Background Release

United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace

 

to Be Held in Beijing, 18-19 June

 

Theme:  Reviving Collective International Engagement towards Two-State Solution

The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace in Beijing, China, at the Sofitel Wanda Hotel, on 18 and 19 June.  The theme of the Meeting is “Reviving the collective international engagement towards a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.

The Meeting will review the current situation on the ground, including the main obstacles to the realization of the two-State solution, such as continued Israeli settlement expansion and the latest international efforts to end such illegal practices.  It will also examine the action by United Nations organs in response to violations of international law, and explore current opportunities, particularly following the admission of Palestine as a non-member observer State in the United Nations.  Drawing attention to the urgency of achieving the two-State solution, the Meeting will finally look at possible ways for the international community to create conditions conducive to the resumption of meaningful negotiations between the parties.

The opening session will begin on Tuesday, 18 June 2013, at 10 a.m. in Ballroom 3, on the 7^th floor of the Hotel.  Statements will be made by high-level representatives of the host country, of the United Nations Secretary-General, and of the State of Palestine.  The Chairman of the Committee and the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union will also address the session.  The Meeting will continue in the afternoon with plenary sessions, during which experts will make presentations on specific issues.  Each plenary will have a discussion period.  The official languages of the Meeting will be Chinese and English.

A press conference is scheduled for Tuesday, 18 June, at 12:30 p.m. in the main conference room.  Registered media representatives will have the opportunity to also arrange for individual interviews with members of the Committee delegation and participating speakers.

The documentary Arafat, dedicated to the legacy of the Palestinian leader, will be shown on Wednesday, 19 June, at 1:30 p.m. in the main conference room.

The Division for Palestinian Rights will regularly provide Meeting updates on its website, Facebook and Twitter via the hash tag #UNPalrights.  Registration for the Meeting will be open until Friday, 14 June.

The Chairman’s summary as well as the full report of the Seminar proceedings will be issued, in due course, as a publication of the Division for Palestinian Rights.

For further information, please contact the Meeting Secretariat at:  dpr-meeting@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record