PRESS BRIEFING BY MONICA GRAYLEY, SPOKESPERSON FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOSA

Good afternoon!

I will start with a trip announcement.

PRESIDENT ESPINOSA TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED KINGDOM

The President of the General Assembly will travel to the United Kingdom, on Sunday, to begin an official visit at the invitation of the YMCA.

On 5 August, Monday, Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa will deliver the keynote speech at an event to mark the 175th Anniversary of the YMCA.

The event will be attended by approximately five thousand young people from over 100 countries.

Ms. Espinosa will speak about one her priorities, “Youth, Peace and Security”, the future of work, climate change, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among other topics and will engage in an interactive dialogue with participants.

She will hold bilateral meetings with the YMCA Secretary-General, Mr. Carlos Sanvee, and the President, Ms. Patricia Pelton.

Ms. Espinosa also will hold other meetings on the upcoming High-Level Week, climate change, gender equality, environmental action, sustainable development, action to tackle hate speech and General Assembly revitalisation.

On 6 August, Tuesday, the PGA will travel to Buckinghamshire, to open the Centre for United Nations Studies at the University of Buckingham, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.

She will subsequently meet with representatives of academia, civil society, and women’s groups, and take part in a roundtable discussion hosted by the United Nations Association in the UK.

The GA President will also visit Central Hall Westminster, where the GA held its first meetings in 1946.

Whilst in London, Ms. Espinosa will grant interviews to national and international media outlets.

She will depart from London on 7 August, Wednesday.

Ms. Espinosa will travel with an adviser, a communications specialist and her personal assistant. All travel costs will be covered by YMCA and the PGA’s Trust Fund.

 

PGA WELCOMES DECLARATION ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CONSCIENCE, AN INITIATIVE BY BAHRAIN

The President of the General Assembly welcomes the declaration of 5 April as the “International Day of Conscience” by Member States, which took place last Thursday.

By adopting resolution, A/73/L.102, titled “Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience”, Member States have drawn attention to the interlinkages between the three pillars of the UN; of peace and security, development and human rights, and their interlinked and mutually reinforcing nature.

The day of 5 April will, from now on, provide an opportunity for the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony. 

The PGA welcomes this initiative of the Prime Minister of Bahrain, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, supported by Member States, in fostering the spirit of conscience by the international community in order to uphold peace, human rights and dignity, and sustainable development.

Ms. Espinosa believes that the declaration is also timely as the UN will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace during the high-level forum on 13 September 2019.

 

PGA’S AGENDA:

This morning, the President of the General Assembly met with the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, H.E. Ms. Maria Chatardova, and the Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste, H.E. Ms. Maria Helena de Jesus Pires. They are co-facilitators of the alignment process of the General Assembly Agenda with the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development.

As we speak, Ms. Espinosa is at the Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the UN to pay her respects and sign the book of condolences to the President of Tunisia, H.E Béji Caid Essebsi, who died on 25 July.

In the afternoon, she will receive at her office, H.E Mr. Zhang Jun, the new Permanent Representative of China to the UN.

More details on our website www.un.org/pga/73 and on Ms. Espinosa’s Twitter account @UN_PGA

Website:

https://www.un.org/pga/73/

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/UN_PGA

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/unpga

YouTube:

https://bit.ly/2S7Wl3q

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIlBO8NU_oI