Following the presentation of his annual report, Secretary-General António Guterres lays out his priorities for 2025 during a briefing to the UN General Assembly on 15 January at 10 am (EST). Watch the event on UN Web TV.

From 24 through 30 September, Heads of State and Government will address the General Assembly raising topics of importance to the Member State. Watch the debate live and on-demand in any of the six official languages! Chaired by H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session, the debate will this year focus on the theme "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations".

Opening on 10 September 2024 at 3pm (local time in New York), the 79th session of the General Assembly will be presided by His Excellency Philemon Yang. The overarching theme for the session will be “Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for everyone, everywhere”. It will be marked by high-level meetings, such has the Summit for the Future, a plenary on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise and the commemoration of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, among other events.

The preamble to the United Nations Charter brought to life a new organization for countries to maintain international peace, build friendly relations, and solve global challenges, known as multilateralism. International agreements like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change are examples of successful multilateralism. The United Nations General Assembly, which meets annually, provides a forum for countries to address shared challenges and foster unity. For example, the upcoming Summit of the Future aims to breathe new life into the multilateral approach, proposing a "Pact for the future" to strengthen the international system.

Following the presentation of his annual report, Secretary-General António Guterres lays out his priorities for 2024 during a briefing to the UN General Assembly on 7 February at 10am (EST). See the event on UN Web TV.

His Excellency Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session, will open the general debate on 19 September at 9am (local time in New York). This year, the debate will focus on the theme “Rebuilding trust and reigniting global solidarity: accelerating action on the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.” Member States are invited to address the General Assembly - it’s an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism. Watch the debate live, check the live blog and join the conversation #UNGA!

The 2023 SDG Summit (18-19 September, New York) kicks off the UN General Assembly High-level Week, a pivotal moment when world leaders converge to address global challenges. With the Agenda for Sustainable Development at midpoint, this summit will propel accelerated actions for the Sustainable Development Goals, the UN's vision for a better world by 2030. The summit will respond to the impact of multiple and interlocking crises the world faces, and it aims to rekindle hope and optimism. It is a moment to recommit to a vision of the future that ensures no one is left behind.

The General Assembly opens its 78th session on 5 September, at 3pm local time in New York. The President, his Excellency Dennis Francis, of Trinidad and Tobago, will guide the workings of the General Assembly under the overarching theme of “Peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability”. The 78th session will focus on the sustainable development goals, “objectives whose successful accomplishment would open up the possibilities of a world of boundless opportunity, in which nations and people live in harmony with each other and in harmony with nature.”

As the UN’s 77th general debate enters its third day, Heads of State and Government from around the world continue to outline their priorities and concerns, reinforcing the Secretary-General’s call for urgent, concerted action to address the world’s most pressing challenges. The annual event is an opportunity for the world’s nations to come together to surmount global, interconnected challenges through solidarity and multilateralism. The General Assembly’s debate started on 20 September and will continue through 26 September. Watch the debate live and join the conversation #UNGA!  

The 77th general debate of the UN General Assembly, which offers Member States the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and discuss world issues, opens on 20 September at 9 a.m. in New York and will take place through 26 September. Heads of State or Government may elect to either deliver their statement live from the podium in the General Assembly Hall, or have a delegate introduce their pre-recorded statement. Watch the debate live and join the conversation #UNGA! 

Words not weapons. That’s the fundamental idea at the heart of the UN. Humanity can only survive, humanity can only thrive through cooperation, not conflict. And that’s why the UN exists. The UN General Assembly is the only time that almost every world leader gathers in the same place – at UN HQ in New York in September. But there is so much that goes on behind the scenes. It’s like global diplomacy speed dating. World leaders come in, they talk to each other for a few minutes, they get to know each other. They exchange ideas. They talk through their differences. And that’s when negotiations can happen and progress can be agreed.

On 13 September 2022, the UN General Assembly starts its 77th session, under the leadership of its President, H.E. Csaba Kőrösi. This session, under the theme “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges,” will focus on mustering global solutions to achieve political and social stability, sustainable environmental management and security in a world entangled in complex crisis. It will be marked by high-level meetings, such has the Transforming Education Summit and the commemoration of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, among others.  

The General Assembly will meet on 10 February for the first in a series of five open, inclusive, informal thematic consultations on the Secretary-General’s report Our Common Agenda. Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation and reinvigorating inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism. It builds on many of the ideas that emerged during the year-long global listening exercise conducted in the context of the UN's 75th anniversary.

While COVID-19 remains an emergency, other global challenges require our action, as well. UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, flags the following priorities: continuing the fight against the pandemic, reform of the global financial system for a better recovery; bold action on the climate crisis; using technology to our advantage and addressing the digital divide; and securing sustainable peace across the world. Our response to these emergencies will determine the course for human beings on this planet for decades to come. Watch the briefing on UN Web TV.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, Melissa Fleming, and the host of Al Jazeera English’s The Stream, Femi Oke, co-host an end of the high-level week special, looking at the events, agreements and talks that transpired during the UN General Assembly’s high-level week.