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Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

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Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities. Source link

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“ One Earth, One Health ”: Yoga day provides a respite in a tumultuous world

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This powerful message from International Yoga Day, observed every year on June 21, summed up the UN headquarters in New York on Friday while hundreds gathered to embrace the old holistic practice.

A familiar tradition now each year, the north lawn has once again transformed into an open -air yoga studio overlooking the East river. After a section of rainy and gray days, the sky was finally cleared, which makes it a brilliant and hot day.

And yoga enthusiasts, including diplomats, UN officials and staff, have fully benefited, by unfolding their carpets – bodies and flexed spirits.

Peter Rogina, founder of Project Peace Lights, was delighted to return to headquarters and recalled with emotion the 2019 event, which was moved inside to the room of the general assembly due to the rain.

“I love the opportunity to practice with such a large group of people, energy is just amplified … And I also have my son with me, so to present this experience to him, I am also very excited.”

Lama Aria Drolma is a Buddhist teacher and a meditation expert.

A monastic Buddhist lama Aria Drolma comes to the UN each year to participate in the event. His path took him from the world of companies modeling to a more thoughtful place of inner peace and meditation.

“When I was a young child who grew up in India, I practiced yoga. It touches not only the body but also the soul. It is also very meditative. I find that yoga is one of the healthiest things we can all do to take care of our health. ”

‘A family’

The emphasis on personal well-being also highlighted the advantages of yoga beyond individuals to encompass the health of the whole planet.

Organized by the permanent mission of India at the UN in collaboration with the UN secretariat, the theme of this year’s event was, Yoga for land, health.

The ambassador of the permanent representative of India, P. Harish, noted how he underlines a vital truth: personal well-being and planetary health are deeply interconnected.

“By taking care of ourselves, we start to take care of the earth, reflecting the sustainable Indian ethics of Vasudhaiva KutumbakamOr the whole world is a family.

“The 11thth The edition of the Yoga Day offers us an opportunity to think about how yoga has become a world force for well-being, affecting people through age groups, geographies and horizons, “he added.

Echoing this, Didi Ananda Radhika Acchara of the Women’s Women Center of Ananda Marga stressed that more than a simple exercise, yoga is a way to discover the feeling of unity with yourself, the world and nature.

“Outside, we are our bodies, inside this is our mind. At the end inside, there is something that always witnesses us, observing us. It is our soul. Thanks to yoga, we can reach this interior space. When we immerse ourselves in the depths of our mind through yoga, we realize how connected we are all. ”

A symbol of hope

Participants on the lawn went from experienced practitioners to the first curious thirds, engaged in basic yoga asanas (poses), breathing techniques and stretching exercises.

Permanent mission from India to the UN

Marking International Yoga Day at the UN headquarters in New York. (June 20, 2025)

The main highlight of the program was a meditation session guided by the famous doctor and a leading figure on integrative well-being, Dr. Deepak Chopra.

Marta Shedletsky of Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in New York attended the session in search of a feeling of community, trust – and hope. The place had a particular meaning to him.

“What’s going on in the world these days, with all the troubles and all the wars taking place, this place looks like a symbol of hope for a better future and the possibility of peace. »»

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

The UN reiterates the call for an urgent de-escalation in the midst of Irano-Israeli conflicts, aggravating the Gaza crisis

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In a joint call to defuse, United Nations agencies have warned that new risks of conflict triggering a new trip to a region already tense by decades of war and instability.

The United Nations Agency for Refugees (Hcr)) Military strikes have led people in Iran and Israel to flee their homes in search of the security of Tit-For-Tat missile strikes.

“Movements have been reported to Tehran and other parts of Iran, some choosing to cross the neighboring countries,” said the agency. Meanwhile, “the bombings led people in Israel to seek shelter elsewhere in the country and in some cases abroad.”

“” This region has already endured more than its share of war, loss and displacement – we cannot allow another crisis of refugees to take root“Said the United Nations High Commissioner for Filippo Refugees Granded.” The time to defuse is at the moment. Once people are forced to flee, there is no quick path back – And too often, the consequences last generations. “”

UNHCR has urged the countries of the region to respect the right to seek asylum and ensure humanitarian access to affected people, while calling on all parties to protect civilians and civil infrastructure.

