In a rapidly changing world, bolstered cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations was needed to respond effectively to emerging threats to international peace and security, the General Assembly was told today as it held a high-level thematic debate on the issue.
The top Palestinian diplomat at the United Nations this afternoon called on the Organization to include Israel’s army among the parties that committed grave violations against children during armed conflict, and to hold it accountable for attacks last year on United Nations-run schools sheltering civilians in Gaza.
Transparency, inclusivity, multilingualism and a balance between new media and traditional forms of communications were paramount in the work of the Department of Public Information, Cristina Gallach, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information of the United Nations, told delegates as the Committee on Information concluded its general debate.
As large segments of the world’s population relied on traditional media for information on the United Nations and world affairs, delegates warned about the dangers of the digital divide, while hailing the broad reach of new media in disseminating the Organization’s message, as the Committee on Information continued its general debate.
During a “once-in-a-generation” year which would see the adoption of the new post-2015 development agenda, the United Nations Department of Public Information had a critical role to play in supporting the ever-expanding activities of the Organization, the Committee on Information was told as it opened its thirty‑seventh session today.
Although the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime had faced a “plethora of obstacles” over a number of years, there was no reason to lose faith, the Chair of the Disarmament Commission told members today, stressing that progress was possible if each State demonstrated the requisite political will.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on faith leaders from around the world to use their wisdom and leadership to counter the forces of radicalization and intolerance and to stand up to promote dialogue and mutual understanding.
Acclaiming peacebuilding as central to the international community’s collective efforts to build sustained international stability, speakers at the General Assembly today urged the ongoing review of the topic to explore ways of maximizing the potential of the Peacebuilding Commission.
Nuclear disarmament was at a crossroads, with the Korean peninsula a “touch-and-go powder keg” and the oldest and newest nuclear-weapon States in sharp confrontation with each other, the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea told the Disarmament Commission today, as Member States concluded the general debate of their annual substantive session.
The United Nations Disarmament Commission’s significance as a platform for dialogue and cooperation had only been heightened in light of current rising global tensions and mistrust, the 193-member subsidiary body heard today during its general debate, moving into the second day of its 2015 session.
