"This is no longer the time of armed groups. This is the time of strong states,” UN Secretary-General said in Beirut during his visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Beirut earlier today (13 March).
He arrived from Ankara and landed in Lebanon at a critical and timely moment for country and the wider region.
Upon his arrival, he said this is a visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon who did not choose this war. They were dragged into it.
The Secretary-General appealed to both parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire and stop the enormous suffering of civilians in the region.
The Secretary-General also finished a round of meetings with President Joseph Aoun, with the Speaker of Parliament, and Nabih Berri, and with the Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
In all his meetings, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’ strong support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the Lebanese State’s exercise of a monopoly on the use of force in its own country.
Discussions with Lebanese officials focused on the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, including the establishment of lasting security and stability across the Blue Line and beyond.
In his meetings, the Secretary-General was accompanied by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, his Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon; Imran Riza, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon; and Major General Diodato Abagnara, the Force Commander of our peacekeeping forces in the country.
In remarks to the media, the Secretary-General said that he hopes that his next visit to Lebanon will be a visit of a Lebanon in peace.
The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister of Lebanon also launched a Flash Humanitarian Appeal of $308.3 million to provide life-saving support to one million people impacted. And that will cover for the next 3 months.
Guterres emphasized that the success of this effort will depend on swift and flexible funding, as well as ensuring that humanitarian workers can safely reach those who are most in need.
He also called for respect of international humanitarian law, and that includes the protection of civilians.
The Secretary-General is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow for media in Lebanon, and we expected him back on Sunday.
A special event hosted by the UN Goals Lounge in collaboration with the Chaka Khan Foundation marking a shared commitment to global well-being and mental health. The Foundation uplifts overlooked communities through wellness, education and creative expression. Together, the UN and the Chaka Khan Foundation will honor the power of stillness and its connection to global well-being and will feature music, guided meditation and inspiring reflections from cultural and spiritual leaders.
In a time of global challenges—from armed conflicts and climate crises to rapid technological change—meditation offers a powerful pathway to cultivate peace, unity, and compassion. The United Nations World Meditation Day serves as a timely reminder of the importance of nurturing human consciousness to address these pressing issues and foster harmony within ourselves and our communities. By cultivating inner peace, individuals contribute to building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable world for current and future generations.
To raise awareness about meditation and its benefits, the General Assembly proclaimed 21 December as World Meditation Day, recalling the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Additionally, the General Assembly acknowledged the link between yoga and meditation as complementary approaches to health and well-being.
Speakers:
Chaka Khan: Award-winning artist and co-founder Chaka Khan Foundation
Gayle King [Moderator]: Award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS Mornings
Melissa Fleming: United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications
Michael Beckwith: Founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center
Annemarie Hou: Executive Director, UN Office for Partnerships
Performers:
Michael Beckwith: Founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center
Sara Auster: Sound Therapist
Call to action/announcement:
Join the UN in making stillness a statement
Meditate
Share
Inspire
Let’s build a healthier world—from the inside out.
What can be mobilized from session?
Global Awareness & Engagement: Inspire individuals and communities worldwide to embrace meditation as a tool for well-being, aligned with SDG 3.
Partnership & Collaboration: Activate networks across wellness, music, and social impact sectors to support ongoing healing initiatives.
This engaging session explores the vital role of credible journalism in conflict zones, offering firsthand narratives and insights from journalists and photojournalists who have reported from the front lines. Through personal anecdotes and vivid imagery, participants will highlight their experiences on the ground, share the challenges faced, and stress the critical importance of authenticity in an age of rising disinformation.
Speakers:
Motaz Azaiza, Photojournalist
Giles Clarke, Photojournalist
Valeriia Bezpala, Head of Foreign Cooperation, Suspilne Ukraine
Moderator:
Simon Bishop, Chief Executive Officer, BBC Media Action
SDG Media Zone website: https://www.un.org/en/sdgmediazone
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is in Beirut on a solidarity visit, stressing that words must be matched by action. Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East Mr. Guterres launched a Flash Humanitarian Appeal for US$308.3 million to provide crucial humanitarian aid to support the people of Lebanon. This emergency funding will cover essential needs like food and clean water for the next three months, highlighting the urgent situation in the middle east.
0:14 – The Air Quality Data Gap: ‘If somebody handed you a glass of dirty water you wouldn’t drink it,’ says Jane Burston, CEO of the Clean Air Fund. ‘But none of us can avoid breathing the dirty air that surrounds us.’ Globally, 8 million premature deaths annually are attributed to air pollution. But given that almost all the planet breathes unsafe air, how can we tackle this rising health threat?
03:47 – Artist JR on the Impact of Public Art: Photographic murals celebrating women in places riven by conflict. Vast portraits of elderly people in cities healing from trauma. These are just two of the projects by the French artist JR, across a daring career championing the marginalized in huge, striking works of public art. In this interview, JR discusses why art is of such vital importance, and the role that it can play in reminding political and business leaders with stories they may have forgotten.
06:07 – How Booth Design Impacts Voting: Michael Bruter is a professor at London School of Economics and an expert in electoral psychology. Here, he explains how key aspects of the voting process can subtly influence #voting intention. He also speaks passionately about the need to engage younger voters and make sure their first experience of an #election is a positive one.
08:48 – Fighting for Clean Air: Ulaanbaatar is one the most polluted cities in the world. In February, the Mongolian capital clocked levels of particulate matter 133 times the recommended limits. Enkhuun Byambadorj took a look at the situation around her and knew she needed to act. She was just 18 when she co-founded Breathe Mongolia, an organization dedicated to environmental justice and clean air.