Nuclear risks increase as Iranian installations reach

The conflict collapsed following Israeli air strikes on several nuclear -related Iranian sites during last week, including a centrifuge manufacturing workshop in Esfahan, according to the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (Aiea).

“This is the third installation of this type which was targeted in last week,” confirmed the director general Rafael Mariano Grossi, noting that the installation was under surveillance of the IAEA within the framework of the Complete full action plan (JCPOA)-The nuclear agreement signed with Iran in 2015, from which the United States withdrew in 2017.

“We know this installation well. There was no nuclear matter on this site and therefore the attack on this subject will have no radiological consequences“He said. However, Mr. Grossi warned that continuous strikes on nuclear infrastructure strongly undermine nuclear security and security.

“” Although they have not so far led to radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger that this could happen. “”

The IAEA has followed damage to the sites of Esfahan, Arak, Karaj, Natanz and Tehran since the start of the Israeli military campaign against Iran on June 13. T

The agency has provided regular updates to the UN Security adviceWho has not yet reached consensus on an answer. Friday, the ambassadors who debate the climbing heard during an emergency meeting in New York heard the UN Secretary General António Guterres warn that If the fights intensified, it could “turn on a fire, no one can control”.

Gaza in ruins, the Palestinians face famine

The regional assembly crisis takes place in the context of the war in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate.

On Saturday, the head of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, painted a dark image of life in the enclave during an address to the organization of Islamic cooperation in Istanbul.

“” In Gaza, two million people are hungry“He said frankly.The “so-called newly created aid mechanism” is an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people. It is a death screed, which costs more lives than it saves. »»

Lazzarini has described a territory devastated by almost two years of conflict, with more than 55,000 dead by local authorities of the Strip – the majority of women and children.

The survivors, he said, “are shadows of their old self; Their lives has changed forever by an unspeakable trauma and a deep loss. “”

In the occupied West Bank, the displacement and destruction of public infrastructure modify the demography of the Palestinian camps, he added, in what he described as an effort to erase the perspective of a Palestinian state under the solution to two states not sustained and undressing the Palestinians of refugee status.

UNRWA in the reticle

“” UNRWA has become an objective of this war“Warned Mr. Lazzarini, citing the death of at least 318 of the agency staff in Gaza since the terrorist attacks on October 7 against Israel by Hamas and other activists, the expulsion of international staff and a disinformation campaign aimed at paralyzing its funding.

Despite these pressures, UNRWA continues to provide rescue services, including more than 15,000 health consultations per day, waste management and shelter support.

UNRWA’s financial situation is now “disastrous,” said the chief of the agency. “” Without additional funding, I will soon have to make unprecedented decisions affecting our operations Throughout the region. »»

He called on Member States to act urgently: “The sudden loss or the reduction of UNRWA services will only deepen suffering and despair through the occupied Palestinian territory. This could arouse unrest in neighboring countries. This is something that the region cannot afford, especially now. ”

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

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Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Source link

Statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, together with the High Representative of the European Union

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Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

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DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: All articles in this site are published in English. The translated versions are done through an automated process known as neural translations. If in doubt, always refer to the original article. Thank you for understanding.

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Gaza horrors continue as the weakest succumb to injuries and disease

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Gaza horrors continue as the weakest succumb to injuries and disease

“I met a little boy who was wounded by a tank shell at one of these sites on the final day of me leaving Gaza – I learnt that this little boy had since died of those injuries,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spokesperson James Elder. “That speaks to both what is happening at these sites and what is not happening when it comes to medical evacuations.”

A recent online video featuring a dying 13-year-old Abed al-Rahman who Mr. Elder met while on mission in Gaza has been seen thousands of times since it was published on 6 June. In the clip, Abed explains that he has been asking for pain relief for his shrapnel wounds, but none is available.

Speaking to journalists from Amman, Mr. Elder explained that partly destroyed hospitals including Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis continue to treat wounded children, despite a shortage of medicine and medical supplies.

“Humanitarian aid is so much more than food in a box; it’s oxygen kits, it’s ventilators, it’s hygiene packs; it’s medicines, it’s incubators,” he explained. “It’s all those things the United Nations was doing just a couple of months ago.”

