Activities of Secretary-General in Portugal, 11 January

United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres was in Portugal on Saturday, 11 January, to take part in the ceremony to kick off Lisbon’s designation as European Green Capital 2020.  The title, awarded by the European Commission, aims to honour cities that are leading the way towards environmentally friendly urban living.

He began his day by attending the inauguration of an interactive installation titled “One”, taking place at the Lisbon Oceanarium.  The ceremony marked the beginning of a decade of climate action to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.  President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal; Prime Minister António Costa of Portugal; Lisbon Mayor Fernando Medina; European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius; and European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans also took part in the celebrations.