PR No.: PR15080

“This year is a most important one for humanity: the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other mechanisms (...) The UN family in Spain has to play a key role (...) to help the Spanish people to make a commitment to the SDGs,” said the Secretary-General.

“We are honoured to have the presence of the UN Secretary-General in Madrid today, and to celebrate this anniversary with him and all the agencies,” said Márcio Favilla, Executive Director of the World Tourism Organization, the only agency with its permanent headquarters in Spain, which organized the event in conjunction with all the representatives of the United Nations system in Spain.

During his stay in Madrid, Ban Ki-moon, the top official of the United Nations, met with King Felipe VI and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, among other authorities, and attended the main event marking the 60th anniversary of Spain’s entry, held at the Royal Palace.

This eleventh visit to Spain by Ban Ki-moon—the last was in 2013—came at a key moment for Spain, as it is currently one of the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council and held the chairmanship of the UN body during the month of October. 

Agencies, funds and programmes represented in Spain

UNWTO - World Tourism Organization

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UN Millennium Campaign

United Nations Support Base

FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization

UNRWA - United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

ILO - International Labour Organization 

WHO - World Health Organization

UN-Water

UN-Habitat - United Nations Human Settlements Programme

WFP - World Food Programme

Global Compact Network Spain

UNICEF Spain

UNU - United Nations University

Contacts:

UNWTO Media Officer - Ruth Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8160 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218