Mr. Elder added that parents whose children need oxygen have been leaving hospital “because of the fear that Nasser may come under attack again. As the doctors told me, if you have a child who needs oxygen and they leave without the oxygen, they will, over a matter of time, die in a tent.”

Desperation, starvation

The dire shortage of the most basic life-sustaining aid linked to Israeli restrictions continues to create desperation and starvation across Gaza.

“I spoke to a grandmother in tears saying, how am I possibly to get to these sites?” Mr. Elder explained. “I’ve met young men who’ve been seven times and never returned with anything. So, there’s a complete lack of equity. There’s a complete lack of sites. You cannot distribute aid in a militarised zone, in a combat zone, by one party to the conflict.”

Those most susceptible to the lack of fresh drinking water, food and fuel are the weakest Gazans: the young, pregnant women, the elderly and amputees, Mr. Elder said. 

It would be impossible for them to walk the long distances required to fetch scant supplies from controversial non-UN aid hubs.

Lethal choice

“You have half a million people facing starvation with a lethal choice of being forced into very small pockets where most people can’t access into what are officially known as combat sites,” the UNICEF spokesperson explained. “We know children [who have been] killed at these sites.”

Meanwhile, malnutrition and the impact of it on people’s weakened immune systems continues to take its toll, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned.

“The latest reports say 610 patients have been admitted due to severe malnutrition complications,” said WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier. “But what does that mean? That means these are the lucky ones who made it so far to get to a place. 

“This does not count the many who were too weak to reach any point, who are too weak, who cannot be transported because the roads are blocked, because there are no ambulances, or because the hospitals, some of the health emergency centres have been shelled and bombed and are being constantly shelled and bombed.”

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Statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, together with the High Representative of the European Union

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Media advisory – Foreign Affairs Council of 23 June 2025

Statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, together with the High Representative of the European Union

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Why is the manosphere on the rise? UN Women sounds the alarm over online misogyny

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Why is the manosphere on the rise? UN Women sounds the alarm over online misogyny

With more than 5.5 billion people connected online – nearly all of them active on social media – digital platforms have become central to how people interact, UN Women highlights.

However, they are also being weaponised to spread misogyny and hate. Once confined to fringe internet forums, the manosphere now reaches into schoolyards, workplaces, and is sometimes upending intimate personal relationships.

“We are seeing an increasing trend of young men and boys looking to influencers for guidance on issues like dating, fitness, and fatherhood,” said Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Section at UN Women.

Looking for answers to feel more secure about themselves, these boys encounter “strength” in online communities who also promote harmful attitudes that distort masculinity and fuel misogyny.

Boys are looking for ‘validation online’

“These spaces are really taking advantage of those insecurities and a need for validation…very often circulating messages that are very dismissive of women and girls’ positions in society and are often very misogynistic, portraying a very bad picture of women’s rights activists, for example,” Ms. Mingeirou told UN News.

According to the Movember Foundation, a leading men’s health organization and partner of UN Women, two-thirds of young men regularly engage with masculinity influencers online.

While some content offers genuine support, much of it promotes extreme language and sexist ideology, reinforcing the idea that men are victims of feminism and modern social change.

The most recent UN Secretary-General’s report on violence against women and girls notes that groups within the manosphere are united in their rejection of feminism and their portrayal of women as manipulative or dangerous.

These narratives are increasingly being amplified by social media algorithms that reward provocative and polarizing content.

Misogynistic content harms girls and boys

Stressing that anonymity makes amplification of sexist and hate speech on platforms easier, Ms. Mingeirou told us the abuse not only damages their mental and physical wellbeing but also poses “a serious risk for democracy in general”.

“Women and girls are feeling less comfortable to be exposed to the risks and threats when they engage in digital platforms – and we often see women journalists, women politicians who tend to not engage, because they are afraid of the impact it has on them”.

Underlying that stereotypes create anxiety and harm boys and men alike, Ms. Mingeirou added that safe spaces need to be created, so everyone can look for guidance without being subjected to harmful content.

