Start of the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly

The 67th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations opens in New York today, with the General Debate scheduled from 25 September to 1 October.

Yesterday, wrapping up the 66th session of the General Assembly, the outgoing President, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, hailed a strong and responsive General Assembly

"There have been serious conflicts, but also renewed hope, as countries emerged from conflict to peace” he told the 193-member body in his closing remarks, adding that it had been a “remarkable and momentous” year, before handing over the gavel to his successor Vuk Jeremić (Serbia).

During the 67th session of the General Assembly*, Member States will focus on the following priorities:

• The follow-up and implementation of the Rio+20 outcome;
• The preparation of the 2013 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) review and the post-2015 development framework;
• The promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law;
• Strengthening the effectiveness of the UN and supporting the necessary reforms in key areas.

Various European Union leaders, including European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, and European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, will participate in high-level events throughout the ministerial week beginning on Monday, 24 September. More information on EU participation here.

Starting today, the UN Social Media Blog will be posting daily updates about major events taking place, behind-the-scenes content only available on social media and details about how to take part in events on social media platforms. Make sure you bookmark the page for regular updates.

To get you started, here are some quick links to stay up-to-date with the latest news:

• Official General Assembly website
• Biography of incoming president, Mr. Vuk Jeremić (Serbia)
• UN Webcast: Live coverage of meetings — also includes on-demand videos of past events.
• Follow @UN, @UN_Spokesperson and #UNGA on Twitter (plus more specialized and multilingual accounts).
• Many high-level events will take place on issues including the rule of law, sustainable energy, the crisis in the Sahel and many more.  This full calendar of UN events is updated regularly.

* The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations. It comprises all 193 UN Members and provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.