AJC Meets 70 World Leaders at UN General Assembly Opening

NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an intense, one-week period, AJC will hold more than 70 private meetings with the leaders of countries from every continent attending the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York from September 20 to 26.

"The presence of so many leaders in New York for a very concentrated period of time allows for 'one-stop diplomatic shopping,'" said AJC Chief Executive Officer David Harris.

AJC, the premier global Jewish advocacy organization, initiated its hallmark "diplomatic marathon" in 1991, a first in the Jewish community. The series of meetings with presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers surrounding the UNGA opening is a highlight of AJC's year-round diplomatic activity. AJC staff and lay leaders regularly visit capitals around the world to meet with top government officials, and, where possible, also with Jewish community leaders. In all, AJC engages with approximately 115 countries each year.

Topping the AJC diplomatic marathon agenda this year are Israel's first-ever bid for election to a rotating seat on the UN Security Council; developing effective strategies to counter the continuing escalation in global anti-Semitism; ending UN institutional bias against Israel; monitoring and responding to Iran's post-nuclear deal behavior; and combating extremism and radicalism worldwide.

"The annual UN General Assembly session is a unique opportunity for us to have timely conversations with leaders of many countries about pressing issues of mutual concern," said Harris. "Over the past 26 years, our more than 1,000 meetings surrounding the opening of the UN General Assembly have deepened long-term relationships, an integral component of AJC's traditional approach to global advocacy, and, in many areas, achieved concrete results."

AJC maintains headquarters in New York and an office in Washington, D.C.; 22 regional offices across the United States, including major cities with diplomatic corps; 10 overseas posts; and 32 international association agreements.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

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