00:00U.S. First Lady Melania Trump is slated to chair a U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday,
00:06an appearance that was announced last week before the U.S. launched its war against Iran.
00:12Her office said the former model would make history at the U.N., taking the gavel as the
00:18U.S. assumes the Security Council presidency to emphasize education's role in advancing
00:24tolerance and world peace. Stefan Dujarek, spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary General,
00:30confirmed Melania's event would mark the first time a First Lady or First Gentleman has presided
00:36over a Security Council meeting. President Donald Trump's third wife has dabbled in diplomacy before,
00:44notably working to try to secure the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
00:50Meanwhile, international crisis group analyst Daniel Fortes said diplomats will be aware of
00:55the contradiction in the U.S. promoting a meeting on children, education, and peace just months after
01:01boycotting U.N. offices working on similar issues. He added that most council members would likely
01:07play nice when Melania is in the room, as few would risk straining bilateral ties with Washington
01:13over a U.N. meeting with limited consequences. Political and financial tensions have mounted
01:19between the U.S. and the U.N. in recent years, with Washington chafing at its role as the main
01:26contributor to the cash-strapped U.N.'s budget. Nartha Raja, FMT.
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