21 September 2015 - Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario will be heading the Philippine Delegation to the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and is scheduled to receive an Honorary Law Degree from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, the alma mater of the late President Corazon Aquino.
Secretary Del Rosario will be addressing the 70th UNGA High Level General Debate on October 02, where he will focus on the Philippines’ contributions to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as key Philippine advocacies, ranging from climate change, peacekeeping and UN Reform; to migration, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ASEAN and the rule of law.
Prior to this High Level Debate, the Secretary will be attending the Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and meetings with the UNGA President, the UN Secretary General and other official bilateral meetings and engagements, including hosting the reception of the Philippine Gold Exhibition at the Asia Society Headquarters in New York.
On September 24, Secretary Del Rosario will be conferred an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws by the College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City for his contributions to a principled Philippine foreign policy under the Aquino administration.
In 1984, President Corazon Aquino was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, and in 1986, received The Mount’s highest honor – The Elizabeth Seton Medal – as Asia’s icon of democracy and “embodiment of this Institution’s highest ideals.” Her son, President Benigno S. Aquino III received The Elizabeth Seton Medal in 2010.
After the Convocation Ceremony, Secretary Del Rosario will discuss key Philippine Foreign Policy advocacies such as migration governance, the Philippines-US Alliance, the South China Sea and the future of Philippine Foreign Policy before The Mount’s Board of Trustees, Faculty Members and Students.
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity as the first institution to offer higher learning for women in New York, the Academy of Mount Saint Vincent’s Charter was amended in 1911 to become the College of Mount Saint Vincent, which, in 1974, became a co-ed institution. END