The White House announced on Thursday that United States First Lady Melania Trump will lead a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Monday, as the United States assumes the monthly presidency of this council.
At the meeting, Trump will emphasize the importance of education as a way to advance tolerance and global peace, her office said in a statement.
This will be the first time a sitting First Lady of the United States has chaired a session of this 15-member council, reports reuters.
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The First Lady’s commitment comes at an extremely interesting political moment. US President Donald Trump was one of the most vocal critics of the United Nations (UN) during his first term, often calling the 198-member global organization “ineffective” and demanding deep reforms.
However, Trump has recently softened his rhetoric. Last week, during the first meeting of the “Peace Board,” a global conflict resolution initiative that many world leaders view with skepticism, concerned that it is designed as a replacement for the UN, the US president used a much more conciliatory tone.
“The Peace Board will practically oversee the UN and make sure it’s functioning properly. We’re going to strengthen the UN. We’re going to provide them with financial assistance and make sure their capacities are up to par, to make sure the UN is sustainable,” Trump said.
The decision to have Melania Trump take over the US presidency of the Security Council is seen by many analysts as part of a broader White House strategy to improve the US administration’s damaged image at the UN and to present the US’s “softer” diplomatic power on the global stage.