On the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (29 November), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) is holding a meeting at 10 am on Wednesday, 29 November 2006 at the UN House, Riad El-Solh Square, Beirut.

UN-ESCWA Executive Secretary Mervat Tallawy and Mr. Peter Hansen, former High Commissioner of UNRWA, will address the meeting. Ms. Tallawy will be delivering the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Anan, as well as remarks by UN-ESCWA.

Statements by Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and President of the Palestinian Authority, as well as His Majesty King Hamad bin Issa Al Kahlifa of Bahrain, will be distributed during the event.

Participants in the meeting will be Chiefs of the United Nations Missions in Lebanon, Arab and foreign diplomats as well as governmental and non-governmental figures.

The United Nations General Assembly had called in 1977 to consider 29 November of every year an international of solidarity with the Palestinian people. On 3 December 2001, the General Assembly notified Member States of the measures that have been taken to commemorate that day, asking them to disseminate that notification as widely as possible.

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