{"id":143908,"date":"2018-03-20T21:29:23","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T01:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/?p=143908"},"modified":"2018-06-18T18:54:02","modified_gmt":"2018-06-18T22:54:02","slug":"highlights-of-press-briefing-by-spokesperson-21-march-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/2018\/03\/20\/highlights-of-press-briefing-by-spokesperson-21-march-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights of press briefing by spokesperson \u2013 20 March 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

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HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESS BRIEFING BY BRENDEN VARMA,\u00a0<\/strong>SPOKESPERSON FOR <\/strong>GENERAL ASSEMBLY <\/strong>PRESIDENT <\/strong>MIROSLAV LAJ\u010c\u00c1K <\/strong><\/h1>\n
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United Nations Headquarters, New York<\/strong><\/p>\n

20 March 2018<\/span><\/p>\n

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U.N. HAS DUTY TO MAKE SURE RACISM LEFT IN PAST<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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  • The General Assembly Plenary will meet at 3:00 p.m. today in the General Assembly Hall, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.<\/li>\n
  • Since the President is not in New York, one of the Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly, the Permanent Representative of Vanuatu, will deliver a statement on his behalf.<\/li>\n
  • In that statement, the President is expected to say, \u201cÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵ has a duty to ensure that racial discrimination is left in the past\u2026 Let us use the most diverse platform in the world to ensure equal treatment for all.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    WATER TO BE HIGHLIGHTED IN EXHIBIT OPENING AND DECADE LAÄ¢¹½ÊÓƵCH <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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    • The Office of the President is scheduled to open an exhibit entitled \u201cWater Action Decade \u2013 Countries\u2019 Perspectives\u201d.<\/li>\n
    • The exhibit will focus on Sustainable Development Goal 6, which deals with access to clean water and sanitation. It will feature water-related photography from 12 different countries.<\/li>\n
    • As part of the opening, a Water Action Decade lightshow will be projected on the General Assembly building. The exhibit will be opened at the Delegates Entrance tomorrow from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. The projections should be able to be seen tomorrow from 1st Avenue from 7:15 to 8:15 pm \u2013 and then again this Thursday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. If the projections cannot take place tomorrow due to inclement weather, they will be shown again this Friday.<\/li>\n
    • This is all in advance of the President\u2019s high-level event this Thursday and Friday to launch the International Decade for Action on \u201cWater for Sustainable Development\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      HAPPINESS OF MIGRANTS A LITMUS TEST FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF MIGRATION POLICIES<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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      • Today is the International Day of Happiness. It also happens to be the President\u2019s birthday.<\/li>\n
      • Right now, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network is holding an event to mark the International Day of Happiness in the Delegates Dining Room.<\/li>\n
      • The President\u2019s Chef de Cabinet is delivering remarks on his behalf.<\/li>\n
      • Since the World Happiness Report 2018 focuses on migration, he is expected to say that the happiness of migrants and their communities is like a litmus test to see whether policies are effective.<\/li>\n
      • When migration is well-managed, migrants are better off for it, and so are members of the wider community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        NORWUZ CAN BRING US TOGETHER, SHOULD BE CELEBRATED BY ALL<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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        • The President\u2019s Chef de Cabinet will also deliver a statement on his behalf to commemorate the holiday of Nowruz. That event has been organized by 12 Permanent Missions and will be held in the ECOSOC Chamber at 3pm today.<\/li>\n
        • The statement is expected to highlight the role of Nowruz as a bridge-builder. Celebrated across many regions \u2013 from the Balkans to Central and West Asia – Nowruz acts as a link between diverse countries and cultures. And, something that can bring us together is something that should be celebrated by all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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          PRESIDENT IN SLOVAKIA IN HIS FOREIGN MINISTER CAPACITY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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          • Asked why the President\u2019s appointments in Slovakia were not being published on the office\u2019s web site, the Spokesperson clarified that the President was currently in Slovakia to be sworn in as the country\u2019s Foreign Minister.<\/li>\n
          • He was therefore not there in his capacity as President of the General Assembly. As such, his specific appointments were not being listed.<\/li>\n
          • Elaborating further, the Spokesperson noted that, since the President was in Slovakia in his capacity as Slovak Foreign Minister, the Slovak Government was funding his travel.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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