UNITAR has joined the UN Country Team of Mauritius and Seychelles, marking a significant milestone in its partnership with the countries. The signing ceremonies for the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) were held on November 6 and October 24, 2023, for Mauritius and Seychelles, respectively. 

Reaching the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda, the newly established Cooperation Framework outlines the collaborative response of the United Nations. This strategic initiative is designed to lend support to Seychelles and Mauritius, addressing their national priorities and paving the way for a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future. The framework is centered around the key themes of People, Planet, and Prosperity, and is dedicated to ensuring that No One is Left Behind in the collective pursuit of achieving the SDGs.

8 December 2023, Geneva, Switzerland - To celebrate a milestone of the partnership and to strategize the way forward, UN SDG:Learn partners gathered for a Retreat “Transforming Sustainable Development Learning on the way to the Summit of the Future”. 

7 December 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – In May 2023, the G7 Summit was held in Hiroshima, Japan, putting the global spotlight on one of UNITAR’s host cities. Ms. Keiko Ogura, a hibakusha (atomic bombing survivor), who has been an invaluable contributor to UNITAR Hiroshima Office’s training programmes, reflected on her meetings with the G7 leaders at the Summit.

6 October 2023, Geneva, Switzerland - Climate change is a global issue that requires targeted, adaptable, and tailored solutions. A solution that works well in one country, may not necessarily work as well in another country or region.  This was evident at the recent Youth Climate Dialogue which brought together high school students from six countries as part of UNITAR’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.

Read on to find out more about the rich and engaging discussions about climate change that took place at Palais des Nations with students from six different countries.

04 December 2023, Dubai, UAE - While it has been clear for some time that climate change education is one of the most fundamental unmet needs of countries bearing the brunt of the crisis, it has proved difficult to unlock to necessary resources to meet that need at scale. For several years the UN CC:Learn programme (supported by Switzerland) has been working in West Africa to better understand the gap and to build a regional approach to strengthening climate literacy at all levels (formal, non-formal, and informal).

28 November 2023, Hiroshima, Japan – UNITAR alumna Karmen Chebib is Head of the Information and Public Relations Unit at the Center for Educational Research and Development, Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon. Through education, she works to dismantle entrenched gender stereotypes that keep women and girls behind.

28 November 2023, Geneva, Switzerland – On 9 November 2023, UNITAR Division for Prosperity held a programme launch and orientation for the Japan-funded training programme “Developing Green Livelihoods for Women and Youth in Africa: Strengthening Food Security, Supporting Climate Resilient Economies”. Through the programme, 150 women and youth participants from Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe with a passion for development will gain skills to support climate-resilient economies. It will run from November 2023 to February 2024 and have online and in-person elements.
Guests of the launch and orientation included government officials, programme partners and participants of the new programme.

28 November 2023, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR Division for Prosperity held a launch and orientation for the Japan-funded training programme “Developing Essential Digital Skills for Women and Youth in Africa: Enhancing Employment Opportunities and Livelihood Development in the Digital Economy”. The programme aims to enhance the employability and competitiveness of African women and youth in the global workforce, readying them with the “4th Industrial Revolution (4IR)” and future-of-work digital skills in a digital-driven world. The programme focuses on 24 Anglophone African countries and will run from November 2023 to February 2024.

The Climate Change Negotiations and Health e-course has been updated ahead of COP28. The course unpacks the interlinkages between climate change and health and aims to answer important questions, such as the current state of climate change negotiations at the international level with regard to health, and how climate change is impacting human health.

27 November 2023, Durban, South Africa – In collaboration with CIFAL Durban, the eThekwini Municipal Academy (EMA) and its Municipal Institute of Learning (MILE), UNITAR is starting today a series of training workshops on “Management Practices for Safer Roads”. The series starts in Durban on 27 November, followed by Cape Town on 28 November, and Bloemfontein on 30 November.