Week Ahead at the UN (4 - 10 Feb)

THE WEEK AHEAD AT THE UNITED NATIONS: THE EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE (06/13) 4 February-10 February 2013 (and beyond) This document is for planning purposes only and is subject to change.

Please check also our website for latest changes http://www.unric.org or call + 32 476 215 485

VIP Visits  Catarina de Albuquerque, UN Special Rapporteur on right to safe drinking water and sanitation: Bangkok (till 8 Feb.).  Mashood Adebayo Baderin, UN Independent Expert on human rights in the Sudan: Sudan (till 10 Feb.).  Amina Mohammed, UN SG Special Advisor on Post-2015 Development Planning: Brussels (4 Feb.).  Romano Prodi, UN Special Envoy for the Sahel: Brussels (4 Feb.).  Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN HABITAT: Brussels (4 Feb.).  Said Djinnit, Special Representative for West Africa, Head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA): Brussels (4-5 Feb.).  Ameerah Haq, UN USG for Field Support: Brussels (4-5 Feb.)  Gyan Chandra Acharya, UN USG, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States: Brussels (4-5 Feb.)  Jeffrey D. Feltman, UN USG for Political Affairs: Brussels (4-5 Feb.).  Karel De Gught, EU Commissioner for Trade: Washington (5 Feb.); Ottawa (6-7 Feb.).  Moncef Marzouki, Tunisian President: Strasbourg (6 Feb.).  Wunna Maung Lwin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar: Brussels (6-7 Feb.).  Thomas Gurtner, Humanitarian Coordinator and UN Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative, Republic of Chad: Brussels (7-8 Feb.).  General Oki Mahamat Dagache, Special representative of the President of the Republic of Chad for Humanitarian Affairs: Brussels (7-8 Feb.).  Štefan Füle, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood policy: Ukraine (78 Feb.).  Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development: Dubai (9-10 Feb.).  Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: London (15 Feb.).  Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General: Dublin (15 Feb.)  Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the UN and the League of Arab States for the crisis in Syria: Brussels (18 Feb.). tbc

---------------------------------------------Monday, 4 February World Cancer Day [WHO]

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_cancer_day/en/index.html

Brussels: General Affairs EU Council (GAC).

Dublin: COFACE and ICA conference "Vulnerable Families - What can Europe do?"(till 5 Feb.).

Geneva: Conference on disarmament (till 28 March).

Strasbourg: European Parliament Plenary (till 7 Feb.).

- European Parliament: Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls -question to the Commission with debate: The resolution will serve as guidance for the MEPs travelling to the UN CSW57 in March 2013.

Vienna: International Narcotics Control Board (till 8 Feb.).

Tuesday, 5 February Beirut: Launch: ILO/UNDP report “Rethinking Economic Growth: Towards Productive and Inclusive Arab Societies” http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/media-centre/press-releases/WCMS_203812/lang-en/index.htm

Brussels: - International meeting on Mali (co-chaired by the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, and representatives from the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations; most countries will participate at ministerial level). http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-32_en.htm?locale=en -The Commission will present two proposals for legislation to further strengthen the EU’s defences against money laundering and terrorist financing, helping to ensure the soundness, integrity and stability of the financial system. The proposals will update and improve the EU’s existing Third Anti-Money Laundering Directive and the Fund Transfers Regulation.

-Conference on Climate Change and Food Security. Speakers: Professor Jean Pascal van Ypersele, Vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Professor Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. http://www.unric.org/en/events/28148-conference-5-february-qclimate-change-and-food-security

- Cine ONU Screening of ‘Ping Pong’ to celebrate the European Year of Active Ageing. Followed by a discussion. https://www.unric.org/en/next-screening -New York: Civil Society Forum. The Forum will present the its conclusions to the Commission for Social Development http://www.ngosocdev.net/index.php?cID=103 Oslo: The Human Rights Human Wrongs Documentary Film Festival. Guest speakers are prominent representatives from the international community, including, on 8 Feb., Cephas Lumina, the UN independent expert on the effects on foreign debt on human rights. http://www.humanfilm.no/ (till 10 Feb.).

