Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
This Office of Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains (MESC) webinar presents eligible Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit (48C) Program round 2 applicants on round 2 full application process, including common themes observed in round 2 concept papers and step-by-step instructions to submit required information into the Salesforce portal. Get help understanding the 48C(e) application process and how to develop a strong application before the October 19, 2024, 11:59 p.m. EST deadline.
Global decision makers will convene at three COPs on the Biodiversity, Climate and Desertification agendas this year. As the planet risks maintaining a pathway to 3C of warming, with intensifying land degradation and a million animal and plant species at risk of extinction, a coordinated approach is fundamental to maintain momentum on the net-zero, nature-positive transition.
How can actors from the public and private sector move beyond current geoeconomic tensions and take the necessary actions to curb carbon emissions and halt biodiversity loss while ensuring a more inclusive economy?
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
This event will mark seven months since the release of the USDA Equity Commission’s Final Report at the National Equity Summit and the capstone of the eight regional equity convenings that were held this year. In celebration of this milestone, the Final Convening will be a half-day event to highlight partners and stakeholders who have been a part of our ongoing journey to make programs and services more accessible and equitable.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Today, we honor those taken as prisoner during war, remember those still missing in action, and join their families to ensure they are never forgotten.
Following the “The Inclusion of Women in the Future of Afghanistan” meeting, Habiba Sarabi, former Minister for Women’s Affairs; Fawziya Koofi, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament; Asila Wardak, former Director General for Human Rights and Women’s International Affairs at the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Margot Wallström, former Swedish Foreign Minister; Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo; and Meryl Streep, actor addressed reporters.
South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, gained independence in 2011 but continues to face instability. Since its deployment in 2011, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has played a critical role in stabilizing the region, with around 18,000 peacekeepers. They focus on protecting civilians, supporting peace efforts, and rebuilding infrastructure. Despite challenges like flooding, conflict, and climate change, UNMISS remains a lifeline, working with local communities and leaders to foster security, provide humanitarian aid, and uphold human rights across the country.
Step into the world of South Sudan with this immersive 360 VR film, showcasing the critical work of UN peacekeepers on the ground. Through this unique virtual experience, you’ll witness the challenges and triumphs of those working tirelessly to protect civilians and rebuild lives.
Directed by Damon Gameau and featuring the Future Council, UN Foundation Next Gen Fellows, UNITE2030 and Girl Up champions. All with the simple message: ‘…what if we get it right?’ #OnceUponAFuture #ActNow #ourcommonfuture
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The United Nations Foundation announced the launch of Once Upon a Future, a global campaign calling on young people to engage in the Summit of the Future and join the millions of people worldwide taking action for our common future. Headlined by a YouTube streaming event on September 22 featuring an eclectic cast of creators and influencers, the campaign launched today with a diverse network of global partners, including the Unlock Coalition, and in close collaboration with the UN.
Hosted by the United Nations on September 22 and 23, the first-of-its-kind Summit will bring decision-makers together with civil society and young people to reset and reboot global cooperation to better manage the risks and opportunities of the 21st century.
Once Upon a Future will highlight the stakes of the Summit for Gen Z and future generations, and will amplify their calls for leaders to agree on the Pact for the Future — a new agreement that would strengthen the multilateral system to better help countries think, plan, and act for the future. The Pact will address important issues ranging from peace and security to digital cooperation, to how we finance our development goals and better deliver for generations to come.
The Once Upon a Future campaign swaps doom and gloom for optimism and hope for a better future, by asking the simple, yet powerful question: “What if we get it right?” Developed in partnership with award-winning creative agency Droga5, Once Upon a Future goes beyond traditional tactics to create a compelling narrative designed specifically to engage a young, global audience. In addition to highlighting the voices and expectations of young people during the Summit of the Future, the campaign also encourages people to take small actions in their daily lives to help build a better future for all through the ActNow platform. The UN campaign invites everyone to join together and ActNow for our common future, with a goal of reaching 2 million actions by September 30.
