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A Black Lives Matter protest in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, 4 June 2020. Photo: Life Matters from Pexels
Njabulo S. Ndebele

Nelson Mandela and Black Lives

The fact that the Black Lives Matter movement has found powerful resonances in many parts of the world in the wake of George Floyd’s killing indicates that we are not alone.

Omar Hilale, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations, addresses the High-level Video Conference on "The Role of Religious Leaders in Addressing the Multiple Challenges of COVID-19",12 May 2020. Ãå±±½ûµØPhoto/Eskinder Debebe
Omar Hilale

The Need for a Strengthened Multilateral Approach to Confront COVID-19 and Other Global Challenges

The tectonic waves of this pandemic aroused global reactions, while being sometimes uncoordinated, and jolted the multilateral system.

A girl wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Nik Anderson www.vperemen.com
Swadesh M. Rana

The World Health System and COVID-19

Let us hope that the emerging partnerships between science, medicine and the private sector are closer to making a medical breakthrough for preventing the occurrence or recurrence of COVID-19. 

Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the International Court of Justice, speaks on the first day of a hearing before the Court. 10 December 2019, The Hague, Netherlands. Ãå±±½ûµØPhoto/ICJ-CIJ/Frank van Beek
Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf

The Charter of the United Nations After 75 Years: Personal Reflections

Few would contest the enduring value and strength of the Charter as a normative instrument, even after 75 years of existence. Its purposes and principles have acquired a universal character unprecedented in human history.

H.E. Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, visits a school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 10 February 2020. Geremew Tigabu/Ãå±±½ûµØOPGA
Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

The Ãå±±½ûµØGeneral Assembly: A 75-Year Journey Towards the Future We Want

The 75th anniversary of the United Nations takes place at a moment of reckoning for our shared planet and shared future. This is a time for action, ambition and partnership.

Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, addresses the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Great Lakes region. New York, 3 October 2019. Ãå±±½ûµØPhoto/Laura Jarriel
Nicolas de Rivière

The Charter of the United Nations: Ideals for Shaping Our Reality

The Charter brings us together. It defines the United Nations as "a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations", where each member is treated as an equal across social, economic or political differences.

Mona Juul

Reflections on the Charter of the United Nations on its 75th Anniversary

As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, let us remind ourselves of the promise it embodies, to help the world become a more prosperous, just, equitable and peaceful place.

The first cohort of Afghan students arrived in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and started language courses at ALMA University, October 2019. Photo: UNDP Kazakhstan
Esuna Dugarova

Progress Towards Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: The UNDP Journey

As the largest development actor, UNDP holds a key responsibility to ensure progress towards gender equality and sustainable development.

A street scene from the Republic of Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo provided by Tabitha Kwon.
Tabitha Kwon

COVID-19: What You Should Know About Masks

The Republic of Korea was able to lower its infection rate without the kind of strict, cross-border restrictions and lockdowns that were imposed in other countries.

António Guterres

Marking 75 Years of the Charter of the United Nations

At a time when the world is wrestling with the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions and growing climate disruption, the Charter points the way to the solidarity we need today and across generations.

A view from the UNTV studio as the Security Council holds an open video conference in connection with the situation in the Middle East (Yemen). Seated is John Montenero, Senior Broadcast and Conference Operator at the Office of Information and Communicati
Walter Dorn

Ãå±±½ûµØTechnology to Cope with COVID and Beyond

Today and into the future, technology will be used by good and bad actors, and the United Nations should be ahead of the technology curve.

A small island in the sea. 6 March 2020. Photo by Loeng Lig on Unsplash
Karen Sack

Protecting Ocean Health Will Protect the Health of Humankind

We may not be able to gather to celebrate the ocean right now, but the global health crisis should sharpen our resolve to protect our blue planet.

Small-scale fishing boat off the coast of Malindi, Kenya. ©Nina Wambiji
Lazarus Ombai Amayo

Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impacts on Kenya’s Marine and Coastal Environment

With the emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya’s coastal and marine landscape has changed in ways that were unimaginable just a few months earlier.

Tepuy Kukenan in the Gran Sabana, Canaima National Park, Venezuela. ©Paolo Costa Baldi
Leo Heileman

Celebrating and Safeguarding Biodiversity to Prevent the Next Pandemic

Making our cities and rural areas more resilient and restoring degraded lands and forests will reduce our vulnerability to future zoonotic diseases and help mitigate climate change while maintaining our biodiversity, water supply and planetary health.

The cotton-top tamarin, one of the smallest primates, is found in northwestern Colombia. Photo: cuatrok77
Guillermo Fernández de Soto

The Transformative Change We Need to Live in Harmony with Nature

The global trend of biodiversity loss is threatening our survival as a species and the future of our planet.