI). -The Commission adopts its monthly infringements package.
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 28 March Brussels: Colloquium “The Ottawa Convention: the first step towards humanitarian disarmament” at the Royal Higher Institute for Defense. - Opening of the exhibition: Landmines: Treacherous Weapons at the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History, Brussels (29 March-28 June) --------------------------------------------
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
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
PLURAL+ 2013 Youth Video Festival http://www.unric.org/en/competitions The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) are once again inviting the world’s youth and to share their vision with the world by submitting original and creative videos focusing on the themes of migration, diversity and social inclusion for entry into the PLURAL+ 2013 youth video festival. The submission deadline is 30 June, 2013
New Campaign: Al Gore, Bundchen and Yumkella on Sustainable Energy for All (UNEP) http://un4.me/ZIphgD
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Bündchen has joined former United States Vice President Al Gore to urge support for the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's initiative to achieve universal access to modern energy services by 2030. --------------------------------------------