Nowruz is a 3,000-year-old celebration marking the spring equinox, symbolizing renewal, cultural unity, and the triumph of light over darkness across multiple regions.

Fleeing Sudan’s brutal civil war, refugees like Nafeesa now seek fragile safety in northern Central African Republic, where UN peacekeepers and humanitarian agencies work to contain violence, ease tensions and protect communities strained by displacement.

Eight decades ago, representatives of 51 nations came together for a moment that would reshape global cooperation, the very first session of the United Nations General Assembly, held at Methodist Central Hall in London. To mark this milestone and look ahead to the future of global cooperation, the United Nations Association–UK hosts a conference (17 January) at the same historic venue, with speeches and panels focused on practical reforms and a stronger multilateral system and the participation of the UN Secretary‑General, António Guterres.

Former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock is a new face at the United Nations. Sworn in as President of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025, she brings experience and energy at a time of challenges and new beginnings – including the selection of the next Secretary-General.

“We need this place where countries, big and small, rich and poor, are coming together and have an equal say and an equal vote.”

Shaped by her nation’s turbulent past and successful reunification Annalena Baerbock entered politics at a young age. In this episode of Awake at Night, she reflects on the importance of female pioneers, the impact of online harassment and shares why the UN Charter can still move her to tears.

“It meant really a lot to me, personally to be sworn in on the original document of the charter. And if people could see, I was too afraid to touch the charter. So my hand was kind of one centimeter above it.”

Photo: ©UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt says the future of digital technology must put people, creativity and purpose first, as powerful tools become more embedded in daily life. Speaking at a UN meeting on 20 years of global digital cooperation, he highlighted the responsibility to use technology for inclusion and positive change, not just profit.

The year 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Organization. Eighty years after its creation, the UN remains an essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights. Millions of people worldwide have been positively impacted by its work. The exhibition Shared Lives, Shared Future, showcases images from nearly 200 countries. From humanitarian relief and education to development and sustainability, it presents real-life stories of individuals and communities whose lives have been transformed by the UN’s mission.

Musician George Harrison of The Beatles visited the United Nations in New York on 20 December 1974. He met UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim and briefed the press on his donation of proceeds from concerts to UNICEF. 

An estimated 50 million people worldwide live in modern slavery, including 28 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage, with children disproportionately affected. Despite 181 of 187 ILO members ratifying the 1930 Forced Labour Convention and adopting a strengthening Protocol in 2014, global efforts to eliminate forced labour continue.

UNMAS leads mine action efforts in Gaza, helping humanitarian partners assess explosive ordnance risks and enabling safe operations during and after hostilities. Since 2009, and especially after the October 2023 escalation, it has expanded its work to include early recovery support and risk education for civilians across Gaza and the West Bank.

UN agencies warn that acute food insecurity is set to worsen in 16 countries and territories in the coming months, urging immediate humanitarian action in hunger hotspots. Here are five key facts.

The United Nations, now celebrating its 80th anniversary, touches our daily lives everywhere, from peace and security to human rights and development, showing how global cooperation benefits us all. The exhibition features over 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting the UN’s impact and is showcased both at UN Headquarters in New York and around the world.

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, it stands as a cornerstone of global cooperation in peace, security, development, and human rights. Since the signing of the UN Charter in 1945, the organization has led major initiatives such as peacekeeping operations and the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Looking ahead, the UN continues to adapt its mission to meet the evolving challenges of an interconnected world.

Mulki is a student in Kenya, who benefited from digital literacy classes thanks to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Whether you live in a mountain village in Afghanistan or in New York, on a small Pacific island or in Africa, in Estonia or in Brazil, the United Nations is part of your life in ways you might not expect. No matter who we are, we share one world. Our lives are connected, our challenges are mutual, and our future is intertwined. Only by valuing our common humanity and working for our shared destiny as one species on one planet, can we build a healthier, safer and more prosperous world — for ourselves and for generations to come. This exhibition, marking the United Nations’ 80^th Anniversary, showcases more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting the many ways in which the world’s most crucial international organization impacts all our daily lives: supporting peace and security, overseeing regulatory frameworks, providing humanitarian assistance and fostering development, facilitating international conventions on trade, or advancing human rights.

United Nations Day (24 October) marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the United Nations Charter entered into force. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 80 years. Eight decades after its founding, the Organization confronts challenges of staggering scale. Now, more than ever, the world must recommit to solving problems no nation can solve alone. On this UN Day, let’s stand together and fulfil the extraordinary promise of your United Nations.

Eight years after the forced mass displacement of the Rohingya community due to violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State, their circumstances continue to deteriorate. Over the past year and a half, 150,000 Rohingya — a mainly Muslim minority in a predominantly Buddhist country — have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh, marking the largest influx since 2017. In light of this dire situation, the UN Secretary-General hopes that the High-Level Conference on Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar draws renewed international attention to the urgent need for long-term solutions. Follow the event live.