Discussions with UN representatives on the global situation of women, exchange with Rabbi Arthur Schneier
Vienna (PK) – Federal Council President Christine Schwarz-Fuchs (ÖVP) met the President of the Chamber of States in New York with representatives of the UN. Numerous official meetings were on the agenda together with Federal Council Vice President Günther Novak (SPÖ) and Federal Councilors Korinna Schumann (SPÖ), Andrea Eder-Gitschthaler (ÖVP) and Claudia Hauschildt-Buschberger (Greens).
The Federal Council delegation first learned from Volker Türk, Secretary General for Strategic Coordination in the UN Secretariat and a high-ranking Austrian at the United Nations, about the upcoming challenges of the UN regarding climate change, food supply, environmental pollution, migration and global security. He informed the Federal Councilors about the ongoing reform process of the UN “Our Common Agenda”, for which he plays a leading role. “I am pleased that young people still have very high levels of trust in the UN. With the 2030 Agenda and its 17 goals for sustainable development, the UN is facing major challenges for which it needs the support of the younger generation in particular,” emphasized Federal Council President Christine Schwarz-Fuchs.
Afterwards, the representatives of the Chamber of States exchanged views with the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, about current priorities of the UN. The focus was on sustainable development, human rights and equality issues, in particular gender-equitable education.
With Åsa Regnér, Director UN Women, the Federal Councilors spoke about female poverty caused by part-time work and disadvantages in the pension system. The compatibility of work and childcare is a major challenge worldwide and was a topic of exchange.
The global situation of children in poverty, the fight against famine and important vaccination programs were the focus of discussions with Genevieve Boutin, Deputy Program Director of UNICEF. The Federal Councilors also exchanged views on the situation of children and young people in Ukraine and on young people who have fled, in particular on their risk of being abused by people smugglers and human traffickers.
“The war in Ukraine was part of all our talks in Washington and New York. The US and the UN are of course paying close attention to the effects on global nutrition, the refugee movements, especially among women and children, and the new security situation in Europe persecuted,” stated the President of the Federal Council.
The delegation ended up in New York with a visit to Chief Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the religious leader of the Park East Synagogue. Schneier fled Vienna to Budapest in November 1938, where he survived the Holocaust. In 1947 he emigrated to the USA. In order to continue to commemorate the Shoah and educate young people in the values of mutual respect, he appealed to stop using the term “tolerance” and instead speak of “mutual acceptance and mutual respect”. “Rabbi Schneier was pleased with Austria’s efforts to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and to pass it on to future generations. The opening of the new memorial in the Gusen concentration camp near Mauthausen is an important sign of this,” emphasized Federal Council President Schwarz-Fuchs.
Before arriving in New York, the Federal Councilors visited the plant of the Austrian world market leader for injection molding machines, Engel Machinery, in York near Philadelphia. There, the delegation discussed Engel’s apprenticeship program and the implementation of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Austria to support best practices for dual training in both countries with Pennsylvania operations management and regional representatives.
The Federal Council delegation traveled to the talks in New York and Philadelphia from Washington, where they met US government advisers and experts in the Executive Office Building of the White House. In addition, the state chamber exchanged views in the Capitol with Senator John Boozman (Republican Party), Senator John Hickenlooper (Democratic Party) and Congressman Brian Mast (Republican Party). (close) red
A NOTICE: Photos from this visit see the Website of Parliament.
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