The eight candidates vying to be the next leader of the United Nations will be questioned by UN member states in unprecedented meetings at the UN General Assembly on 12-14 April.
The meetings, which will be live streamed online, mark a major success for UNA-UK and our 1 for 7 Billion campaign - a movement of over 750 organisations and 170 million people which is advocating for a more open and inclusive process to appoint the next UN chief.
Click here for live coverage of the meetings from 2pm-10pm BST on 12-14 April
The historic meetings - which represent a major depature from the 'wheeling and dealing' that characterised the former selection process - have attracted significant media attention. 1 for 7 Billion and UNA-UK representatives have emerged as the go-to source of expertise on the reformed process and the implications for the wider UN system.
Here are some of the media highlights:
- BBC News: UN secretary general: The other New York race
- Daily Mail: Candidates for next UN chief to face nations for first time
- The Guardian: UN to hold secretary general job hustings for first time ever
- Foreign Policy: Auditioning for the Job of U.N. Secretary-General
- International Business Times: UN Secretary-General Selection Process 2016 Goes Public Amid Peacekeeping, Corruption Scandals
- BBC Radio Scotland: Good Morning Scotland - interview with UNA-UK's Ben Donaldson
- Politico: Want to lead the UN? First, face the public
- Newsweek: The job interview in front of the world
- UN News: Selecting a new UN Secretary-General: a job interview in front of the whole world
- Middle East Eye: UN chief hopefuls face grilling on Middle East crises
- openDemocracy: Choosing a new UN Secretary-General who will champion human rights
- Guardian: First ever public hustings for UN secretary general held in New York
- Business Standard: India flavour of season as UN secretary general hopefuls vie for global support
- New York Times: At U.N., Ambassadors Hold Auditions for Next Secretary General
- InDepthNews: First Phase of Historic Process to Elect New UN Chief Concludes
This list will be updated as more press coverage emerges
While the meetings are a significant step forward, UNA-UK is concerned that they will only allow for very limited civil society participation. This is why we have joined forces with the Guardian and the Future UN Development Systems project to host the first ever 'hustings debates' with Secretary-General candidates. These will take place in New York on 13 April and in London on 3 June - tickets for the London event will become available on our website soon.
