A person wearing a traditional, ornate, Baroque-style costume and mask performs Khon, a Thai art form that combines music, vocals, literature and dance.
UNESCO, Culture

Our stories, Our traditions, Our living heritage

Intangible cultural heritage lives in our stories, traditions, arts and celebrations passed from generation to generation. These practices reflect who we are, connect us to our past and enrich our lives today. Safeguarding this living heritage helps preserve cultural diversity and strengthens mutual understanding among communities. Education and cooperation are vital to ensure that the intangible cultural heritage includes everyone and keeps traditions alive. The International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (17 October) highlights the importance of this living heritage and the need to protect it.

A performance of Khon Masked Dance, a mixture of Thai arts, literature, dance and music listed on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Photo:Adobe Stock/coward_lion
A woman and a young child sit on a bed in a simple room. The woman, wearing a patterned dress and headwrap, looks at the camera while holding the child, who is resting against her.

DR Congo: Cholera cases spike amid fight against Ebola

14 October 2026 — The cholera epidemic continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where more than 125,000 suspected cases and 3,644 suspected deaths were recorded between...

A man carries a large white United Nations World Food Programme sack on his shoulder outside an aid facility in Yemen while people queue near a banner for emergency assistance to displaced populations.

Yemen: WFP warns of potential ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ as fighting blocks aid delivery

14 October 2026 — Intensifying fighting in Yemen has cut off life-saving assistance to 800,000 people as shifting frontlines, blocked roads and growing insecurity severely restrict access to the...

A young woman in a hijab focuses on an accounting software program on her laptop during a training session at a UNICEF-supported center in Jaramana, Damascus, Syria, aimed at improving employment opportunities for youth.

800 million young people face a future without jobs

13 October 2026 — Approximately 800 million young people entering the labour market in developing economies over the coming years will not find jobs unless countries act, the head of the UN...

UN Sustainable Development Goals

17 Goals to transform our world

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

hands holding megaphone and speech bubble

ActNow Campaign

The Goals can improve life for all of us. Cleaner air. Safer cities. Equality. Better jobs. These issues matter to everyone. But progress is too slow. We have to act, urgently, to accelerate changes that add up to better lives on a healthier planet. Find new inspiring actions on the app and at un.org/actnow.

Act Now for a Peaceful World

Today, half the world is under 30, and this generation is a powerful force for peace. The UN "Hear Us. Act Now for a Peaceful World" campaign, launched on the International Day of Peace, aims to include, invest in, and partner with young people to build lasting peace. 

outline of a drop over a blue background

2026 UN Water Conference

Coming up in December! The 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal, takes place 8 to 10 December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Conference is an opportunity to strengthen investment, foster innovation, and galvanize political will to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

SDG 15: Life on Land

Goal of the month

 

Goal 15: Life on Land

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

More about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

More from the
United Nations

Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A group of women holding hands and forming a circle among themselves. OHCHR, Women and Gender Equality

When seeking help means risking everything

For women who use drugs, asking for help can mean risking arrest or losing their children. A UN Human Rights report reveals how punitive drug policies expose women and girls to abuse, overlook coercion and poverty, and keep them from vital care. Pregnant women can face forced treatment or imprisonment, while mothers may be separated from their children. Globally, only one in 18 women with drug use disorders receives treatment. The report calls for health care that meets women’s needs, alternatives to imprisonment and an end to barriers that deter them from seeking help, with women’s lived experience helping shape policy.

Two women talking to each other in a room with bullet holes in the walls. UNDP

From invisible to recognized

For families on Guinea-Bissau’s remote islands, registering a child can mean days of travel and costs they cannot afford. Mobile legal clinics helped register over 1,300 births in 2025, giving children a legal identity. Across Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, legal aid, mediation and psychosocial support reached almost 90,000 people, mostly women and children. Working in more than 100 countries and territories, the United Nations Development Programme helps communities access justice, protect their rights and build peace, with trusted local voices shaping solutions.