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress.
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The President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, told journalists in New York that “gender equality has never been more supported globally than today. But at the same time, we have never seen such organised attempts to roll back these successes.”
As the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women takes place at United Nations Headquarters in New York this week, Baerbock said, “all around the world we can see women rights are the benchmark for the strength, freedom and economic development of societies. So therefore, in the interest of all.”
She said, “if countries would close the gender pay gap, the productivity all around the world, the GDP would increase by 12 trillion US dollars. If we would close the digital divide between men and women, the world economy would grow until 2050 by over 100 trillion US dollars. This is the GDP combined between the United States and China.”
The PGA said, “women rights are in the interest of all. Yet, as we have seen over the last week, not only women rights are under attack, it’s also true for the international order.”
She stressed that “defending the UN charter” remains her central priority of the 80th session of the General Assembly.
Turning to UN reform, Baerbock said, “we need even more and very serious debate how to modernise this institution and make it more efficient and more delivering on the principles.”
On the election of the next Secretary-General, she said, “this next Secretary General should provide strong and dedicated, effective leadership skills with experience in governance structures, but also with regard to United Nations, with regard to, management skills of this institution in the light of, the reforms.”
The PGA stressed the importance of regional diversity and noted the consensus “by 193 member states to strongly, call on member states for the nomination of women.”
Five candidates have so far been nominated: Michelle Bachelet of Chile; Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica; Macky Sall of Senegal, and Virginia Gamba and Rafael Mariano Grossi, both from Argentina.
The informal dialogues with candidates are expected to begin on the 20th of April. Each candidate will have a three-hour session, allowing member states, NGO, sufficient time to ask questions. Candidates will also be required to provide financial disclosure.
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
EOIR Announced 42 Immigration Judges on Wednesday March 11th.
“This Department of Justice has made reducing the immigration court backlog a top priority, and these 42 new highly qualified judges will help us deliver on that goal,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under the Trump Administration, immigration judges will decide cases based on the law – not politics.”
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General/Travels
Lebanon
UN Interim Force in Lebanon
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Strait of Hormuz/Humanitarian
Attacks on Synagogues
International Day to Combat Islamophobia
Briefings/Monday
Financial Contribution
SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVELS
The Secretary-General arrived in Beirut earlier today. He arrived from Ankara and landed in Lebanon at a critical and timely moment for country and the wider region. Upon his arrival, he said this is a visit of solidarity with the people of Lebanon who did not choose this war. They were dragged into it.
The Secretary-General appealed to both parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire and stop the enormous suffering of civilians in the region. The Secretary-General just finished a round of meetings with President Joseph Aoun, with the Speaker of Parliament, and Nabih Berri, and with the Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
In all his meetings, the Secretary-General reaffirmed the UN’ strong support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the Lebanese State’s exercise of a monopoly on the use of force in its own country. Discussions with Lebanese officials focused on the full implementation of Security Council resolutions 1559 and 1701, including the establishment of lasting security and stability across the Blue Line and beyond.
In his meetings, the Secretary-General was accompanied by Jean-Pierre Lacroix, his Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon; Imran Riza, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon; and Major General Diodato Abagnara, the Force Commander of our peacekeeping forces in the country.
In remarks to the media that have been shared with you, the Secretary-General said that he hopes that his next visit to Lebanon will be a visit of a Lebanon in peace.
The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister of Lebanon just launched a Flash Humanitarian Appeal of $308.3 million to provide life-saving support to one million people impacted. And that will cover for the next 3 months.
He also emphasized that the success of this effort will depend on swift and flexible funding, as well as ensuring that humanitarian workers can safely reach those who are most in need. He also called for the respect of the international humanitarian law, and that includes the protection of civilians.
The Secretary-General is scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow for media in Lebanon, and he is expected him back in New York on Sunday.
LEBANON
The UN, along with its humanitarian partners, and together with authorities, are scaling-up urgent assistance to displaced people in Lebanon. As of March 12th, we distributed some 632,000 hot meals and 18,000 ready-to-eat meals.
We’ve also provided more than 382,000 litres of bottled water and over 1,700 cubic metres of clean water through water trucking. More than 211,000 litres of fuel have been supplied to sustain water services to reach 700,000 people.
Government figures indicate that many people continue to be displaced. More than 822,000 people, including nearly 300,000 children, have registered with the Government as being displaced. And around 128,000 people are sheltering in nearly 600 collective sites across the country. We, of course, imagine that the actual number of displaced is much higher.
The UN once again reiterates the need for safe and sustained humanitarian access so that we, and our humanitarian partners, and the Government and humanitarian system can reach people who needs help.
UN INTERIM FORCE IN LEBANON
The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) today said that the situation in southern Lebanon continues to deteriorate, with rockets and missiles fired at Israel and airstrikes in Lebanese territory, resulting in increasing casualties, including civilians, displacement and destruction.
UN Peacekeepers continue to observe artillery shelling in Sector East as well as ground incursions by the Israel Defense Forces up to seven kilometers inside Lebanese territory.
The UN continues to urge all sides to cease hostilities and recommit themselves to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701. That resolution remains essential for the safety and security of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line.
Peacekeepers remain on the ground in this difficult environment, assisting civilians to move to safer areas and continuing to monitor and report on the situation.
The volatile security situation continues to restrict movements of the peacekeepers.
UNIFIL will continue to facilitate humanitarian access and supporting missions by ourselves and international organizations, including the Lebanese Red Cross to support delivery of essential humanitarian aid to people living in UNIFIL’s area of operation.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-13