Launched on September 12, Once Upon a Future utilizes a suite of eye-catching graphics, animations, and video content to drive awareness and understanding around the Summit and its outcomes. Once Upon a Future puts young people at the center, elevating their expectations and aspirations through user-generated content. In addition to these visual assets the campaign also includes the following activations.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Environmental Management (EM) Nevada Program. Workers used a crane to safely take down a water chiller that served as a cooling system for building 3900. The Engine Maintenance, Assembly, and Disassembly (EMAD) Facility supported the development and testing of nuclear rocket engines from 1957 until 1973.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
There’s nothing better than being there for your family, friends, and community. But the older you are the higher your risk of missing out because you get seriously ill with flu, COVID-19, or RSV. So, get this season’s vaccines because being there for all of them begins with taking care of yourself. Get started at vaccines.gov
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) is launching a new consumer based automotive safety campaign, “Put the Brakes on Fakes,” to raise awareness on the dire consequences of counterfeit automotive parts making its way in the United States supply chain. This comprehensive, multi-phase campaign aligns with peak driving periods throughout the year and is part of the IPR Center’s Operation Engine-Newity. At its core, the campaign aims to inform consumers about the life-threatening hazards of counterfeit automotive parts that can lead to catastrophic injuries or fatalities in the event of a crash. Phase I of the campaign will leverage social media platforms to address the specific hazards of counterfeit airbags by alerting the public of the dangers associated with low-quality replacement airbag inflators. Partners in this initiative include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council (A2C2)
From today, UN Video presents a series of videos addressing the most frequently asked questions by the public, aimed at demystifying and explaining the General Assembly. These eight short clips are available, please share! We appreciate your warm reception of these materials! We would like to thank Julia Foxen and Heyi Zou for their contributions to these explainers.
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
Increasingly severe storms, record-breaking heat, coastal erosion…. climate change is affecting transportation now, whether everyone admits it or not. We’re planning infrastructure that reduces emissions from the transportation sector and is more resilient.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary Blinken hosted the Transforming Humanitarian Response for the 21st Century Ministerial in New York City, New York, on September 23, 2024.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw
State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Source: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) (Video Release)
#EDITORSF The modern jungle of algorithms, the impoverishment of journalism, the media’s independence – these are just a few of the subjects covered in France’s General Assembly of Information.
Thibaut Bruttin, RSF’s new Director General, looks back at the issues and solutions addressed in the Assembly’s final report, which dedicated to Christophe Deloire, Bruttin’s predecessor who passed away in June.
Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken remarks at the Summit of the Future in New York City, New York, on September 23, 2024.
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Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.
Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StateDept
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw
State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Podcast: A View From Afar with Paul G. Buchanan and Selwyn Manning.
In this episode of A View from Afar political scientist and former Pentagon Analyst, Paul G. Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning discuss: The Murky World of Israel’s Booby-Trapped Pagers and Walkie-Talkies.
Paul and Selwyn reveal Israel’s long-form planning that led to it sabotaging hand-held communication devices that Hezbollah used to communicate with.
This episode’s questions include:
Who was behind the manufacturing of the booby-trapped devices?
How long has Israel been planning last week’s attack – an attack that saw thousands injured and many killed in Lebanon after Israel remotely pulled the virtual-pin and exploded the devices indiscriminantly?
And why now? Presumably the devices were also programmed to be tracked. So why did Israel decide to abandon tracking Hezbollah and to attack?
Was it to cause chaos among its enemies in a preemptive move immediately prior to its widespread bombing and targeting of communities in Lebanon?
And what of international law? Has Israel gone so far beyond the Rubicon with Gaza that it senses international law no longer applies to Israel?
And, finally, has the United Nations abandoned its right to protect principles, its peacemaking and peacekeeping responsibilities in favour of aid, development and an overly bureaucratic institution?
INTERACTION WHILE LIVE:
Paul and Selwyn encourage their live audience to interact while they are live with questions and comments.
RECOGNITION: The MIL Network’s podcast A View from Afar was Nominated as a Top Defence Security Podcast by Threat.Technology – a London-based cyber security news publication. Threat.Technology placed A View from Afar at 9th in its 20 Best Defence Security Podcasts of 2021 category.
You can follow A View from Afar via our affiliate syndicators.
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
The WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) on 11 September kickstarted at the WTO Public Forum the implementation of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund, a global fund to help women tap into opportunities in international trade and the digital economy.
Business organizations are now invited to apply:
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/womenandtrade_e/weide_e.htm
From today, UN Video presents a series of videos addressing the most frequently asked questions by the public, aimed at demystifying and explaining the General Assembly. These eight short clips are available, please share! We appreciate your warm reception of these materials! We would like to thank Julia Foxen and Heyi Zou for their contributions to these explainers.
Remarks by Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, at Shaping local pathways for a more equitable, sustainable, and secure future for all – “Localizing the Pact for the Future” (Side Event, Action Day 2, Summit of the Future).
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
“Gender equality is not a luxury. It is an imperative”, said Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during the WTO Public Forum. In this video, policy makers and experts lay out the case for including women in the global economy.
Watch also the launch of the Women Exporters in the Digital Economy (WEIDE) Fund’s implementation, as well as the award of the International Prize for Gender Equality.
