GA High Level Segment Starts: 20 – 26 September 2022

This week, from 20 September onwards, heads-of-state and government will speak.

Many parallel events will be happening around and outside the UN Secretariat building that houses the General Assembly Hall and the Security Council chamber.

Keep our eyes peeled for events that are being organised by the private sector and various UN agencies and bodies, and check us out as this week we start the series Women In Diplomacy and International Affairs. We will be publishing interviews with diplomats and UN officials on the many rewards of an international career. Below a glimpse on events that will occur in parallel with the General Debate this week.

General Assembly Meets on Global Road Safety — Photo credit: UN. General Assembly Hall

Source: UN website
20 September
GENERAL DEBATE STARTS
The curtain rises on the busiest diplomatic season of the year at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In the General Assembly General Debate, starting at 9 a.m. on 20 September, Heads of State and Government explore solutions to the intertwined global challenges under the theme, “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.” This year’s General Debate, which runs through 26 September, is expected to be fully in-person.
21 September 2022
LEADERS’ ROUNDTABLE ON CLIMATE ACTION
The Secretary-General, with the President of Egypt, will host a Leaders’ Roundtable on Climate Action, bringing together a small but diverse and representative group of heads of state and government to reboot international cooperation on climate action. This is a closed event, taking place from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., and aims for a frank and informal exchange in the lead-up to COP27.
Photo credit: UN. Security Council Chamber
23 September 2022
JOBS AND SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR JUST TRANSITIONS
World leaders together with Heads of International Financial Institutions, Heads of United Nations agencies and other partners will convene at a high-level meeting organized by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 23 September to strengthen the collective response needed to address the global job crisis and support the billions of people that continue to be excluded from social protection. The Secretary-General launched the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions in September 2021 to respond to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event, titled “Partnering for Action: Implementation of the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions”, will take place from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
26 September 2022
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR TOTAL ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
In line with resolution A/RES/69/58, the General Assembly holds a high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. The event starts at 10 a.m. on 26 September.

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INTERVIEW

UN Security Council

Using Natural Language Processing Tools to Analyse Conflict Zones

Interview with Daanish Masood, Head of the Innovation Cell at the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs at the UN in New York, about their work with natural language processing tools, AI, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality to support the work of their officers and diplomats on the ground, in conflict zones.

Masood is “experimenting, co-designing and deploying new tech, tools, and methods (ML, NLP, satellites and remote sensing, spatial computing and XR, Machine Vision) to enhance the on-the-ground work of UN peacemakers around the world.” Follow him on Twitter, and watch this 2020 video explaining the call for innovation at the UN:

Daanish Masood Alavi @DMasoodie

@UNDPPA’s Innovation Cell remembers the bold, revolutionary and disruptive efforts by the UN for global peace in its 75 years history. Looking forward, how can we continue to innovate for peace?

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The World is Changing

On Philosophy, Philosophers, and Their Role in the World Today

Interview with Gabrielle Halpern, French philosopher and author of a series on hybridisation, a concept to rescue the idea of different cultures and aspects of society that come together without necessarily a fusion occurring. She consults for the French government and enterprises, as well as work with startups in technology.

We spoke about the future book on the works on the series on hybridisation, tiers lieu, how the culinary arts and philosophy speak to each other, and other very rich concepts in the arsenal of the philosopher.

Listen to my interview with Gabrielle Halpern, and don’t forget to subscribe.

She is the co-auhor of a book on the concept of hybridisation, bringing together the culinary arts and philosophy in the form of a dialogue with French chef Guillaume Gomez, former chef at the Palais de l'Élysée. Gomez is currently the French Culinary Ambassador, travelling the world to discover other countries culinary traditions and share the culinary arts and the savoir-faire of France in gastronomy and enology.

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The UN Brief Twitter Spaces on Digital Diplomacy

We had the pleasure to host three experts on social media for government leaders and digital diplomacy. Listen to the Twitter Spaces recording below.