The First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, presided over a session of the United Nations Security Council on March 2, 2026, marking an unprecedented event for the organization that had been previously announced as an institutional milestone.
Days before, a report from Associated Press revealed that it would be the first time a First Lady —or a First Gentleman— would formally preside over a meeting of the Council. The session coincided with the start of the United States' rotating presidency in March.
The meeting, officially titled "Children, Technology, and Education in Conflicts," focused the debate on access to knowledge as a tool for international stability. The UN itself highlighted the historic nature of the day on its official account, noting that it was "a historic event" as the First Lady presided over the Council session.
The phrase that marked the beginning of the speech and was later highlighted by the White House and the First Lady's Office on social media was: “Peace does not have to be fragile.”
Based on that idea, Melania Trump connected education with the building of stable societies. " lasting peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued in all societies," she stated before the members of the Council.
In his speech, he stated that "a nation that makes learning sacred protects its books, its language, its science, and its mathematics; it protects its future," and he emphasized that the value leaders assign to education defines a country's belief system.
One of the key themes shared after the session was the direct call to the members of the Security Council. “Members of the Security Council, I urge you to commit to safeguarding learning in our communities and to promoting access to advanced education for all. I implore you to build a future generation of leaders who embrace peace through education.”
The First Lady alsolinked the conflict to a lack of knowledge, stating that "the conflict arises from ignorance, but knowledge creates understanding, replacing fear with peace and unity."
At the beginning of his speech, he expressed his condolences: “My deepest condolences to the families who have lost their heroes, who sacrificed their lives for freedom. Their bravery and dedication will always be remembered.” He also stated: “The United States stands with all children around the world. I hope peace will be theirs soon.”
During the speech, he also addressed the role of artificial intelligence, stating that "artificial intelligence is democratizing knowledge," referring to the expanded access to information on a global scale, a point fully captured in the official statement from the White House.
The intervention was fully broadcast by the U.S. administration and amplified on official accounts such as that of the UN, which emphasized the historic nature of the session.
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