Story highlights First lady Melania Trump is in New York

She is hosting a luncheon and delivered remarks

New York (CNN) First lady Melania Trump assumed the spotlight in New York Wednesday, hosting a luncheon at the US Mission to the United Nations, where she delivered a speech focused on a variety of issues facing children across the globe and hinted at her forthcoming platform.

"Together, we must acknowledge that all too often it is the weakest, most innocent and vulnerable among us -- our children -- who ultimately suffer the most from the challenges that plague our societies," the first lady said. "Whether it is drug addiction, bullying, poverty, disease, trafficking, illiteracy, or hunger, it is the children who are hit first and hardest in any country. And as we all know, the future of every nation rests with the promise of their young people."

Trump, hosting the other spouses of world leaders, called on the group to help her with her cause to assist children all over the globe.

"We must teach each child the values of empathy, communication -- a core of mindfulness, integrity and leadership, which can only be taught by example," Trump said.

She pointed specifically to cyberbullying and drug addiction as challenges facing children she hoped to combat, noting that she planned to work with the spouses of global leaders assembled at the luncheon, as well as community and education leaders along with leaders on social media whose target market for products and platforms is children.

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