High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Cooperation (New York, 2007)

On 20 December 2006, the General Assembly decided that it would convene in 2007 a High-level Dialogue and Intercultural Cooperation for the promotion of tolerance, understanding and universal respect on matters of freedom of religion or belief and cultural diversity, in coordination with other similar initiatives in this area ( resolution 61/221).  Through that action, the Assembly also decided to consider declaring one of the coming years as the Year of Dialogue among Religions and Cultures.

Special Commemorative Meeting of the General Assembly to mark the International Day for the Commemoration of the Two-hundredth Anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (New York, 26 March 2007)

On 28 November 2006, the General Assembly designated 26 March 2007 as the International Day for the Commemoration of the Two-hundredth Anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade ( resolution 61/19).  It further decided to convene on that day a special commemorative meeting of the Assembly to mark the International Day.

Recalling that the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which operated between the fifteenth and late nineteenth centuries, involved the forced transport of millions of Africans as slaves, mostly from West Africa to the Americas, thereby enriching the imperial empires of the time, the Assembly chose in this way to honour the memory of those who died as a result of slavery, including through exposure to the horrors of the Middle Passage and in revolt against and resistance to enslavement.

It was on 25 March 1807 that the Imperial British Parliament signed the Act which abolished the slave trade throughout the British Empire, helping chart the course for its abolition worldwide.  Since the anniversary falls on a Sunday, it is being observed on Monday, 26 March 2007.

World Youth Assembly for Road Safety (Geneva, 23-24 April 2007)

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly welcomed the proposal of the Economic Commission for Europe to host the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week, in Geneva, in April 2007, targeted at young road users, including young drivers ( resolution 60/5).  It also invited the WHO to organize jointly a second road safety stakeholders' forum in Geneva as part of Global Road Safety Week, to continue work begun at the first forum held at United Nations Headquarters in 2004.

The World Youth Assembly for Road Safety will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 23 to 24 April 2007, where the Second Global Road Safety Stakeholders' Forum will also take place on 25 April.

Second Global Road Safety Stakeholders' Forum (Geneva, 25 April 2007)

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly welcomed the proposal of the Economic Commission for Europe to host the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week, in Geneva, in April 2007, targeted at young road users, including young drivers ( resolution 60/5).  It also invited the WHO to organize jointly a second road safety stakeholders' forum in Geneva as part of Global Road Safety Week, to continue work begun at the first forum held at United Nations Headquarters in 2004.

The World Youth Assembly for Road Safety will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 23 to 24 April 2007, where the Second Global Road Safety Stakeholders' Forum will also take place on 25 April.

Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Vienna, 30 April to 11 May 2007)

On 6 December 2006, the General Assembly took note of the decision of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to hold the first session of the Preparatory Committee in Vienna from 30 April to 11 May 2007 ( resolution 61/70).  It requested that the Secretary-General render the necessary assistance and provide such services, including summary records, as may be required for the 2010 Review Conference and its Preparatory Committee.

Also on 6 December 2006, the Assembly stressed the importance of an effective Treaty review process, and called upon all States parties to the Treaty to work together to ensure that the first session of the Preparatory Committee in 2007 is held constructively ( resolution 61/74).

Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government (Vienna, 26-29 June 2007)

On 30 November 2005, the General Assembly emphasized the importance of the Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government, to be hosted by the United Nations in 2007, which will highlight the importance of improving public administration in order to achieve internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals ( resolution 60/34).  The theme of the Seventh Global Forum, to be held at United Nations headquarters in Vienna from 26 to 29 June 2007, will be "Building Trust in Government".

High-level Dialogue of the General Assembly on Financing for Development (New York, fourth quarter of 2007)

Also on 20 December 2006, the General Assembly decided to hold the 2007 High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development during the fourth quarter of 2007, at a date to be determined by the President of the General Assembly in consultation with Member States ( resolution 61/191). It also decided that the modalities for holding the 2007 Dialogue would be the same as those used for the previous High-level Dialogue, in 2005 (see resolution 59/293 of 27 May 2005).

Eighth Meeting of the States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Jordan, 18-22 November 2007)

On 6 December 2006, the General Assembly invited and encouraged all interested States, the United Nations, other relevant international organizations or institutions, regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and relevant non-governmental organizations to participate in the Eighth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction ( resolution 61/84). The meeting is to be held in Jordan, from 18 to 22 November 2007.  The Assembly urges all States that had not yet signed the Convention to accede to it without delay, and urged those States which had already signed it to ratify it without delay.

Midterm Review of the Almaty Programme of Action: Addressing the Special Needs of Landlocked Developing Countries (New York, 2008)

On 20 December 2006, the General Assembly decided to hold, during 2008, a midterm review of the Programme of Action that emerged from the International Ministerial Conference of Landlocked and Transit Developing Countries and Donor Countries and International Financial and Development Institutions on Transit Transport Cooperation, held at Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 28 and 29 August 2003 ( resolution 61/212).  Known as the Almaty Programme of Action, it aims at "addressing the special needs of landlocked developing countries within a new global framework for transit transport cooperation for landlocked and transit developing countries".

Reaffirming the right of access of landlocked countries to and from the sea and freedom of transit through the territory of transit countries by all means of transport, in accordance with the applicable rules of international law, the Assembly encouraged donor countries and multilateral and regional financial and development institutions to provide landlocked and transit developing countries with technical and financial assistance in the form of grants or concessionary loans -- in particular for the construction, maintenance and improvement of their transport, storage and other transit-related facilities, including alternative routes and improved communications, to promote subregional, regional and interregional projects and programmes.

Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus (to be held at Doha, Qatar, in the second half of 2008)

The Assembly continues to focus attention on the process begun at the International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2002, and its subsequent "Monterrey Consensus".  On 20 December 2006, the Assembly decided that the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus will be held in Doha, Qatar, in the second half of 2008, at a date to be determined in consultation with the host country ( resolution 61/191).

The Assembly stated that the review conference should assess progress made, reaffirm goals and commitments, share best practices and lessons learned, and identify obstacles and constraints encountered, actions and initiatives to overcome them, and important measures for further implementation, as well as new challenges and emerging issues.  It also decided to begin the preparatory process for the review conference during the Assembly's current session, and requested that the President of the Assembly hold direct intergovernmental consultations of the whole, beginning in 2007.