CERN has hosted UNOSAT, the Operational Satellite Applications Programme of UNITAR, since 2002. With the renewal of the hosting agreement in December 2008, this relationship increased in quality, evolving from a hosting arrangement to the beginning of a promising partnership leading to joint projects.

The second edition of the annual Retreat convened by the United Nations Secretary-General took place in Torino, Italy, on 29 and 30 August 2008. The Retreat provides an opportunity for top UN officials to exchange ideas and reflect on how best the Organization can tackle current challenges and discharge its high profile responsibilities more effectively. The annual event has been organized as a joint effort between UNITAR, the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), and the Department of Management in the UN Secretariat.