Areas of Work

High Level Policy Engagement

Complementing its work on specific themes and countries, QUNO also engages in broader policy debates on the shape and future of peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict at the UN.  QUNO frequently works with leaders in peacebuilding practice around the world to bring their experience to inform UN policymaking.  QUNO is often asked to speak at both public and informal events, and will also occasionally comment publicly on subjects of particular importance to Friends.

Ongoing Activities

  • QUNO partners with a wide network of peacebuilding practitioners and think tanks around the world, bringing their expertise to inform UN debate. Combining practitioner experience with the perspectives of local voices from conflict-affected communities helps to broaden the discussion at the UN and root it in the reality of the lives of those affected by violence.
  • Since 2012, QUNO has engaged with the high-level UN discussion around the role of peace and stability in sustainable development and the successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
  • QUNO is a founding member of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP), together with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding (CCDP), and Interpeace. The platform aims to build bridges between International Geneva, the United Nations peacebuilding architecture in New York, and peacebuilding activities in the field. It facilitates interaction on peacebuilding between different institutions and sectors, and seeks to advance new knowledge and understanding of peacebuilding issues and contexts.
  • From time to time, QUNO engages with emerging issues and situations where its constituents are looking for information and insight on UN perspectives. For example, QUNO New York has followed the bid for Palestinian Statehood at the UN and has issued various resources on the topic.

Recent Timeline Events

February 2024

Marking Three Years of Military Rule in Myanmar

February 2024 marked three years since the Myanmar (Burma) military took power in a violent coup following democratic elections. To commemorate this sombre anniversary, the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) in New York, working in collaboration with the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), hosted a visit by two Myanmar experts. Z Nang Raw and Billy Ford spent two days at Quaker House providing private briefings to members of the UN community in New York.

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January 2024

Advancing the UN’s 2030 Agenda through Partnerships

On January 30th, Quaker UN Representative Kavita Desai delivered a statement at the annual Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Partnership Forum. In her remarks, Kavita highlighted the essential role of civil society organisations as partners in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those that work on the frontlines of SDG implementation.

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December 2023

Diplomats Join Breakfast Briefing on Myanmar

On December 1, QUNO staff in New York kicked off the new month by hosting a breakfast meeting at Quaker House on the situation in Myanmar. The meeting brought diplomats together to hear a briefing by Min Zin, Executive Director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy, regarding the complex and rapidly evolving situation in Myanmar.

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