Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Sameerah Munshi – Religious Liberty in Public Education – September 8, 2025
Sameerah has courageously spoken out against forcing children to learn radical gender ideology in schools. She testified before the Montgomery County School Board and has worked with the Coalition of Virtue and the Religious Freedom Institute.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Yitzchok Frankel– Religious Liberty and Anti-Semitism – February 9. 2026
In the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, anti-Jewish protests emerged on college campuses nationwide. At UCLA, activists set up an encampment and enforced a “Jew Exclusion Zone,” segregating Jewish students and faculty and preventing them from attending class or accessing campus spaces. UCLA’s administration ordered police to stand down allowing the activists to wreak havoc on campus through the 2024-25 academic year. Three Jewish UCLA students and a Jewish UCLA professor sued UCLA in federal court. After battling the suit for more than a year, UCLA ultimately agreed to a permanent court order and paid more than $6 million in damages and fees.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Seth Dillon – Religious Liberty in the Private Sector – February 9, 2026
Dillon is the CEO of The Babylon Bee, a fast-growing news satire site that has overtaken The Onion in traffic and engagement. Taking on the tone of a traditional news media publication, the Bee satirizes real-world events and public figures. Dillon’s experience with censorship and deplatforming has placed him on the front lines of the battle for free speech in the public square. He now speaks on college campuses and at conferences across the country about the effectiveness of humor, the moral imperative of mockery, and the dangers of censorship.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Chike Uzuegbuman – Religious Liberty in Public Education – September 8, 2025
While peacefully sharing his Christian views with students on campus, college officials stopped Chike on two occasions, stating he needed permission in advance to use certain “speech zones” that were small and not open regularly. Chike followed the school’s policy, and was still stopped from speaking. Chike challenged the school’s policy all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in his favor.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Sameerah Munshi – Religious Liberty in Public Education – September 8, 2025
Sameerah has courageously spoken out against forcing children to learn radical gender ideology in schools. She testified before the Montgomery County School Board and has worked with the Coalition of Virtue and the Religious Freedom Institute.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
Marisol Arroyo-Castro – Religious Liberty in Public Education – September 29, 2025
While teaching in the New Britain School District, Marisol placed a crucifix by her desk along with other personal items, such as student artwork and a church calendar. In December 2024, school leadership abruptly told Marisol to remove the crucifix or be charged with insubordination. Marisol was later suspended without pay, placed on administrative leave, and involuntarily transferred to a non-teaching position for objecting. Attorneys have intervened on Marisol’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Learn more about the Religious Liberty Commission: https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The UN General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution to strengthen how mandates for UN organizations are created, implemented and reviewed – marking a major milestone under the UN80 Initiative.
Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the adoption, describing it as a “historic resolution” and “a major step” that establishes a critical building block for a 21st century United Nations system that is more effective, more accountable and better equipped to deliver results in a changing world.
“The resolution adopted today reflects a shared understanding of the full mandate lifecycle – and a shared commitment to strengthen each step of it,” the Secretary-General told Member States.
“Today’s resolution helps translate the ambition of the UN80 Initiative into concrete, practical action.”
Mandates – decisions adopted by Member States that guide the work of the United Nations – sit at the core of the Organization’s ability to deliver on peace and security, development, human rights and humanitarian assistance.
The resolution strengthens the full mandate lifecycle by introducing measures to: Strengthen mandate creation, bringing greater discipline, coherence and transparency, and encouraging mandates that are clearer, sharper and more focused, backed by better information for decision-making from the outset; Strengthen implementation, with more user-oriented and data-driven reporting, better coordination and more effective use of resources; Strengthen review and accountability, including through a culture of continuous improvement grounded in evidence, accountability and results.
Together, these measures aim to reduce duplication and fragmentation, while easing the reporting burden on Member States and strengthening delivery across the system.
The resolution builds on the work of the General Assembly’s Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on the Mandate Implementation Review, co-chaired by Ambassador Brian Wallace of Jamaica and Ambassador Carolyn Schwalger of New Zealand.
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
The PSM Magazine Round Table | Human Rights #govzaupdates
Source: United Nations (video statements)
ARTS, CULTURE AND SPORT
Keynote: Ishmael Burdeau (North America)
Panel
Moderator: Flavia Callafange (Latin America)
Amrit Khurana (Asia)
Leticia Sabatella (Latin America)
Joao Carlos Costa (Europe)
Kelly Smith (Latin America)
Swara Swami (Asia)
Nishant Sriram (Asia)
The 2026 observance of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) highlights and affirms the dignity and worth of all autistic people as part of our shared human future. At a time when misinformation and regressive rhetoric about the lives of autistic people is resurfacing, this year’s virtual event is a call to action to move beyond limiting narratives and to recognise the inherent dignity, equal rights, and unconditional worth of every autistic person.
Grounded in the principles of human rights and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this vision sees the inclusion of neurodiversity as crucial to sustainable development. When societies embrace neurodiversity, they strengthen creativity, resilience, and innovation, laying the foundation for more just, inclusive, and sustainable communities. This year’s discussion explores the role of neurodiversity in shaping policies that advance health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, economic opportunity, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, and strong institutions.
The 2026 WAAD event is organized by the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), with the support of the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
More information: https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day
Source: United Nations (video statements)
GLOBAL YOUTH VOICES
Keynote: Hari Srinivasan (North America/Asia)
Panel
Moderator: Charlotte Valeur (Europe)
Ayanwole Boluwatife Joshua (Africa)
Vincent Obisie-Orlu (Africa)
Hector Mendonça Ishikawa (North America)
Martin Cortes Araneda (Latin America)
CLOSING REMARKS
Charlotte Valeur (Europe)
The 2026 observance of World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) highlights and affirms the dignity and worth of all autistic people as part of our shared human future. At a time when misinformation and regressive rhetoric about the lives of autistic people is resurfacing, this year’s virtual event is a call to action to move beyond limiting narratives and to recognise the inherent dignity, equal rights, and unconditional worth of every autistic person.
Grounded in the principles of human rights and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this vision sees the inclusion of neurodiversity as crucial to sustainable development. When societies embrace neurodiversity, they strengthen creativity, resilience, and innovation, laying the foundation for more just, inclusive, and sustainable communities. This year’s discussion explores the role of neurodiversity in shaping policies that advance health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, economic opportunity, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, and strong institutions.
The 2026 WAAD event is organized by the Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), with the support of the United Nations Department of Global Communications.
More information: https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day
