School Sisters of Notre Dame
at the United Nations
at the United Nations
The gift of our internationality sharpens our consciousness of universal needs and calls us to foster within ourselves and others a responsible concern for the people of the world.
You Are Sent, General Directory 36
We educate, advocate, and act in collaboration with others for the dignity of life and the care of all creation.
UN 2024
International days are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity.
Join SSNDs around the world as we observe these UN days in 2023
- January 24: International Day of Education
- March 8: International Women’s Day
- June 5: World Environment Day
- September 21: International Day of Peace
- December 10: Human Rights Day
News
UN 2023 Water Conference
UN Water Conference, March 23-24, 2023
We are an international congregation committed to bringing the urgent needs of the global community to the attention of UN member states and to bring the gift of our charism and the values of the Gospel to bear on the deliberations and decisions of the United Nations.
We are a non-governmental organization (NGO) accredited since 1994 by the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) (previously called the Department of Public Information (DPI)) and accredited with special status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1998.
We focus our advocacy and educational efforts primarily on issues related to the rights of girls, women, and those who are poor — especially their right to education, economic justice, and sustainable development.
We work in collaboration with the following non-governmental organizations affiliated with the United Nations.
Learn more about the United Nations
Annual ECOSOC Functional Commissions 2024
February 5-14, 2024
Priority Theme: “Fostering social development and social justice through social policies to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”.
March 11-22, 2024
Priority theme: “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective”.
April 15-26, 2024
Theme: “Enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination in the context of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: emphasizing the voices of Indigenous youth”.
July 8-17, 2024
Theme: “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”.
The SDGs under review:
Pray and invite others to pray for the United Nations
Prayer for the United Nations
O loving and gracious Creator,
Your love embraces all members of the human family,
Your care extends to the least of those among us,
to all our brothers and sisters in every part of the world.
You call us to a mature love and concern for the entire human community.
You call us as individuals, as a nation, as a united community of nations.
Let us hear this prayer in our hearts and respond with faith and good will.
Bless all efforts toward uniting peoples and nations.
Bless the United Nations
As it strives to be an authentic community,
As it witnesses to the needs of all, to the rights of all,
As it toils in the difficult work of peacemaking in all its aspects
Grant us the wisdom and the grace
To become a true global family
And witness your reign on this earth. Amen.
From the Center of Concern
For questions or comment, please contact Sister Beatriz Martinez-Garcia,
Director of the SSND UN-NGO Office, using the contact form below.