Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– Friends of Football
– Football
– SG Travels
– Mosque Attack
– Ebola
– Uganda
– Security Council – Ukraine
– Security Council – Middle East
– UNIFIL
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– South Sudan
– Haiti
– Science Forward Podcast
– Financial Contribution
—-
FRIENDS OF FOOTBALL
There will be an event in the General Assembly hall this afternoon from 3 p.m. Representatives from Member States, permanent observers, particularly ambassadors, as well as high-ranking guests from the Secretariat and top soccer players, will participate in the marking of World Football Day. The event this year focuses on “Refugees and Soccer.”
This event is being co-hosted by Bahrain and Tajikistan, who are the co-chairs of the UN Friends of Football.
And starting at 5 p.m., there will be a soccer tournament taking place on the North lawn with permanent representatives, more junior diplomats, and a number of former professional soccer players as well as the President of the General Assembly herself. They will be competing against each other in regional groups, using a knockout system.
5 pm, North lawn. Be there. Wear your jerseys.
FOOTBALL
The UN Refugee Agency today announced its “Game-changing Team”, a symbolic team comprised of soccer players who have backgrounds as refugees or displaced people.
The team embodies hope, courage, resilience and the power of what is possible when people displaced by war and persecution are met with safety, opportunity and welcome. And it highlights the power of football to be more than a game; for young refugees it can be healing, it can bring hope, belonging. It also has the power to change lives.
This team is captained by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Alphonso Davies, who was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled war in Liberia. You all know that he is the current of the Canadian national football team.
SG TRAVELS
The Secretary-General is in Tokyo today. This morning, he chaired the biannual session of the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination, known as the CEB, which brings together the heads of all UN agencies, for better coordination across the UN system.
During these sessions, the CEB members reflect on current world affairs as they affect and relate to the UN system, while engaging in deliberations on “Megatrends Transforming the World”, as well as the UN80 Initiative.
Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will have an audience with His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan.
He will also meet with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Motegi Toshimitsu. Before leaving Japan, he will also hold a press conference at the National Press club in Tokyo, and we will of course share those remarks with you.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-05-19