Intergenerational Co-Leadership for Global Governance Innovation (October 28 2020)
by Aya Chebbi (originally published on Just Security)
Today, Oct. 24, we are celebrating United Nations Day and the 75th anniversary of the United Nations at a moment of great disruption worldwide, driven by the profound human, social, and economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. This historic crisis has resurfaced existing inequalities and injustices, provoked despair, polarization, and enhanced an exclusive form of nationalism. But it has also created political momentum to demonstrate that multilateral cooperation, while in need of revitalization, is a key vehicle for responding to global challenges. This belief was reflected by 87 percent of the more than one million participants (half of whom were under 30) in the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General’s UN75 global conversation, who responded that global cooperation is needed more than ever. This consensus, coupled with the demographics of the respondents, suggests that intergenerational co-leadership is key for reclaiming multilateralism and advancing recovery responses guided by its principles.
The 2020 State of the UNion (October 21 2020)
by Joshua Lincoln
On UN day (24 October) 2020, where do we stand in this most unusual year?
It has been a busy few months. On 9 October, the World Food Program was awarded the 2020 Nobel peace prize for doing one very important and very specific thing very effectively: delivering food to those most in need. This award highlights the enduring value of a narrow technical mandate within the wider UN ‘system’. But this is also the UN family’s 12th Nobel Peace prize in 75 years. At a moment where the historical performance and future value of the UN are up for examination, 12/75 is a strong data point.
UN75: Engaging Youth to Shape Our Future (October 7 2020)
by Steven Aiello
UN75 is an opportunity to re-engage the global community, from the world leaders giving addresses at the General Assembly, to the billions of citizens watching those speeches from home. We cannot expect anyone else to solve our problems. Everyone has a role to play, a way to contribute, and a valued voice to add to the conversation. That’s the beauty of the UN75 initiative. I believe strongly in that message, having spent the better part of the last decade empowering Israeli and Palestinian youth to tackle regional and global challenges via Model United Nations (MUN).
Reflections on the UN Commemoration of Beijing+25 (September 30 2020)
by Emilia Reyes and Soon-Young Yoon
2020 was supposed to be the year that would revitalize the Beijing+25 Agenda and reaffirm our “collective commitment to multilateralism” according to the theme of the UN 75 Anniversary. The Generation Equality Forum sponsored by Mexico and France was expected to be fully launched to the eyes of the feminist movement and women’s organizations in March, in the context of the Commission of the Status of Women, culminating in a high-level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference of Women on October 1st. And yet 2020 became a challenging year for humanity. The COVID 19 pandemic –and the multilayered crises that unfolded after it– brought about serious and negative implications for women and girls’ human rights.
Our common survival requires global cooperation (September 23 2020)
by Robert Muggah, Elizabeth Cousens, Ilona Szabo and Giovanna Kuele
Around the world, COVID-19 is accelerating polarization and division. The virus, along with government responses to contain it, are being politicized. A dangerous gap is emerging between politics and science which is pulling at the fabric of our societies. And yet despite this year of monumental social unrest, it turns out that most people – regardless of their origin, gender or age – share common concerns and dreams about the future. Put simply, there is more that brings us together than tears us apart. That’s just one of the take-aways from an unprecedented consultative initiative led by the United Nations earlier this year.
Former Presidents, Prime Ministers, UN leaders and Government Ministers Call for a Strengthened United Nations System (September 18 2020)
Ahead of the September 21 High Level Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, a group of prominent former government and UN leaders are calling on current world leaders to take action to strengthen the United Nations system.
Letter to the Prime Minister of Malaysia (September 9 2020)
by Prof Datuk Denison Jayasooria
I write this letter to you Sir as a Malaysian citizen and global citizen (in terms of SDG 4.7) and call upon you in your capacity as the Prime Minister of Malaysia to continue our global commitments, especially in a time such as this during this global COVID-19 pandemic by accelerating our UN commitments for a better world for all the people of the world.
A compelling vision for humanity (September 2 2020)
by Daniel Perell
Throughout the ages, humanity has been advancing on a winding path towards higher degrees of maturity. The well-being of humankind is not static; it requires ever greater degrees of commitment to fulfilling ever increasing ambitions. At each stage, even significant advances may prove inadequate. And it is in these moments of great crisis when humanity is called on, by virtue of the prevailing circumstances, to reconsider its trajectory. Largely, though not exclusively, driven by enormous tragedy, these moments are significant in the narrative of human progress.