Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
I hope all is well.
PGA MEETS POPE FRANCIS IN VATICAN CITY
The President of the General met this morning in Vatican City with His Holiness, Pope Francis for a private audience. I would like to ask your kind attention for a one-and-a-half-minute video we have just received.
Ms. Espinosa and the Pope talked about common goals such as climate change, plastic pollution, youth, and the need of decent work for all. Ms. Espinosa thanked Pope Francis for his continued support to multilateralism.
Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa said and I quote: ‘I wanted to take this very special opportunity in meeting with Pope Francis to recognize and appreciate the important role that he has played from the beginning of his pontificate, on the issue of migration and refugees. In Pope Francis, we have a spiritual leader who stands up for humanity and who urges that global solutions are found for global problems.”
During her meeting with His Holiness the Pope, the President of the UN General Assembly also conveyed her own commitment to giving priority to the rights of indigenous peoples and the issues that affect them.
She also emphasized that another of her priorities during her mandate would be to promote decent work, with an emphasis on young people and people with disabilities.
Vatican City is the last stop of her first official trip to Europe since assuming her post in September. The PGA is expected to be back in New York, tomorrow, Tuesday.
(For videos and photos, please visit our website and social media accounts)
THE FUTURE OF WORK – ETHICS IN ACTION INITIATIVE
Earlier today, at the 10th Meeting of the event Ethics in Action, Ms. Espinosa spoke on behalf of Member States of the United Nations about the importance of leaving no one behind in the fast-changing job market. In her presentation on the Future of Work, Ms. Espinosa noted that the “nature of work is changing, and that is paramount to ensure that all workers, regardless of what they do, or where they are from, need to be protected and integrated. Ms. Espinosa reminded all that work is much more than “what we earn; it’s a central pillar of our lives, giving people meaning, purpose and dignity, and providing a platform for social interaction and integration.”
PRESIDENT ESPINOSA AND FAO TO TACKLE PLASTIC POLLUTION
On Saturday the PGA had a bilateral meeting with the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO, Mr. José Graziano da Silva. They talked about cooperation on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals including SDG 2, on Zero Hunger. Ms. Espinosa also invited Mr. da Silva to join her in the global campaign against plastic pollution and secured his full support.
PGA’s AGENDA
After meeting Pope Francis, Ms. Espinosa had a bilateral meeting with the Vatican Secretary of State, H.E. Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The PGA also granted an interview to newspaper El País, and to Radio Vatican in English and Spanish. All videos will be uploaded to our YouTube channel: UNGA73 United Nations General Assembly.
This is all for today. Now, the floor is yours. Any questions?
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