The Week Ahead: UN in Brussels

The Week Ahead at the United Nations in Brussels, Belgium and further afar. Join events, seminars and conferences, in person or online, from the heart of the European Union to UN Headquarters and missions around the world.

Find out about key UN-EU events, international observances and global summits.

Bookmark this page to stay abreast of what’s happening.

BRUSSELS/BELGIUM:

• 25 November – Key results of the EU Gender-based violence survey are set for release by Eurostat, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE)

In-person – 10:00-11:00 CEST – International Press Centre, Maelbeek room, Boulevard Charlemagne 1, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium.

• 25 November – Manneken-Pis and Orange the World – to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Manneken-Pis wears his Orange the World costume (offered by UN Women and made by designer Gioia Seghers).

In-person – 13:00-18:00 CEST – Rue de l’Etuve – 1000 Brussels, Belgium.

• 27 November – InfoPoint conference: Achievements and future of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative – Marking the 25th Anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (UN Women, World Bank, EU, Spotlight Initiative Secretariat)

Hybrid (info & registration) – 14:00-15:30 CEST – EU InfoPoint, Brussels, Belgium.

• 28 November – InfoPoint conference: Weaving knowledge and resistance among Women Land Defenders – speakers include Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur Environmental defenders

Hybrid (info & registration) – 15:00-16:30 CEST – EU InfoPoint, Brussels, Belgium.

• 28 November – The Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in cooperation with the UN in Brussels is organising an exchange with civil society on the Pact for the Future and challenges for multilateralism

In-person (info & registration) – 15:00-18:00 CEST – Rue des petits carmes 24B, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.

• 29 November – Empowering Rural Women: Gender Transformative Approaches for a Sustainable and Resilient Future (with UN Women and IFAD)

In-person (info & registration) – 11:00-12:30 CEST – UN House, Brussels, Boulevard du Regent 37-40, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.

• 2 December – Pulp and paper industry – How to make the circular economy work? (FAO)

Online (info & registration) – 15:00-16:30 CEST – Brussels, Geneva and online.

EUROPE AND BEYOND:

25 November

• High-Level Meeting marking 25 years of the International Day to End Violence Against Women (UN Women)
  Online (UN Headquarters, New York) – 16:00-19:00 CEST
• OPCW Conference of State Parties (CSP29)
  In-person (The Hague, Netherlands) – 25-29 November – 09:00-18:00 CEST – Info & Registration
  
• 10th UNOAC Global Forum
  In-person (Cascais, Portugal) – 25-27 November – Info & Registration
• Preparing the Most Vulnerable for Future Shocks: a UN DESA Global Policy Dialogue for the Classroom (DESA)
  Online (UNHQ, New York) – 16:00-17:15 CEST – Info & Registration
• International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

26 November

• UNHQ Observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (UN)
  Hybrid (UNHQ, New York) – 16:00-19:00 CEST – Info & Registration
  
• Cybersecurity Forum and CyberDrill for Europe and Mediterranean (ITU)
  Hybrid (Sofia, Bulgaria) – 26-29 November – Info & Registration
• World AIDS Day Report (UNAIDS)
• World Sustainable Transport Day

28 November

• Global Wage Report (ILO)

29 November

• Anniversary of the High-Level Technical Summit to accelerate action on diabetes (WHO)
  Online (via Zoom) – 9:30-11:00 CEST – Info & Registration
• Launch of FAO‘s State of Agricultural Commodity Markets report – Trade and Nutrition: Policy Coherence for Healthy Diets – Ministerial panel
  Online (Rome, Italy) – 12:00-13:20 CEST – Registration
• International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

30 November

• Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare (OPCW)

1 December

• World AIDS Day (UNAIDS, UNESCO)

2 December

• 19^th – session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO)
  In-person (Asunción, Republic of Paraguay) – 2-7 December – Info & Registration
• Sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
  In-person(Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) – 2-13 December – Info & Registration
• International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

3 December

• International Day of Persons with Disabilities

10 December

• Human Rights Day (website)

LOOKING AHEAD:

February 2025

ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe (Budapest, Hungary)
Additional information (ITU)

May 2025

European Humanitarian Forum, co-hosted by ECHO and the Polish Presidency (Brussels, Belgium)