On June 8, 2026, WFUNA organized the 69th installment in its series of monthly Dialogues between the President of the United Nations Security Council and civil society organizations. The Dialogue was held in person at United Nations Headquarters in New York, broadcast live on UN Web TV, and promoted on social media under the hashtag #MeetUNSCPres to support broader participation from civil society representatives around the world.
The Dialogue featured H.E. Leonor Zalabata Torres, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, and was moderated by Mr. Aziel Goulandris, Secretary-General of WFUNA.
As part of WFUNA’s UNSC Transparency Initiative, the monthly CSO Dialogues provide civil society representatives with an opportunity to hear directly from the rotating President of the Security Council about the Council’s programme of work and the aims of their presidency. The Dialogues also offer a space for civil society to ask questions, seek clarification, raise issues for the Council’s attention, and provide constructive scrutiny of the Council’s work.
Opening the session, Mr. Goulandris emphasized the indispensable role of civil society in building durable peace and strengthening the links between the Security Council and communities around the world. He also highlighted WFUNA’s work to strengthen the United Nations through the grassroots activism of its more than 100 national United Nations Associations.
During the Dialogue, Ambassador Zalabata Torres provided an overview of the Security Council’s programme of work for June and Colombia’s priorities during its presidency. Colombia has outlined three key priorities: peacebuilding and sustaining peace, based on the conviction that dialogue is the only sustainable path toward the resolution of conflicts; a people-centered approach that recognizes how inequalities, gaps within and between countries, and historical forms of exclusion can fuel conflict, instability, mistrust, and insecurity; and the strengthening of multilateralism to respond more effectively to interconnected challenges that require collective, coherent, and sustained action.
Following the Ambassador’s remarks, the floor was opened for questions from civil society representatives. The Q&A segment began with situation-specific questions on Haiti, Myanmar and Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Yemen. Representatives raised questions related to violence, governance challenges, humanitarian crises, peacebuilding, the participation of local civil society organizations, and the role of the Security Council in supporting conflict prevention and sustainable development in conflict-affected countries.
The Dialogue then moved to thematic questions, including the role of mental health and psychosocial support in peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery, particularly for children, young people, and communities affected by violence; the Security Council’s role in responding to threats to sovereignty; the potential role of regional coalitions; and how the Council can mobilize stronger political and financial commitments for conflict prevention.
Throughout the discussion, civil society representatives underscored the importance of inclusive engagement, accountability, and sustained dialogue between the Security Council and communities affected by the issues on its agenda.
If you were unable to attend, you can watch the full Dialogue on UN Web TV.
Stay tuned for more information on the next CSO Dialogue.