A threat beyond the internet

The manosphere’s toxic narratives are no longer confined to obscure online spaces. Their influence is seeping into broader culture and politics, trivializing gender-based violence and reinforcing discriminatory stereotypes.

In extreme cases, these ideologies intersect with other forms of radicalization, including racism, homophobia, and authoritarianism. Misogyny online quickly becomes misogyny offline.

“We have growing evidence that in some of the community mass shootings or extreme incidents against the community, very often the perpetrators were also heavily engaged in such misogynistic online platforms, conveying messaging connecting with broader ideologies that puts all of us at risk”, Ms. Mingeirou continued.

These communities do not all speak with one voice, but they are united in portraying feminism as dangerous, women as manipulative, and men as victims of social change. Their ideas are gaining ground, particularly among boys and young men, amplified by algorithms that prioritize sensational and extreme content. The manosphere’s narratives are no longer confined to niche corners of the internet. They are shaping how people think, how they vote, and how they treat others.

© Unsplash/John Schnobrich

With more than 5.5 billion people connected online, digital platforms have become central to how people interact.

A rights-based response

As the world marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Women is warning that the rise of online misogyny poses a direct threat to the progress made toward gender equality.

In response, the agency is scaling up efforts to counter toxic digital environments. Their multi-pronged approach includes:

  • Research and data collection on the spread and impact of online hate.
  • Policy advocacy for digital safety and regulation.
  • Support for survivors of online abuse.
  • Public education campaigns challenging toxic masculinity.
  • Youth-focused programming aimed at building digital resilience and promoting gender equality.
  • Calling on the media to take a more active role in addressing this issue.

Education as Prevention

Ultimately, education is one of the most effective tools for dismantling the foundation of misogynistic ideology. Talking to children and adolescents about gender equality, healthy relationships, and digital citizenship is crucial to preventing harmful attitudes from taking root.

“It’s not just about protecting girls,” Ms. Mingeirou said. “It’s about creating a world where boys and girls alike can grow up free from the toxic pressures of harmful gender expectations.”

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Why is the Manosphere increasing? UN women seem the alarm on online misogyny

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With more than 5.5 billion people connected online – almost all active on social networks – digital platforms have become central to the way people interact, United Nations Strengths.

However, they are also armed to spread misogyny and hatred. Once confined to the Internet forums Fringe, the Manosphere now reaches school lessons, workplaces and sometimes upsets intimate personal relationships.

“We note an increasing trend of young men and boys who seek to influence advice on questions such as dating, physical form and paternity,” said Kalliopi Mingerou, head of the end of women of violence against women and girls of the UN.

In search of answers to feel more security towards themselves, these boys encounter a “force” in online communities which also promote harmful attitudes which distort the masculinity and misogyny of fuel.

Boys are looking for “online validation”

“These spaces really benefit from these insecurity and a need for validation … Very often messages in circulation which are very disdainful of the positions of women and girls in society and which are often very misogynist, depicting a very bad image of the rights of women’s rights, for example,” said Mingeirou. UN News.

According to the Movember Foundation, a leading male health organization and partner of UN women, two thirds of young men regularly engage with influencers of online masculinity.

Although some content provides real support, a large part promotes extreme language and a sexist ideology, strengthening the idea that men are victims of feminism and modern social change.

Most recent Report of the UN Secretary General on violence against women and girls Note that groups within the Manosphere are united in their rejection of feminism and their representation of women as manipulative or dangerous.

These stories are increasingly amplified by social media algorithms which reward provocative and polarizing content.

Misogynum contents harm girls and boys

Stressing that anonymity facilitates the amplification of sexist and hatred discourse on platforms, Mrs. Mingeirou told us that the abuse damages not only their mental and physical well-being, but also presents “a serious risk of democracy in general”.

“Women and girls feel less comfortable to be exposed to risks and threats when they get involved in digital platforms – and we often see women journalists, politicians who tend to commit, because they are afraid of the impact that it has on them.”

A underlying that stereotypes create anxiety and harm boys and men, Mingeirou has added that safe spaces must be created, so that everyone can look for advice without being subjected to harmful content.

A threat beyond the internet

The toxic Manosphere stories are no longer limited to obscure online spaces. Their influence infiltrates a wider culture and policy, trivializing gender -based violence and strengthening discriminatory stereotypes.

