May 2020, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR partners with University for Peace (UPEACE) and INCAE Business School for two new joint programmes.

April 2020, Geneva, Switzerland - Mr. Rabih El-Haddad, Director of the UNITAR Division for Multilateral Diplomacy, reflects on the momentous changes with which the diplomatic world had to grapple in the span of a few months, and contemplates on paths for a successful transition, using UNITAR's example.

22 April 2020, New York, USA Zoom Workshop - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in collaboration with Columbia Law School, hosted a workshop focused on Gender Equality in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, emphasizing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 5 &10, pertaining to Gender Equality and Reducing Inequalities through efforts on increasing gender parity. This activity is supported with funding allocated from the Swedish International Development Agency’s (SIDA) contribution to the UNITAR Strategic Framework Fund and hosted at the United Nations Headquarters. The course was attended by 150 participants that joined remotely through zoom.

18 April 2020, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office concluded the Spring Session 2020 Global Diplomacy Initiative (GDI) programme with the last zoom conference lecture and closing ceremony on April 17, 2020. In compliance with the ongoing COVID-19 health and safety measures, this remarkable training which would normally have taken place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York was accomplished remotely.

3 April 2020, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office transferred the classroom training component of UNITAR in the Headquarters to online and video conference. UNITAR has adapted its Columbia Law School Training , its first module for "Realizing the Future We Want: Training Series in preparation for the General Assembly’s 2020 quadrennial comprehensive policy review of operational activities, and our regular Global Diplomacy Initiative (UGDI) Programme for the Spring Session to classes following the 11 March 2020 assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) that COVID-19 was a pandemic.

23 March 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – Following the signature of a partnership agreement on March 3rd 2020, UNITAR is pleased to launch the first edition of the Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy in Lebanon with ESA Business School.

4 March 2020, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Office in New York, in collaboration with Columbia Law School, hosted the first lecture of a three-part series with Columbia Law School on Leadership & Self-Awareness. This activity is supported with funding allocated from the Swedish International Development Agency’s (SIDA) contribution to the UNITAR Strategic Framework Fund and hosted at the United Nations Headquarters.

3 March 2020, New York, USA – During the first two days of the work visit to the United Nations Headquarters in New York of the Executive Director of UNITAR, Mr. Nikhil Seth, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research completed several meetings with United Nations High Level Officials and Ambassadors. The visit is taking place from the 2nd to the 6th of March. After a coordination meeting at UNITAR New York Office, with a brainstorming on the future of training and an introduction by the new office members, Mr. Seth met with the Under Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo. Mr. Seth invited Ms. DiCarlo to the USG and RSGs/SESGs to the 2020 Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys of the Secretary-General (SRSGs) on 4-6 June 2020. In addition, they discussed the organization of a series of briefing sessions in which the Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs can be involved and develop a program that aimed the diplomatic community in New York

Humankind is indisputably entering a new digital era. The impact of rapid technological and scientific advances on our lives is so great that World Economic Forum’s founder Klaus Schwab termed this process as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We are the witnesses of the transcendence through new frontiers.

25 - 27 February, New York, USA - UNITAR coordinated the Core Diplomatic Training for the Bureau of the G77 Permanent Mission of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to the United Nations which began Tuesday 25 February 2020 and concluded Thursday 27 February. The Guyana mission is preparing for the upcoming chairmanship of the G77. To begin, the participants and facilitators were welcomed by Mr. Neil Pierre, Chief of the Strategic Engagement and Policy Integration Branch in the Financing for Sustainable Development Office. He then invited Ambassador Marco Suazo, head of the UNITAR New York office, to deliver remarks. Ambassador Suazo outlined the structure of the training and encouraged active participation and interaction among the participants. The participants then introduced themselves to their colleagues and upon conclusion, H.E. Dr. David O’Connor, Permanent Observer of IUCN to the United Nations began his briefing on the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.