President of the Confederation Guy Parmelin and Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA represent Switzerland at the high-level opening of the UN General Assembly at the end of September in New York.
76th UN General Assembly
Monday, 20.09.2021 – Friday, 24.09.2021
Switzerland continues to work on all UN-related themes so as to ensure that Swiss interests remain safeguarded. These topics include in particular the commitment to international law and specifically human rights as well as international humanitarian law, humanitarian affairs and sustainability and disarmament issues. Switzerland also continues to play an active role in the ongoing UN reform process and in safeguarding the interests of International Geneva.
Switzerland's priorities
Switzerland pursues the following three priorities during the 76th UN General Assembly:
- Promoting Switzerland's candidacy and preparing for a seat on the UN Security Council
- Sustainable development and dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Promoting a free, open and secure digital space
22 September 2021 – Yemen: Switzerland strengthens humanitarian efforts
In the margins of the general debate, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis co-chaired a high-level conference on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen with Sweden and the European Union, bringing together all relevant actors.
21 September 2021 – President of the Confederation addresses UN
President Parmelin presents the UN priorities of Swiss foreign policy to the UN General Assembly. He also participates – on site or virtually – in various UN General Assembly events, including the Food System Summit. In the margins of the UN General Assembly, the President of the Confederation also meets with a number of heads of state and government.
President Guy Parmelin at the UN General Assembly in New York, EAER website
18-22 September 2021 – Bilateral meetings and events
Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis uses the opportunity of his stay in New York to take part in several events and to exchange bilateral views with numerous counterparts on the fringes of the UN General Assembly.
18 September 2021 – Saype: Ephemeral art for lasting peace
Franco-Swiss artist Saype, creates giant paintings out of grass and sand to call for world peace. Saype's eco-friendly grass paintings, like the one currently at the United Nations in New York, pop up and perish around the world in the space of a few days. The latest painting, which Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis presented to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, stands for the joint effort to create a future for everyone.
