Away from the buzz of the UN, young Indigenous people gathered at Quaker House under the shade of the gingko tree, finding respite through casual conversation, ceremony, and friendship after two weeks of political dialogues at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), held in New York in April 2023.

This June, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in New York. Since its inception, QUNO has worked with diplomats, UN officials, and community members to implement the original vision of peace and human rights enshrined in the United Nations’ Charter. Our commitment to lifting up diverse perspectives, insights, and concerns has led Quakers to be seen as trusted partners who create the space for new and creative solutions in response to global challenges.

QUNO Geneva, as a founding member of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP), supported  consultations with relevant stakeholders in Geneva on the New Agenda for Peace Process (NA4P), which was organized in partnership with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs on March 16th and 17th.

The Quaker United Nations Office welcomes the landmark decision by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an advisory opinion on “the obligations of States in respect of climate change.” The UNGA decision came after Vanuatu led a core group of nations, made up mostly of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and others, including New Zealand, to bring forward the resolution to the General Assembly.

On 29 March, QUNO Geneva engaged with the work of the Human Rights Council on systemic racism. Human Rights and Refugees Programme Assistant, Yasmin Beldjelti, spoke in both the Debate in commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the General Debate Item 9 on Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance.

Applications are now open for three programme assistant positions at QUNO Geneva from September 2023 to August 2024 in Human Rights & Refugees (HRR); Peace & Disarmament (PD); and Human Impacts of Climate Change (HICC).

These are exciting opportunities for young professionals with an interest in international affairs to learn about and contribute to Quaker work at the UN. They are open to Quakers and those in sympathy with Quaker values. The closing date for applications is 20 April 2023.

Late in the evening on 4 March 2023, the United Nations adopted a historic treaty to protect the world’s oceans. The Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, or the BBNJ, reached agreement on what is widely being referred to as the High Seas Treaty. This came after weeks of grueling negotiations that built upon over two decades of talks on the issue.