In extreme cases, these ideologies intersect with other forms of radicalization, including racism, homophobia and authoritarianism. Online misogyny quickly becomes offline of misogyny.

“We have increasing evidence that in some of the community mass fire or extreme incidents against the community, the authors were often strongly engaged in such misogynous online platforms, transmitting messages connecting with wider ideologies that put us in danger,” said Mingeirou.

These communities do not all speak of one voice, but they are united to portray feminism as dangerous, women as manipulators and men as victims of social change. Their ideas are gaining ground, especially in boys and young men, amplified by algorithms that prioritize sensational and extreme content. Manosphere stories are no longer limited to internet niche corners. They shape how people think, how they vote and how they treat others.

© UNSPLASH / John Schnobrich

With more than 5.5 billion people connected online, digital platforms have become central to the way people interact.

A rights based on rights

While the world marks the 30th anniversary of Beijing declaration and platform for actionUN women warn that the rise of online misogyny is a direct threat to progress made towards gender equality.

In response, the agency increases efforts to counter toxic digital environments. Their several component approach includes:

  • Data research and collection On the spread and impact of hatred online.
  • Political advocacy for digital safety and regulations.
  • Support for survivors online abuse.
  • Public education campaigns Deterpate toxic masculinity.
  • Programming focused on young people aimed at strengthening digital resilience and promoting gender equality.
  • Call on the media To play a more active role in solving this problem.

Education as prevention

In the end, education is one of the most effective tools to dismantle the foundation of misogynistic ideology. Talking to children and adolescents about gender equality, healthy relationships and digital citizenship is crucial to prevent harmful attitudes from taking root.

“It’s not just about protecting girls,” said Mingeirou. “It’s about creating a world where boys and girls can freely grow toxic pressure from harmful gender expectations.”

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

From the world’s world to the stars: a new space race

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The exploits of the longtime established space nations-in particular the United States-can still dominate major titles, but countries as diverse as Zimbabwe, Honduras and Malta signal their intention to take advantage of the advantages of activities related to space.

These small states, and many others, ask belonging to the United Nations organization which helps to shape internationally agreed rules on the peaceful use of space and to avoid a new “Wild West” free for everything, which could potentially lead to conflicts.

Why the countries turn to the sky

What attracts countries like Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia and Maldives to space? Although their motivations are varied, the advantages of space quickly become obvious to everyone. Spatial technologies allow access to critical data and services that support climate resilience, response to disasters and sustainable development. In the development states of small islands, for example, satellite data help monitor the level of sea level and improve early alert systems for hurricanes and floods.

In Ghana And TongaTHE United Nations Office for External Space Affairs (UNOOSA) recently helped develop capital “digital twins” using satellite and AI data. These virtual models can simulate flood scenarios, allowing governments to identify vulnerable infrastructure, strengthen emergency intervention plans and react more effectively when disasters strike.

Many actors in emerging space face significant obstacles, including high technical and financial obstacles, as well as underdeveloped national regulations and legal frameworks. Unoosa helps to fill these shortcomings by advising national space legislation and helping the countries to sail Space treaty and the Registration congresswhich aims to provide a precise image of all the objects launched in space.

© NASA Earth Observatory / Michal

Three storms active in the South Pacific – Image of the NASA earth observatory (February 2025)

THE Access to space for all programsFor example, helps non -spatial nations to launch useful charges, carry out experiences and access the data from space missions. Kenya, Mauritius, Guatemala and Moldova have all successfully launched their first satellite in partnership with the Kibocube JAXA / UNOOSA programWho collaborates with teams from developing countries to deploy small cubic satellites from the international space station.

Unoosa Space law for new space players The project supports emerging space nations to develop robust legal and political frameworks for outdoor space activities, and the Space4Women The initiative developed the Gender temporary tool box for the space sector To help organizations engage in equity in sex, to promote equal opportunities, to empower women and girls through dedicated programming and to follow measurable progress. Another flagship initiative, Unadderoffers capacity building specializing in the use of space applications for disaster risk reduction and emergency response.

The Maldives archipelago – Images of the Nasa Terre Observatory

Originally published at Almouwatin.com