UNITAR and Columbia Law School Sign Memorandum of Understanding

23 May 2016, New York, USA - UNITAR and the Columbia Law School joined forces today by the signature of their Memorandum of Understanding. This memorandum recognizes the importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and aims to share common goals and objectives with regard to developing knowledge, skills and awareness of New York-based delegates and other professionals through targeted training and other learning-related programme initiatives.

This is New York, the home of Diplomats, where capitals send their most qualified individuals to participate in world diplomacy, this collaboration is crucial to equip members of this community with the capacity to navigate and contribute to the United Nations environment. 

During the signature, SDG 5 was brought to the table. Achieving gender equality and empowering all women is crucial to accelerating sustainable development. Through the last few years, UNITAR has been successfully developing women’s leadership programmes. With the aid of Columbia’s Professors, these programmes could be strengthened and implemented before high level United Nations meetings so as to better empower women as they set about the task of diplomacy. However UNITAR’s audience is not only diplomats. From its start reinforcing and increasing representation of diplomat activity in African countries, it has fought to empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges.

Dean Lester, who is the second female Dean at Columbia Law School, has just finished her third semester. During this period; she has urged graduates to seek balance in all aspects of life, particularly in the realm of gender equality. Columbia Law School will be a great addition to UNITAR’s partnerships, as they already serve as problem solvers and leverage their skills for all fields in their own University.

UNITAR Executive Director, Mr. Seth, an architect of the 2030 Agenda before his time at UNITAR, remarked how beneficial a joint UNITAR-Columbia implemented Law and Developing Goals programme would be. Dean Lester added that the key to development is access, and emphasized how important it is to bring all players into the game as one. With this Memorandum of Understanding, Columbia Law School and UNITAR step beyond collaborating on occasional seminars to a full partnership with endless possibilities.

Photo 1: Mr. Nikhil Seth, UNITAR Executive Director (left), Dean Lester, Columbia Law School (right)

Photo 2: (From left to right) Mr. Marco Suazo, UNITAR NY's Acting Head of Office; Mr. Nikhil Seth, UNITAR Executive Director; Dean Lester, Columbia Law School; Professor Alexandra Carter, Columbia Law School

Photo 3: (From left to right) Mr. Pelayo Alvarez, UNITAR NY; Mr. Marco Suazo, UNITAR NY's Acting Head of Office; Mr. Nikhil Seth, UNITAR Executive Director; Professor Alexandra Carter, Columbia Law School; Professor Shawn Watts, Columbia Law School; Dean Lester, Columbia Law School; Julia Miller, Columbia Law School