Paris: Euromaritime Fair (till 7 Feb.). http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/damanaki/diary/index_en.htm

Strasbourg: European Parliament - French President François Hollande and MEPs will debate a wide range of topics, likely to include the future of the EU, the economic situation and military action in Mali.

-European Parliament - Fisheries reform: MEPs will insist that the EU's new fisheries policy is sustainable when they vote on a radical reform proposal. They want to end overfishing and ban wasteful discards of unwanted dead fish (vote on Wednesday).

-European Parliament - Preparations for CITES COP 16 - Oral questions to the Council and the Commission with debate.

Wednesday, 6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation [WHO] http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/female_genital_mutilation/en/index.html

Brussels: - EU Commissioner Kristalina Georgieva meets with ECOWAS delegation.

-Presentation of the UNHCR report "Mapping statelessness in Belgium". Venue: Belgian Federal Parliament.

Dublin: EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) bilateral meetings between EU-US senior officials (till 8 Feb.).

New York: Commission for Social Development (till 15 Feb.). It will focus on the theme Promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all. http://social.un.org/index/CommissionforSocialDevelopment/Sessions/2013.aspx Strasbourg: - European Parliament - Address by Tunisian President.

- European Parliament – UN Human Rights Council - Statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy followed by debate.

- European Parliament - UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - Oral questions to the Council and the Commission with debate.

- European Parliament -Committee on Foreign Affairs: Vote on resolution: European Integration Process of Kosovo.

Thursday, 7 February Brussels: EU Council (till 8 Feb.). The European Council will seek to reach an agreement on the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020, building on the outcomes of the last meeting of the European Council in November 2012. The European Council is also expected to discuss trade-related issues. Furthermore, the European Council is expected to discuss the situation in Mali. It will also take stock of developments following the "Arab Spring" and examine the way forward for the EU's policy aimed at assisting those countries that are in transition towards democracy.

-Adoption of a joint Communication by the High Representative and the European Commission on Cyber Security Strategy.

-Opening night of Syria 'as seen on YouTube'. Exhibition of paintings by Dirk Eelen. Venue: 'The Egg' http://www.eggbrussels.eu (till 10 Feb.). Journalist Rudi Vranckx will talk about the Syrian conflict and the difficulties of conveying the news. European Commissioner Karel De Gucht will speak about the challenges the world and Europe face regarding this conflict.

Dublin: Informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs (till 8 Feb.).

Frankfurt: ECB Governing Council.

Friday, 8 February

Brussels: EU Studies Fair 2013 (till 9 February 2013)

www.eustudiesfair.com

Dublin: The Role of Volunteering for Development in a post-2015 World. http://www.vso.ie/event/38593/seminar%3A-the-role-of-volunteering-for-development-in-a-post-2015-world

New York: high-level working session on “Prosperity in cities – South meets North”. It will be coorganized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the International Council for Caring Communities (ICCC).

And beyond: Other dates to pin

11 February UNESCO to kick-start the International Year of Water Cooperation http://www.unwater.org/watercooperation2013/index.html

Brussels: Eurogroup.

Dublin: Informal Meeting of EU Ministers for Development Cooperation (till 12 Feb.).

Geneva: -Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (till 1 March).

-Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (till 8 March).

Paris: International Year of Water Cooperation - high level event at UNESCO to kick-start the Year. During this event, the winner of the slogan contest will be announced and the official slogan for water cooperation will be adopted. Children and youth will participate in parallel activities on the International Year of Water Cooperation at UNESCO HQ and in the Pavillion de l’Eau of Paris, respectively. The later will prepare a Youth Declaration on water cooperation, which they will present to the participants of the high level event.

Rome: IFAD, Governing Council (till 15 Feb.).

