7 July 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - On the 7th of July 2021, UNDESA and UNITAR, jointly with CANEUS, FILAC, UNOOSA and GNDR, organized a session entitled “Integrating recovery planning from COVID-19, building resilience and strengthening policy coherence towards the SDGs” as part of the SDGs Learning, Training & Practice Center’s learning sessions on the sidelines of the 2021 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). It was an opportunity to present the new UNDESA-UNITAR course “Integrated Recovery Planning and Policy Coherence Towards the SDGs” to policy-makers and other stakeholders.

This 4-week online course will be Expert-facilitated and free of charge, but limited slots are available. Successful participants receive a Certificate of Completion from UNITAR and FAO. Registration is available at: www.unitar.org/tfs21arabic

2 July 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – UNITAR’s Division for Prosperity is launching a revised programme to mobilize women entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs in Afghanistan to address food insecurity, public health, and unemployment in the country.

UNITAR and Al Sharq Forum sign a Memorandum of Understanding to promote peacebuilding, conflict transformation, human rights promotion and gender equality in the Middle East and North Africa region and globally.

28 June 2021, Geneva, Switzerland/ Bogotá, Colombia: On 30 June 2021, 16.00-18.00 CEST, The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) brings together a unique virtual panel of artists, peacebuilding and human rights practitioners from Colombia and the Latin American continent to discuss the power of storytelling and art as tools for reconciliation. Featuring among others 1992 Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum and the musicians Juanes and Marta Gómez, the panel members will share their diverse experiences in using different forms of artistic expression and storytelling to support communities in moving from mistrust and violence to a culture of dialogue and peace.

Lavinia Latu shares her experience and Preparedness Tips as a leader in Disaster Planning in Tonga, an area prone to annual cyclones, storm surges, and flooding – made worse with rising sea levels – and droughts induced by El Niño.

23-25 June 2021, New York, USA, Virtual - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research's (UNITAR) office in New York organized a three-day virtual workshop, “Solving Disputes at the WTO for developing Countries” held on 23-25 June 2021. This training was supported with funding allocated from the Swedish International Development Agency’s (SIDA) contribution to the UNITAR Strategic Framework Fund, under the programme ‘Leveling The Playing Field’ which focuses on the development of skills and knowledge of Least Developing Countries.

June 2021 - In Southern Africa, radio continues to be the primary means of mass-communication and a source of information and entertainment especially to young people and their families. More than a tool to share information, radio continues to be a key site for community-building and foster positive change. In this spirit, a climate change radio programme “Our Changing Climate – Our Time to Act!” was created by the MIET Africa, UN CC:Learn Partnership and relevant environment Ministries as part of the COVID-19 emergency response in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Between November 2020 and February 2021, 108 episodes were broadcast with an estimated reach of more than 27 million listeners from all ages across the three countries.

21 June 2021, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research's (UNITAR) New York Office organized a full-day virtual event, “The Structure, Drafting, and Adoption of United Nations Resolutions” on 21 July 2021. This training was supported with funding allocated from the Swedish International Development Agency’s (SIDA) contribution to the UNITAR Strategic Framework Fund, under the programme ‘Leveling The Playing Field’ which focuses on the development of skills and knowledge of Least Developing Countries. The workshop was attended by approximately 178 delegates from Permanent Missions to the UN who joined virtually from around the world. Mr. Marco A. Suazo, representing UNITAR’s New York Office, opened the seminar and briefed the event’s topic of UN resolutions and introduced panelists.

10 June 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR recently spoke on the SDGs at an Online Symposium to university students in Tokyo, Japan.