Official observances

2 April 2020

SG/SM/20031

Remember People Living Under Shadow of Explosive Ordnance, Secretary-General Urges, in Message for International Mine Awareness Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed on 4 April:

26 March 2020

SG/SM/20025

Secretary-General Spotlights Rights of Persons with Disabilities amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Warns against Rollbacks, Marking Autism Awareness Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Autism Awareness Day, observed on 2 April:

24 March 2020

SG/SM/20019

Secretary-General Warns Racism Still Pervasive, Calls for Action, Marking International Day to Remember Slave Trade Victims

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, observed on 25 March:

20 March 2020

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees airlifted emergency relief items to Chad on 19 March, responding to the humanitarian needs of some 10,000 Sudanese refugees. Clashes in Sudan’s West Darfur region since late 2019 have forced more than 16,000 people, mostly women and children, to cross the border into Chad.

18 March 2020

SG/SM/20014

Amid Sadness over Coronavirus, Secretary-General Expresses Hope Nowruz Will Bring Harmony, Celebration of Common Humanity, in Message for International Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Nowruz, observed on 21 March:

16 March 2020

SG/SM/20010

Secretary-General Applauds ‘Timely’ Focus on Water in World Day Observance Message, Calling 2020 ‘Make-or-Break’ Year for Climate Action

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Water Day, observed on 22 March:

16 March 2020

SG/SM/20012

International Community Should Commit to Restore Dignity of Human Rights Abuse Victims, Protect Defenders, Secretary-General Stresses in Observance Message

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, observed on 24 March:

16 March 2020

SG/SM/20009

Global Environment Being Degraded by Unsustainable Human Choices, Secretary-General Says in Observance Message, Warning of Accelerating Biodiversity Loss

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Forests, observed on 21 March:

16 March 2020

SG/SM/20011

Secretary-General Warns of Grave Water Crisis, Stressing ‘Every Drop Counts’ in Message for World Meteorological Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Meteorological Day, to be observed on 23 March:

8 March 2020

DSG/SM/1394

Scars of Violence Go Beyond Individual to Family, Community, Weakening All, Deputy Secretary-General Says at International Women’s Day Celebrations

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the International Women’s Day celebrations in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, today:

6 March 2020

SG/SM/19995

Ninety Per Cent of Global Population Has Bias against Women, Secretary-General Says, Urging More Action towards Gender Equality, in Remarks for International Observance

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks for the International Women’s Day observance “I Am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”, in New York, today:

5 March 2020

SG/SM/19994

Amid Powerful Pushback, Governments Must Change Systems, Power Imbalances Thwarting Women’s Full Potential, Secretary-General Says in International Observance Message

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for International Women’s Day — The Gender Power Gap, observed on 8 March:

13 February 2020

SG/SM/19972

Secretary-General Highlights Enduring Power of Radio to Promote Diversity, Help Build More Peaceful World, in Video Message for International Observance

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for World Radio Day, observed today:

11 February 2020

SG/SM/19968

Dismantle Gender Stereotypes, Promote Women’s, Girls’ Access to Science Education, Jobs, Secretary-General Says in International Day Video Message

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, observed today:

6 February 2020

SG/SM/19960

Secretary-General Calls for Decade of Zero Female Genital Mutilation, Calling Practice ‘Extreme Violence against Girls’, in Observance Message

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed today:

27 January 2020

SG/SM/19950

Secretary-General Marks International Day in Memory of Holocaust Victims amid Resurgent Antisemitism, Vowing ‘We Will Never Forget’

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, observed today:

27 January 2020

SG/SM/19951

Secretary-General Spotlights Re-emerging Crisis of Antisemitism, Warning ‘We Can Never Lower Our Guard’, at Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the United Nations Holocaust memorial ceremony, on the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, in New York today:

24 January 2020

DSG/SM/1385

Education, Training Not Preparing Students for Demands of Globalized, Digitalized World, Deputy Secretary-General Warns during International Observance

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the observance for the International Day of Education, today in New York:

22 January 2020

Note No. 6531

United Nations Will Mark International Day to Commemorate Victims of Holocaust at New York Headquarters, 27 January

The United Nations Department of Global Communications will organize several events on 27 January to observe the 2020 International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust under the theme “75 years after Auschwitz — Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice”.

12 December 2019

SG/SM/19912-DEV/3433-OBV/1948

Bring Global Compact to Life, Secretary-General Urges Leaders, People Everywhere, in Message for International Migrants Day

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on International Migrants Day, observed on 18 December:

Official observances