This November 5th, 2010 CIFAL Findhorn will host the 2010 Highlands International Biodiversity and Climate Change conference, part of the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity in Inverness, Scotland. It is the forum to find the latest information about how climate change is affecting the unique habitats and resources of the Highlands and Islands, and learn about innovative solutions to enhance biodiversity under the pressure of climate change.

An occasion not to be missed for the Geneva public, this new edition of the Geneva Lecture Series will feature an open debate with the participation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Pascal Lamy - Principals of two international organizations at the cornerstone of the global economic governance architecture.

UNITAR is launching a new e-Learning course on Mediation Skills which is customized to practitioners’ special needs and due to start on 15 November 2010. This new course of the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme aspires to enable the participants to develop mediation skills which can be utilized in international diplomacy.

The field of agriculture and trade raises a host of connected issues, such as food security and food safety, environmental and other consumer concerns. It is also one where the extensive degree of domestic regulation needs to be taken into account in the negotiations. There is, as well, often a gap in policy formulation between national development objectives and the role of agricultural trade in the pursuit of these objectives.

The National Capacity Development Course in International Environmental Law was held in Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand, on 21-23 September and 12-13 October 2010.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Typhoon Megi (locally named Juan) made landfall as a category 5 typhoon in the Cagayan Region on 18 October 2010. The cyclone packed winds reaching 225 km per hour with peaks of wind gusts up to 260 km per hour.

October 2010, Prague, Czech Republic.

13 October 2010, Jeju, Republic of Korea. CIFAL Jeju’s Inauguration ceremony was held on October 13th, 2010 at the International Peace Center in Jeju, Republic of Korea.

UNITAR is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its e-Learning course on the UN System, due to start on 29th November. Following the course’s success this summer, the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme will repeat this six-week course, which is full of useful insights, exercises, and demonstrative videos on how the whole UN system works.