Making the United Nations Relevant to all PeoplePRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA
Good afternoon, everyone!
PGA SPEAKS AT MEETING ON COMBATING ANTISEMITISM AND OTHER FORMS OF RACISM AND HATE
This morning, Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa presided over an informal meeting at the GA Hall on “Combating Antisemitism and Other Forms of Racism and Hate – the Challenges of Teaching Tolerance and Respect in the Digital Age”.
In her address, Ms. Espinosa quoted the late Nobel Peace Prize winner, Elie Wiesel, when saying that “The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference”.
The PGA said that “We must redouble our efforts to ensure that ‘never again’ becomes more than a slogan at last. We must work harder to ensure that the seeds of hate do not find fertile ground.”
She spoke about her own visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, in Poland, last year, which she described as an experience that still deeply moves her. The PGA said that combating antisemitism involves several steps such as education, changing mindsets, standing up for values, extending our vigilance to the internet and social media, among other actions.
The meeting intended to enable a discussion on ways social media and other digital tools can be used for educational projects, to share best practices and lessons learned on combating hatred and intolerance.
Ms. Espinosa´s speech was followed by the Secretary-General, António Guterres, and Rabbi Ysroel Goldstein, of the Chabad Synagogue in Poway, California, who was shot during an attack on 27 April.
The European Coordinator on combating antisemitism, Ms. Katharina von Schnurbein and Mr. Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, as well as representatives of Member States also spoke at the meeting.
More information on our website www.un.org/pga/73
EVENT IN GA HALL CELEBRATES SIGNING OF UN CHARTER
Today, the UN marks the 74th anniversary of the signing of its Charter in the US town of San Francisco. To celebrate it, President María Fernanda Espinosa has invited Member States for a symbolic ceremony, which will take place at 3:00pm at the GA Hall.
The event will also be an occasion to launch activities for commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Organization, which will be celebrated next year.
There will be a display of the text of the Preamble to the Charter in all six official languages, which will remain in situ at the Headquarters as an expression of renewed commitment to the Charter ahead of the 75th anniversary commemoration in September 2020.
A ceremony for symbolic signatures for Ambassadors will take place at the GA Hall during the event.
The event will start with remarks by the PGA followed by a speech delivered by Mr. Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, the Special Adviser on the Preparations for the Commemoration of the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of the United Nations. Member States have been invited to deliver remarks too.
MS. ESPINOSA WILL SPEAK AT 11 AM. TOMORROW AT THE PRESS BRIEFING ROOM. LIVE BRIEFINGS WILL RESUME ON 9 JULY
As you know, all UNCA correspondents are invited to attend the Press Conference by the PGA here in the Press Briefing Room on 27 June, this Thursday, at 11 a.m.
Ms. Espinosa will take your questions after delivering short opening remarks.
The Press Conference will be webcast by UN Web TV. The entire briefing will be posted also on our YouTube channel @unitednationsga73
After our PGA Press Conference tomorrow, we will take a short break in the live PGA Press Briefing here. You will receive every day our written press briefing, and all communication related to the PGA in your e-mail inbox. If you are not on our list, please let us know and we will include you.
So, we will see you tomorrow at 11 am. here with the PGA for her Press Conference.
This is all from us for now. Do you have anything else?
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