12 February Brussels: Economic and Financial Affairs EU Council (ECOFIN).

Dublin: Informal Meeting of EU Ministers for Defence (till 13 Feb.).

13 February World Radio Day http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/events/prizes-andcelebrations/celebrations/world-radio-day

Brussels: European Economic and Social Committee plenary session (till 15 Feb.).

14 February Brussels: The European Commission will adopt the substantive proposal for a Directive on the Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) to be implemented under enhanced cooperation.

Dublin: -Bioeconomy Stakeholder Conference (till 15 Feb).

-Foundation Forum 2013 (till 15 Feb.). ILO Director-General Guy Ryder will take part. http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/events/2013/forum2013/programme.pdf 15 February Brussels: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) EU Council.

London: Freedom of Expression and Hate Speech: What International Human Rights Law Says, Centre for the Study of Human Rights public lecture by Navi Pillay. http://www2.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/events/2013/02/20130215t1800vOT.aspx

Moscow: G20 finance ministers and Central Bank Governors ministerial meeting (till 16 Feb.).

18 February Brussels: -EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).

-Competitiveness EU Council (till 19 Feb.).

Montreal: ICAO Council (till 15 March).

Nairobi: UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (till 22 Feb.).

19 February New York: Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group, substantive session (till 15 March).

20 February World Day of Social Justice http://www.un.org/en/events/socialjusticeday/ Launch of 2013 International Year of Quinoahttp://www.fao.org/lon/fao-liaison-office-in-new-york-lon-home/en/ Dublin: 8th Forum of World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty (till 21 Jan.). http://www.right2water.eu/event/8th-forum-world-alliance-cities-against-poverty

Geneva: Global Dialogue Forum on the Effects of the Global Economic Crisis on the Civil Aviation Industry (till 21 Feb.).

21 February International Mother Language Day

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengtheningeducation-systems/languages-in-education/international-mother-language-day

Brussels: NATO Defence Ministers’ Meetings (till 22 Feb.).

22 February Brussels: -Transport, Telecommunications and Energy EU Council (TTE Energy).

-The EU Commission will publish its winter economic forecast for 2013-2014.

25 February Brussels: Agriculture and Fisheries EU Council (AGRI FISH) (till 26 Feb.).

Geneva: Human Rights Council (till 22 March).

28 February Brussels: -Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs EU Council (EPSCO).

-European Competition Forum, with participation of the OECD Secretary-General.

Paris: World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) +10 meeting and Internet Governance Forum Consultations (till 1 March).

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UN Campaigns, Competitions, Apps and Games For a more complete list of Competitions, Mobile Apps, Campaigns and Games visit: http://www.unric.org/en/competitions-campaigns-mobile-apps-a-games

Forests for People: UN International Short Film Contest http://www.unric.org/en/competitions Forests for People is a short film contest that invites everyone, in every part of the world, to create and share a personal film about their own relationship to the forest. How it inspires you.

Shelters you. Nurtures you. Contributes to your life, or even makes life possible.

The submission deadline is 22 February, 2013

22nd International Children’s Painting Competition http://www.unric.org/en/competitions The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is organized every year by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer and Nikon Corporation.

It has been held since 1991 and has received more than 3 million entries from children (6 - 14) in over 150 countries. The theme of the 22nd painting competition will be “Water: The Source of Life”.

The submission deadline is 28 February, 2013

“WORK4YOUTH” photo contest (ILO) http://www.unric.org/en/competitions The ILO Youth Employment Programme has launched a photo contest focusing on young people at work.

The objective of the contest is to highlight the challenges young people face in the workplace, as well as innovative ideas to address them. Photos submitted by participants should capture youth at work The submission deadline is 15 April, 2013

PLURAL+ 2013 Youth Video Festival http://www.unric.org/en/competitions The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) are once again inviting the world’s youth and to share their vision with the world by submitting original and creative videos focusing on the themes of migration, diversity and social inclusion for entry into the PLURAL+ 2013 youth video festival.

The submission deadline is 30 June, 2013 ---------------------------------