The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office launched and welcomed the first class of its inaugural UNITAR Global Diplomacy Initiative (UGDI).

Adopted in December 2015, UNSC Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security recognizes the importance of the positive contributions which young people are making for the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security. Maintaining and supporting peace can seem like an overwhelming task, especially for young changemakers. Prospective changemakers may be wondering, ‘How can I put the Resolution 2250 in practice?’, ‘Where do I start?’, and ‘How can I personally promote lasting peace in the world?’ Being aware of these challenges and dedicated to effectively address them, UNITAR has developed a free e-learning course on Youth and Peacebuilding (English, French) to provide answers to these and other questions, and to support participants in their efforts to make the world more peaceful, sustainable and prosperous.

23 - 24 January 2019, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China – UNITAR, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) successfully held the Learning Conference “Implementing the 2030 Agenda in the Asia-Pacific Region” in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, on the 23rd and 24th of January 2019. The conference was attended by more than 95 participants, including government officials leading the SDGs process in their countries, diplomats, international civil servants as well as university professors. 23 countries were represented in this event, with many participants coming from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), thus, providing different perspectives and experiences regarding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

23 January 2018, New York City, U.S.A – The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) have jointly hosted a one-day orientation course on the Economic and Social Council for the Members of the Council. The event was hosted in the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

This year, UNITAR has the pleasure to present its Executive Swiss Alps Retreat on Leadership and Excellence. This retreat is part of a series and will aim to bring together participants from both the public and private sectors, to generate synergies and opportunities for learning and mutual engagement. Leadership skills are essential to building new and strategic, personal and professional development trajectories, and in times of change must be prioritized.

13 December 2018, Geneva, Switzerland – As part of their journey around the world to promote the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Mr. Juan Pablo Caroli and Mr. Nicolas Caroli visited Geneva, Switzerland and the United Nations European Headquarters. During their visit, the Caroli brothers toured UNITAR and the Palais des Nations, meeting with UN officials, including Ms. Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the UN Information Service in Geneva, to spread the word about their unique project.

22 January 2019, Quito, Ecuador- The International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in Quito (CIFAL Quito) jointly with the Consortium of Provincial Autonomous Governments of Ecuador (CONGOPE), the Local Governments Association of Ecuador, the National Electoral Council and the Democracy Institute hosted “The New Role of Local Authorities in Elections” in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, Ecuador.

19-21 November 2018, Brussels, Belgium – UNITAR hosted the Annual Meeting of its Network of Affiliated International Training Centres for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL) in Brussels and in Antwerp, Belgium. The Directors of 15 CIFAL Centres gathered for three days to review its performance in 2018, discuss opportunities for collaboration, exchange knowledge and expertise, and to develop the training calendar for 2019.

Prior to the arrival of the Holiday Season, the Durban Metro Police in partnership with UNITAR officially launched their “No Texting & Driving campaign”.

A landmark report providing the first detailed account of the devastating damage to the World Heritage Property of the Ancient City of Aleppo in the wake of years of armed conflict has been published by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and UNESCO.