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MMS & UN News Update-August 2019

The highlight of August was the 68 United Nation’s Department of Global Communications annual Conference called the UN Civil Society Conference held in Salt Lake City -Utah from August 26-28, 2019. Inclusive and sustainable cities and communities (SDG. 11)  was the focus of this conference, noting that cities are well placed to help combat the global climate emergency and point the way towards sustainable, low-emission development. There were 4000 participants from over 100 Countries. Salt Lake City (SLC) has been preparing for the conference for over a year, led by Mayor Jackie Biskupski, who declared that cities and local communities have never before played such an important role in the health and well-being of the world. SLC became the first city (besides NY) in the US to host a UN conference since 1945.

Partnerships with civil society and youth are essential to achieving the goals of key UN-backed international agreements, …

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MMS & UN News Update July

                                                                                                            

Dear Readers,

The highlight of July is the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).  It was convened from July 9-18 with prior preparatory processes under the theme ‘Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.’ Four years after the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) started, the 2019 meeting of the HLPF opened to take stock of progress, gaps, and obstacles. 47 countries (7 for the second time) have volunteered to present their Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) to the HLPF. Speakers highlighted the need for more empowerment, courage, inclusivity, and equality. A presentation on the progress made on SDG 4 (quality education) revealed a “global learning crisis”, despite steady growth in school enrolment rates, more than …

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MMS & The UN Newsletter May & June 2019

                                                                                

Dear Readers,

In May the Religious at the UN (RUN) had one day retreat highlighting the Eco spirituality and our ministry at the UN. 

Each year on 5 Junethe world celebrates the World Environment Daywhich is also the birthdate of UN Environment Program. This year the main celebrations is in China and the theme is #BeatAirPollution. Clean air is a human right, and a necessary pre-condition for addressing climate change as well as achieving many Sustainable Development Goals. Air pollution does not only damage human health, it also hampers the economy in many ways.

https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/?xv=1&c=1

listen to this 15-year-old Alexandria Villasenor speak at the event.   http://bit.ly/2R3OAM0.

Breathe Life, a campaign by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the World Health Organization and UN Environment, is running initiatives in 55 cities, as well as numerous countries and regions, benefiting over 153 million citizens. For example, campaign …

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MMS & the UN News Letter April 2019

Dear Readers,

Greetings from New York along with the UN highlights for the month of April:

April 11: The UN General Assembly commemorated the 100th Anniversary of the International Labor Organization (ILO). ILO’s motto, “If you desire peace, cultivate justice,” and its Constitution, which emphasizes that “universal and lasting peace can be established only if it based upon social justice,”. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/04/1036451

April 15-18: Financing for Development Forum (FfD Forum): Financing for Development follow-up is an intergovernmental process mandated to review the 2015Addis Ababa Action Agenda and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ended with an outcome document noting that Despite signs of progress, investments that are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain underfunded and parts of the multilateral system are under strain. On 16 the NGO Committee on Financing for Development organized a side event …

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October 2018 MMS & UN News

Dear Readers,

October has come around and as the buzz of the start of the UN General Assembly settles down there’s still plenty taking place.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report: The landmark report released on October 7 issues a strong plea from over 150 scientists for global leaders to enact policy phasing out fossil fuels. The key take-away from the report (found here: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/) is the warning that carbon pollution has created a rapid trajectory that will burn through the 1.5°C carbon budget within the next 3 to 10 years unless  urgent action is taken. http://www.ipsnews.net/2018/10/vital-everyone-eat-organic/

FFD: “A Moral Economy that works for all” was the theme of an orientation by the NGO Committee on Financing for Development (FfD). Celine in her welcome speech highlighted the need for collective advocacy as she said, “there can be no Social Justice without Economic Justice”. Sr. Philo Morris, …

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September 2018 MMS & UN News

Happy New Year of the United Nations, the beginning of the 73 General Assembly in September.

H.E. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, a poet and politician from Ecuador became the 73rd President of UN General Assembly. She is the fourth woman to preside the General Assembly since the first session was held in 1946. The theme of the general debate was, ‘Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.’ For more information- https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/09/1021001

International day of Peace on Sept 21 : This year’s theme “The Right to Peace – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70” celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a milestone document in the history of human rights . WHAT IS PEACE? / INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hyCHuHf0o0

Secretary General’s remark on Climate Change…