On Sunday 11, prior to the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), QUNO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), co-hosted a preliminary meeting with about 20 experts on the subjects. SDG 2, which aims to ‘end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture,’ will be reviewed at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) this July, together with SDGs 1, 3, 5, 9, 14, and 17. The HLPF is the central United Nations (UN) platform for the follow up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Agenda 2030 was adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit on September 25, 2015.  FAO is one of three Rome based agencies, along with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), working on SDG 2.

For many civil society organizations from Rome, it was the first-time learning about the United Nations (UN) processes in New York. The preliminary meeting, hosted at Quaker House New York, allowed both New York and Europe-based agencies to learn from one another about the different approaches and dynamics between the different UN locations, to understand the specific concerns of those attending, and to find ways to complement and support each other where appropriate.

The meeting was very successful, with people leaving feeling a real sense of comradery and support. The positive effect on the running of the EGM of this pre-meeting was clear. QUNO Geneva is grateful to Andrew Tomlinson and his staff at QUNO New York for allowing Susan Bragdon to use Quaker House on such short notice and is looking forward to further collaboration during the HLPF as well as beyond.