A close-up image of two hands passing soil from one to the other. FAO, Natural Resources and the Environment

When El Niño brings drought, every minute counts

Cambodian farmer Sokhom Kha once faced drought without knowing what was coming. Now, forecasts give her time to protect her crops. With ten days’ warning that rain would not come, she stored water in her fields. She is among more than 4,000 farmers receiving advice through a project run by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Cambodia’s government, financed by the Green Climate Fund. As El Niño threatens harvests, early warnings and practical guidance help families manage scarce water, reduce losses and protect their livelihoods.

A pair of a child's legs.
Slavery and Human Trafficking, IOM

From trafficking to recovery

After escaping a scam compound, Fah rebuilds her life through manicure training, legal support and a renewed dream of starting her own business.

A banner for a publication cover showing the scale of justice with a background of a human face.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, OHCHR

Reparatory justice for enslavement

The UN calls for reparatory justice to address the enduring harms of enslavement and colonialism, urging States and institutions to confront history and repair inequalities.

A nurse administering an injection to a man.
Economic Development, UNCTAD

Rising debt costs squeeze development

Higher borrowing costs are draining developing countries’ resources, limiting spending on health, education and other essential development priorities.

A group of women outside some camps.
Health Interventions, UNFPA

Yemen’s maternal health crisis

Escalating conflict in Yemen has displaced over 145,000 people, leaving thousands of pregnant women without safe childbirth, reproductive healthcare, shelter, or protection.

What we do

Due to the powers vested in its Charter and its unique international character, the United Nations can take action on the issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including:

A UNIFIL peacekeeper from Spain on a regular patrol in the vicinity of Al Wazzani, south-eastern Lebanon as the sun sets in the horizon. Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as UN peacekeepers.

Maintain International Peace and Security

The United Nations came into being in 1945, following the devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. These activities often overlap and should reinforce one another, to be effective. The UN Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and complementary roles, along with other UN offices and bodies.

Students at Butkhak High School in Kabul, Afghanistan, cheer in unison on the last day of Global Action Week, an international campaign advocating free, quality education for all.

Protect Human Rights

The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN's founding Charter, making the promotion and protection of human rights a key purpose and guiding principle of the Organization.  In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human rights into the realm of international law.  Since then, the Organization has diligently protected human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground activities.

A child has a meal at a food distribution centre in the Rwanda camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), near Tawila, North Darfur. More than 8,000 women and children living in the camp benefit from nutrition programmes run by the World Food Programme

Deliver Humanitarian Aid

One of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, is "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character."  The UN first did this in the aftermath of the Second World War on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild.  The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.

Grace, a farmer from Kipilat village, and a leading member of the forest community in Ainabkoi, Kenya, planting a tree in 2012.

Promote Sustainable Development

From the start in 1945, one of the main priorities of the United Nations was to “achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.”  Improving people’s well-being continues to be one of the main focuses of the UN. The global understanding of development has changed over the years, and countries now have agreed that sustainable development offers the best path forward for improving the lives of people everywhere.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivers its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures filed by Nicaragua on 11 October 2013 in the case concerning Construction of a Road in Costa Rica along the San Juan River.

Uphold International Law

The UN Charter, in its Preamble, set an objective: "to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained."  Ever since, the development of, and respect for international law has been a key part of the work of the Organization.  This work is carried out in many ways - by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties - and by the Security Council, which can approve peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or authorize the use of force when there is a threat to international peace and security, if it deems this necessary.  These powers are given to it by the UN Charter, which is considered an international treaty.  As such, it is an instrument of international law, and UN Member States are bound by it.  The UN Charter codifies the major principles of international relations, from sovereign equality of States to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.

Structure of the
United Nations

The main parts of the UN structure are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was founded.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal representation.

Security Council

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.

Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.

Trusteeship Council

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).

Secretariat

The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization's other principal organs.

