UNITAR-NYO, IAA, and Teachers College Host International Symposium on Early Childhood Policy at United Nations Headquarters

18 November 2025, New York City, USA — The UNITAR New York Office, in partnership with Teachers College, Columbia University and the International Academy for Arts and Cultural Studies (IAA), successfully hosted the International Perspectives on Early Childhood Policy Symposium at United Nations Headquarters. The full-day programme brought together emerging scholars, UN experts, and international practitioners for an immersive exploration of global early childhood policy.

The symposium offered a comprehensive introduction to the history, structure, and evolving role of the United Nations in advancing the well-being of young children worldwide. Through guided engagements, panel discussions, and interactive learning modules, participants deepened their understanding of how multilateral frameworks shape policy directions that influence national and local childhood development strategies.

The programme commenced with an official guided tour of the United Nations Headquarters led by Dr. Amaj Rahimi-Midani, Founder and CEO of Poseidon AI. Dr. Amaj Rahimi-Midani provided participants with an overview of the institution’s structure, its diverse stakeholders, and its critical role in advancing global cooperation.

Photo Credit: Bowen Wang

Following the tour, Dr. Angel Angelov, Consul-General of the Republic of Bulgaria, led the first instructional module, The Role and Functions of the United Nations. Dr. Angelov offered an analytical examination of the UN’s strengths, challenges, and evolving priorities, highlighting how agenda-setting mechanisms such as the MDGs and SDGs have shaped global action affecting young children.

Photo Credit: UNITAR-NYO

The afternoon session featured Professor Sharon Lynn Kagan, the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy at Teachers College and Co-Director of the National Center for Children and Families. Professor Kagan engaged students in an academic dialogue connecting international policy frameworks to early childhood systems, drawing upon her extensive scholarship and global advisory experience.

A notable moment of the symposium was a conversation with Ambassador Marco A. Suazo, Head of the UNITAR New York Office. Ambassador Suazo shared reflections from his career in multilateral diplomacy, illustrating how diplomats shape global child-related agendas through negotiations, consensus-building, and advocacy across UN bodies. He emphasized the political sensitivities that accompany discussions on children’s rights and underscored the need for sustained multilateral cooperation to translate global commitments into meaningful outcomes for children and families. 

Photo Credit: UNITAR-NYO

Throughout the sym­posium, participants engaged with the complexities of multilateralism and examined the collaborative roles played by UNICEF, UNESCO, WHO, and other UN agencies in advancing early childhood development, education, and health worldwide. The programme’s design included experiential elements such as reflective discussions and a structured debrief, enabling students to bridge theoretical understanding with practical insights from UN experts and longtime practitioners.