Week Ahead | FAO: Science-Based Policy as a Shared Value | King's Birthday and a Farewell
Tuesday is International Day of Women in Diplomacy
Week Ahead in New York (and elsewhere)
Monday, 23 June
Today is United Nations Public Service Day, it is also International Widows’ Day.
At 10:00 a.m., the presentation of the zero draft of the Pact for the Future will take place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. It will be broadcast live on UN Web TV.
From 23 to 27 June, the 20th annual Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will take place at NOVA Spektrum in Lillestrøm, Norway, hosted by the Government of Norway.
Tuesday, 24 June
Today is International Day of Women in Diplomacy.
Watch my interviews with women diplomats from Brazil, Argentina, Finland, UK, US, Italy, France, and more.
Wednesday, 25 June
Today is the Day of the Seafarer 2025.
Thursday, 26 June
Today is International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
At 10:00 a.m., there will be Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly to observe the 80th Anniversary of the Signing of the Charter of the UN. The Secretary-General is expected to deliver remarks.
Friday, 27 June
Today is Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
FAO: Science-Based Policy as a Shared Value
Food safety plays a role in reducing foodborne disease.
Every year, 600 million people fall sick as a result of around 200 different types of foodborne illness. The burden of such illness falls most heavily on the poor and on the young. In addition, foodborne illness is responsible for 420 000 preventable deaths every year. FAO
I spoke with Dr. Markus Lipp about food safety and science-based policymaking.
Dr. Lipp is currently a Senior Food Safety Officer at the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has been instrumental in shaping international food standards through his leadership at the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat and his work on contaminants, biotechnology, and risk assessment. Watch:
Arrivals and Departures
Farewell to the UK Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN in Geneva.
We had a lovely evening last week at UK’s Ambassador’s Simon Manley residence to celebrate the Birthday of King Charles III. Here are some snapshots from the very sunny evening. I had to keep my sunglasses on, so bright the evening was.
Ambassador Manley is leaving Geneva at the end of the Summer. We bid him farewell. He will be missed. I remember writing about his daily routine, running around the Lake in Geneva, and when abroad. Check it out. Truly inspiring.
Taking Care of Your Mind and Body as a Diplomat
With that much travelling and adapting to new cultures taking care of one’s body by exercising regularly, doing something that enhances your proprioception, and tickles your mind, is of paramount importance.
Diplomats know that.
The UK Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva knows that. He posts frequently his early morning runs around Lake Geneva, and when travelling also. Exercising is not a chore, it is a lifestyle.
It is so important to keep your body in good shape to withstand the long debates and negotiations’ long hours sitting in to the wee of the night (remember the WTO 12 Ministerial Conference anyone?) these meetings are the bread and butter of the daily life of international relations professionals and diplomats.
🎙️ Book Me as a Moderator and Speaker on Tech, AI, and Global Policy
Are you organizing a high-level conference in Paris, London, New York—or anywhere around the globe?
Looking for a seasoned moderator, speaker, or interviewer who brings clarity, depth, and global insight to the stage?
I'm Maya Plentz, founder and chief editor of THE BRIEF, your go-to newsletter on tech policy and the global digital economy. I’ve spent over two decades in international media—at Bloomberg TV, BBC World, UN Radio, and RFI—interviewing diplomats, tech leaders, and policymakers shaping our digital future.
From covering Google and Microsoft to advising the European Commission on how to communicate research and innovation funding across Europe, I’ve worked at the intersection of technology, governance, and global development.
🎤 Whether it’s a tech policy forum, an AI policy roundtable, or a tech innovation summit, I bring editorial precision, multilingual fluency, and a stage presence honed both in the newsroom and the performing arts.
📍 Fluent in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish
🧭 Expert in: #AI #DigitalGovernance #TechPolicy #ForeignPolicy 🔗 Let’s connect. Hire me to moderate, speak, or lead conversations that matter.