More about the structure of the United Nations

Learn more

Podium of the General Assembly Hall seen from below with the gold wall and the golden UN logo behind

Selecting the next Secretary-General

The United Nations process to appoint the next Secretary‑General continues with interactive dialogues guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity. Watch the dialogues with the candidates: Ivonne A-Baki (20 August), Michelle Bachelet Jeria (21 April), María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (15 June), Rafael Mariano Grossi (21 April), Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis (22 April), Olara Otunnu (19 August), Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett (18 June) and Macky Sall (22 April).

 

A group of people carrying their few belongings, walking in front of buildings in ruins, at sunset.

The Spotlight series

This series shines a light on communities facing conflict, displacement, public health emergencies and other humanitarian challenges around the world. Drawing on reporting from across the UN system, it amplifies voices from countries including Haiti, Gaza, DR Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan and Myanmar, to foster understanding, encourage engagement, and help mobilize support, assistance, and protection for the most vulnerable people.

Climate Change

Climate Change is one of the defining issues of our time and we are at a pivotal moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Taking decisive action today will make adapting to these impacts in the future more effective and less costly.

General Assembly hall with the Secretary-General at the podium

The Essential UN

The United Nations is the only place on Earth where all the world's nations come together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity. Learn about the main areas of the UN’s activities; how it makes a difference to the world’s people; and how every citizen can get involved and make a contribution. 

Watch and Listen

Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Care Not Custody

8.4 million people are admitted to psychiatric institutions every year. Around the world, outdated laws and systems continue to rely on coercion and institutionalisation instead of recovery, dignity and community support. Hear from people who have lived this experience, sharing what dignity, care and community mean to them, and their vision for rights-based, community-centred mental health care. Please note: AI Generated footage was used in this video to illustrate these real stories.

Things that make Damián smile again after the Venezuela Earthquakes

After losing their mother in the earthquakes in Venezuela, Damián and his sister found a new home and a supportive family with their aunt. Today, soccer, music and trips to the beach are helping them smile again. 

Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.

Innovation in food and agriculture goes beyond technology. It brings new and traditional ideas, practical solutions and shared knowledge to communities that need them most. Affordable, locally adapted approaches can help grow food, protect nature and build a better future. This World Food Day, let’s innovate today and nourish tomorrow.

UN Podcasts

A golden copyright symbol near silver notes.

Intellectual property and the music industry

Who owns the music we love—and how can musicians protect their work? In WIPOD – Page Points, a podcast from the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Knowledge Center, author Hayleigh Bosher explores her book Copyright in the Music Industry: A Practical Guide to Exploiting and Enforcing Rights, explaining why copyright matters for musicians and how digital technologies and policy changes are reshaping the industry.

Latest Audio from UN News

The United Nations in Pictures

Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Fishermen cast their nets in unison, their silhouettes caught in the evening light.
Photo:WMO 2027 Calendar Photo Competition - Saurabh Sirohiya

Our world, through the lens of weather

Dust storms sweep across deserts, lightning illuminates city skylines and ancient baobabs glow at sunset. The winners of the World Meteorological Organization’s 2027 Calendar Photo Competition capture the beauty and power of weather, climate and water—and their impact on people’s lives. Under the theme “Your Weather, Your World”, the photographs reveal how these forces shape landscapes and livelihoods, from Madagascar to Antarctica. Explore the winning photographs.

A scene of extreme dry land in the Dry Corridor of Central America.
Photo:WFP/Darlan Bautista

When harvests fail, hunger follows

For families who depend on farm work to buy food, drought can wipe out both crops and wages. The World Food Programme warns that the 2026–27 El Niño could push 49 million people into acute hunger, with communities already facing food crises most exposed. Rising food and fuel prices compound the threat, while funding shortages limit assistance. To protect livelihoods before disaster strikes, the agency is preparing early action in about 51 countries, helping families safeguard food and water supplies and recover sooner.

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