Melania Trump will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, March 2, her office announced, in what will be the first appearance of an American first lady in this role.
“First Lady Melania Trump will make history at the United Nations, assuming the presidency of the Security Council, representing the United States, to emphasize the role of education in promoting tolerance and world peace”his office said in a statement released on Wednesday, February 25.
The meeting, scheduled for 8pm on Monday, will focus on education, technology, peace and security and will mark the first time that a sitting North American first lady presides over the Security Council, details the note.
The spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said this Thursday that this visit represents “a sign of the importance that the United States attaches to the Security Council and the issue” of education.
“I can confirm that, according to our records, this will be the first time that a First Lady, or a First Gentleman, has chaired a meeting of the Security Council.”he added, noting that spouses of heads of state have previously participated in representation of countries that are not members of the Council.
Donald Trump boasted during his State of the Union address on Tuesday that he “No one cares more about protecting America’s youth than our wonderful First Lady”.
Melania’s participation in the meeting will come at a time when her husband leads the “Peace Council”, an initiative of his that some critics say is a way of circumventing the UN Security Council.
Since returning to the White House in January last year, the Republican has withdrawn support for several important United Nations agencies, such as the World Health Organization.
On the other hand, the United States recently paid 160 million dollars (around 135 million euros) to the general budget of the UN, which is facing financial difficulties.
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