Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić 20 September 2017 attended the ceremonial unveiling of the “Peace” monument by Antun Augustinčić, renovated by the Croatian government, and the accompanying memorial plaque unveiled by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. Pejčinović Burić also attended a ceremonious reception on the occasion of Croatia’s 25th UN membership anniversary.
The “Peace”, one of the symbols of the UN New York headquarters, was erected in 1954. Five and a half meters high and weighing five tonnes, it stands on a 10-meter base carved from Brač stone and was renovated earlier in the year by the Croatian government.
Pejčinović Burić will also take part in the 10th Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, launching of the EU-UN Gender Initiative to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls/gender-based violence and foreign ministers’ meeting on Iraq (“Saving lives, protecting lives and rebuilding lives: developing a common agenda with and for Iraqi people”). She is also to hold talks with Lichtenstein’s Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick.
Pejčinović Burić and Plenković 19 September 2017 attended the opening of the general debate of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. The sidelines of the session, Pejčinović Burić met with Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria.
The minister took part in the high-level event on UN reform, also attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and US President Donald Trump, at which Croatia sided with the countries who want a better, more functional and less bureaucratic UN which will bring more with smaller and more effective resources. Pejčinović Burić also attended a meeting of the Francophonie and held bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Ukraine, Indonesia and Hungary.