SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Melania Trump presides over historic session on children in conflict

UN Photo/Manuel Elías
First Lady of the United States Melania Trump chairs a UN Security Council meeting on children, technology and education in conflict.
  • UN News

The UN Security Council is convening in New York under extraordinary circumstances: amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and repeated calls from the UN for restraint by all sides, the Council turns its attention to a long-standing but under-addressed crisis facing children in war zones. The United States, which holds the rotating presidency for March, decided to have First Lady Melania Trump chair the meeting. Usually, the UN ambassador or senior official of the country holding the presidency takes the gavel. While there have been instances of First Ladies taking part in Security Council meetings, today is the first time a First Lady will preside. Follow speaker by speaker below, and UN News app users can go here. For daily in-depth meetings coverage, go here.

The UN Security Council is convening in New York under extraordinary circumstances: amid escalating conflict in the Middle East and repeated calls from the UN for restraint by all sides, the Council turns its attention to a long-standing but under-addressed crisis facing children in war zones. The United States, which holds the rotating presidency for March, decided to have First Lady Melania Trump chair the meeting. Usually, the UN ambassador or senior official of the country holding the presidency takes the gavel. While there have been instances of First Ladies taking part in Security Council meetings, today is the first time a First Lady will preside. Follow speaker by speaker below, and UN News app users can go here. For daily in-depth meetings coverage, go here.

© UN News (2026) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: UN News

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