This marks her first visit to Japan since officially taking up the post at UNITAR in February this year
3 August 2025, Osaka, Japan - Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), visited the Expo 2025 Osaka and spoke at an event held at the United Nations (UN) pavilion. This marks her first visit to Japan since officially taking up the post at UNITAR in February this year. From 5 to 6 August, she is scheduled to visit Hiroshima, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, and participate in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.
Expo 2025 Osaka Visit and Keynote Speech
On 3 August, Michelle Gyles-McDonnough visited the Expo 2025 Osaka. At the United Nations (UN) Pavilion in the Expo co-organized with multiple UN agencies, she gave a keynote speech at the UN Career Day event. She emphasized the significance of UN agencies working together to tackle common challenges across borders and the importance of continuing to enhance one's expertise, strongly supporting the aspirations of those aiming for a career in UN agencies. The event was co-hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), and the UN Secretariat.
In the afternoon, she served as a moderator for the " Unlocking the Silver Dividend: Empowering Older Generations through Digital Inclusion and Lifelong Learning, Harnessing Their Contributions to Economic Growth - lessons from Japan ", also held at the UN Pavilion. The event focused on important themes such as well-being and social participation of the older generation in today's aging society, aiming to contribute to the realization of an inclusive and sustainable economic society that leaves no one behind for all generations. The event featured Professor Yasushi Sakata, Professor in Cardiovascular Medicine, Osaka University, and Mr. Makiya Nambu, Director & Managing Executive Officer, Pasona Group Inc. They shared initiatives and business efforts addressing the aging society in Japan, which is at the forefront of demographic changes.
Furthermore, at the same venue, UNITAR signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pasona Group Inc. to strengthen collaboration, agreeing to work more closely in the field of capacity building to achieve sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity.
Schedule for Next Week
On 5 August, Michelle Gyles-McDonnough is scheduled to tour the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and pay courtesy visits to the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture, the Chairperson of the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly (HPA) and the Chair of the Hiroshima Prefectural Assembly Members Support Group for UNITAR. Additionally, on 6 August, she will attend the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, which marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, and pay courtesy visits to the Mayor of the City of Hiroshima.
Furthermore, in the afternoon of 6 August, she is scheduled to serve as a moderator at the international youth dialogue event for peace, " 80 years after the Hiroshima A-bomb: Youth Messages from Hiroshima to the World - Roadmaps toward a World without Nuclear Weapons and Sustainable Peace ". The event is co-hosted with the Hiroshima Prefectural Government and the Hiroshima Organization for Peace (HOPe). Together with the youth, primarily high school students from Hiroshima Prefecture, and leading figures and practitioners actively working for global peace, the event will conduct cross-generational dialogue aimed at creating a new momentum toward the realization of a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons.
Michelle Gyles-McDonnough is scheduled to visit Tokyo from 7 to 8 August and pay a courtesy visit to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