More about the WEIDE Fund:
https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news24_e/weide_11sep24_e.htm
Speakers in this video:
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
World Trade Organization
Bonnie Chiu
The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Summit of the Future Action Days
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Syria
– Venezuela
– Ukraine
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Somalia
– Viet Nam
– Haiti
– International Day of Peace
– World Cleanup Day
Summit of the Future Action Days
This afternoon, at 1pm, the Summit of the Future Action days will kick off with a youth-led event.
Felipe Paullier, the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, will lead the opening ceremony under the theme #Youthlead the future.
At 2pm, the Secretary-General will take part in a dialogue with youth advocates. This will also take place in the General Assembly Hall and you will be able to watch the conversation live on UN Webtv.
The action days, which are convened by the Secretary-General, will continue tomorrow. The Secretary-General will address Saturday’s opening session at 9 a.m, tomorrow.
Tomorrow’s programme will focus on three priority themes – digital and technology, peace and security, and sustainable development and financing.
There will also be a dedicated focus throughout the day on future generations.
The action days bring together representatives from Member States, civil society, the private sector, academia, youth, and more. The full list of events and side events is available on the webpage of the Summit of the Future.
Lebanon
We are very concerned at the heightened escalation across the Blue Line, including the deadly strike we saw on Beirut today. We urge all parties to de-escalate immediately. All must exercise maximum restraint.
We also urge the parties to immediately return to the cessation of hostilities and to fully implement Security Council resolution 1701.
The region is on the brink of a catastrophe. All efforts should focus on finding a diplomatic solution.
Our Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeannine Hennis-Plasschaert, has been insistently conveying these messages to her interlocutors in Lebanon and Israel.
And this afternoon, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, and our High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, will brief the Security Council in an open meeting on developments in Lebanon. They will convey similar messages. Those remarks will be shared with you.
Meanwhile, on the peacekeeping front, our blue helmets at UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to implement their mandate in, obviously, extremely challenging conditions, working to help avert further escalation and return to a cessation of hostilities.
The head of the UN peacekeeping mission there, Force Commander General Aroldo Lázaro, has been in constant communication with the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces to help avoid any miscalculations along the Blue Line and to support humanitarian access in southern Lebanon.
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that Palestinians already displaced in the Strip are at risk of having to move again as the rainy season approaches, which is expected to bring flooding and high tides.
OCHA says that many of those displaced by hostilities in Gaza are sheltering along the Mediterranean coast, where Israeli-issued evacuation orders have instructed them to go. Several municipalities in Gaza have also warned of the risks, with some advising people sheltering in low-lying areas to leave and seek out safer places due to the danger of flooding. Displaced people in Khan Younis and Deir al Balah have been warned to move to higher ground and stay away from the shore, as high tides could cause their tents to drift, among other risks.
UNRWA, for its part, warns that people in Gaza are sheltering in open spaces with no sewage network or rainwater drainage systems. The agency says that as reptiles, rodents and insects spread, its teams are spraying pesticides and removing waste to protect families from diseases.
Meanwhile, OCHA also reports that water, sanitation and hygiene operations in northern Gaza have been forced to drastically reduce their operating hours to prevent shutdowns.
Our partners working on the response say it continues to be extremely difficult to get fuel to the north, with deliveries often delayed or rejected at checkpoints.
In addition to fuel shortages and the ongoing electricity outages that stall pumps, the current water crisis in Gaza has been worsened by damage to water infrastructure, the absence of safety to make repairs, and a lack of spare parts and chlorine.
To address the critical lack of clean water in Gaza, UNICEF says it is providing 15 litres of water per person per day for nearly 900,000 people, ensuring that part of their water needs are met for a duration of three months.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=20%20September%202024
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
By leveraging his Hispanic heritage and his bilingualism, Jorge Torres – the American School Counselor Association’s 2023 Washington State School Counselor of the Year – connects with students who are multilingual & multicultural, helping them feel more seen in their school.
Briefing UN Security Council members today (19 Sep) on the situation in the Middle East, Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process expressed his “grave concern” on the “the series of explosions across Lebanon and rockets fired toward Israel in recent days,” warning that these incidents add to the overall volatility. Wennesland urged all parties to “refrain from steps that will further exacerbate the situation and take immediate steps to deescalate.”
In his briefing, Wennesland also highlighted the ongoing demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. He noted that over 550 people, including 250 children, had been displaced. He said, “demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures continued… citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain.”
The Special Coordinator also expressed alarm over provocative actions and rhetoric on both sides. Urging all parties to reject such dangerous incitements, he said, “a joint statement from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad threatened a return to the use of suicide bombings… while an Israeli minister said, ‘Palestinian prisoners must be killed. Shot in the head.’”
