10 March 2016, New York, USA - Mr. Nikhil Seth, UNITAR Executive Director, met today with the United Nations Secretary-General , Mr. Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Mr. Seth introduced to the Secretary-General UNITAR’s initiative called "Green Legacy Hiroshima" in which UNITAR is working with Hiroshima institutions and United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) Director-General  to coordinate and arrange the planting of a Ginkgo Atomic bombed tree sapling from Hiroshima, in the Ariana Park of the Palais des Nations, the UN headquarters in Europe.  The Ginkgo tree will symbolize hope, resilience and peace, as well as generosity and beauty. The seeds and saplings of A-bombed survivor trees are being sent by the Green Legacy Hiroshima team to symbolic sites around the world, with activities unfolding in some 25 countries. 

The Secretary-General ensured himself to Mr. Seth that he will personally plant the tree at the Palais des Nations, during one of his forthcoming visits to Geneva this year.

Additionally, Mr. Seth expressed to the Secretary-General his vision for UNITAR as the new Executive Director and thanked him for his leadership and for inspiring the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mr. Seth informed the Secretary-General that UNITAR is preparing to implement the ambitious vision of the 2030 Agenda. Mr. Seth stated that the training efforts that UNITAR is carrying out in all its areas are guided by the integrated nature of the agenda. This is a universal agenda where everyone should play its part, and UNITAR is ready to work on it, Mr. Seth concluded.