Florence Foster, Representative for Peace and Disarmament at the Quaker United Nations Office Geneva, participated in the fourth episode of the KOFF Ton-Träger podcast alongside Katia Aeby, Managing Director of Peace Brigades International Switzerland, and Emma Baumhofer, Digital Peacebuilding Expert at swisspeace.

Since our last newsletter in October 2020, QUNO has continued to adjust to the large changes brought about by COVID-19, the killing of George Floyd, and the drama of a bitterly contested US election. Despite all these challenges, including a now more than year-long shift to virtual work, both for our office and our partners in the UN and other peacebuilding organizations, our work has moved forward.

QUNO’s Sustainable and Just Economic Systems programme has been closely involved in discussions on trade and environment between members at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In this space, QUNO prioritises supporting members to work collaboratively on trade policies which support global environmental sustainability and ensure a sustainable and just future for all.

QUNO NY Programme Assistants (PAs), Molly Burger and Hannah Patterson, presented about QUNO to Quakers at the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) Section of the Americas Meeting. The biannual Meeting was held virtually this year due to COVID-19, but still drew together Quakers from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean for worship, workshops, and activities. Molly and Hannah found this virtual space quite engaging in sharing the role of QUNO at the UN, as well as their experiences as Programme Assistants.

As part of our recent efforts to raise the issue of racial injustice in migration governance, QUNO had the opportunity to address the 46th session of the Human Rights Council as part of the Panel Debate on Racial Discrimination. (Full video of the statement available below)

At the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council, QUNO's Human Impacts of Climate Change programme submitted a statement welcoming the reports of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment on water and biodiversity. (Full video of the statement is below).