Helen Clark, a member of The Elders and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, told the Security Council that the current approach to managing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has failed. She criticized member states that use their veto power to “protect allies” or “obstruct geopolitical rivals,” warning that this undermines the authority of the Council.
Riyad H. Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, referred to a recent advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, declaring Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as unlawful. “The Court reaffirmed the illegality of Israel’s settlements… stressing the obligations of the occupying Power to cease immediately all settlement activities,” Mansour said.
Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon said, “this Council and the world must wake up to the reality of the threat Iran poses. The dark force driving the violence we see today is not a collection of independent groups; it is Iran pulling the strings,” He said, “the Iranian proxies, Hezbollah in the North, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria and terrorist cells in Judea and Samaria, are all Iran’s attack dogs unleashed to spread death and destruction across the region.” Danon further said that Iran is not only targeting Israel but is seeking domination of the entire Middle East, while the Palestinian Authority is being “utterly weak and impotent.”
Remarks by Monicah Malith, (Republic of South Sudan), refugee youth advocate at the Opening of the Summit of the Future.
Malith reminded world leaders of the incredible potential of refugees when they are seen, heard, and empowered.
She also reminded young people that “The future is ours to forge. Not theirs to cling to. Not theirs to pass down like spoils of war.”
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The Summit of the Future (22-23 September 2024) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.
The Summit of the Future is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
Effective global cooperation is increasingly critical to our survival but difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of mistrust, using outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities.
World leaders will convene at the United Nations to adopt the Pact for the Future, which will include a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations as annexes.
Niria Alicía Garcia, a Xicana human rights advocate from the United States, climate justice organizer, educator and storyteller, said her generation’s hearts are breaking as it endures the impacts of climate disaster that could have been prevented.
“Our mother earth is hurting, and she needs our help. Worldwide our waters and sacred places are being desecrated. Corporate greed and war are pushing life to the verge of extinction. Global governments and politics are void of spirituality, of morality and basic respect for life,” she said.
Speaking about the Pact for the Future, she highlighted that while it mentions words like sustainable development nearly 300 times, words like children, Earth and future generations are mentioned less than 60 times.
“Do Indigenous Peoples still not exist to you? Are we not the stewards of 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity?” she emphasised.
However, she concluded on a hopeful note, stating firmly, “make no mistake that we have the medicine that this world needs and that with the help of creation, we will turn the tide for good.”
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The Summit of the Future (22-23 September 2024) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm existing commitments including to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system that is better positioned to positively impact people’s lives.
The Summit of the Future is a high-level event, bringing world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
Effective global cooperation is increasingly critical to our survival but difficult to achieve in an atmosphere of mistrust, using outdated structures that no longer reflect today’s political and economic realities.
World leaders will convene at the United Nations to adopt the Pact for the Future, which will include a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations as annexes.
The Summit offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity for change.
It will pave a way to a better tomorrow that we can only shape together.
In support of this vision and objectives, The Summit of the Future Action Days will be convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 and 21 September 2024 at United Nations Headquarters in New York to generate additional opportunities for the engagement of all actors.
Bringing together representatives from Member States, civil society, private sector, academia, local and regional authorities, youth, and many more, the Action Days will provide an opportunity for broad engagement and inclusion. These stakeholders have all played a key role in shaping the Pact for the Future and its annexes, and will be critical to implementation.
The Action Days will kick off with a dedicated, youth-led afternoon followed by a Saturday programme which will focus on three priority themes – digital and technology, peace and security, and sustainable development and financing. In addition to the three themes, there will also be a dedicated focus throughout the day on future generations. Expected participants include Heads of State, Ministers, senior UN officials and representatives from the private sector, civil society and other actors.
More information: https://summitofthefutureun.org/action-days
How does a Security Council resolution get adopted?
The 15-member Council is charged with taking action, through resolutions and decisions, on any threats to international peace and security, but sometimes adopting a draft into a legally binding document for the UN’s 193 Member States faces multiple hurdles.
Utilizing material from the UN Audiovisual Library, this production showcases imagery shot over several decades.
From today, UN Video presents a series of videos addressing the most frequently asked questions by the public, aimed at demystifying and explaining the General Assembly. These eight short clips are available, please share! We appreciate your warm reception of these materials! We would like to thank Julia Foxen and Heyi Zou for their contributions to these explainers.
Remarks by Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, at Shaping local pathways for a more equitable, sustainable, and secure future for all – “Localizing the Pact for the Future” (Side Event, Action Day 2, Summit of the Future).
Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
For the first time in the history of our Department’s airline merger review process, we have locked in consumer protections up front to ensure Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines passengers were treated fairly before the merger moved forward.