At the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to commit and unite around the protection and preservation of our seas. Speaking at the high-level opening of the Conference, Mr. Guterres outlined four recommendations to ensure that the tide is reversed. Among them, the UN chief underscored the urgent need to invest sustainably in economies that depend on the sea.

Ahead of World Refugee Day, marked annually on 20 June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday visited refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan now living, working and adding to the vibrancy of New York City - home to UN Headquarters. “Like millions of refugees worldwide, they are helping bring new life, prosperity and rich diversity to their host communities. We must continue supporting them,” the UN chief said on Twitter following the visit.

Global wellbeing is at risk – and it’s in large part because we haven’t kept our promises on the environment – UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. “Lead us out of this mess”, he urged delegates at the Swedish summit, in a call for action against a “triple planetary crisis” that’s been caused by the climate emergency – “that is killing and displacing ever more people each year” – biodiversity loss – which threatens “more than three billion people” – and pollution and waste, “that is costing some nine million lives a year”.

The United Nations paid tribute to the men and women serving under its flag in some of the most dangerous places in the world during a ceremony in New York to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. Secretary-General António Guterres began the commemoration by laying a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial at UN Headquarters, in homage of the more than 4,200 blue helmets who have sacrificed their lives over the past seven decades. “Our fallen colleagues came from 42 different countries and diverse backgrounds. But they were united by a common cause: peace,” he said.

Today’s college graduates can become the generation to succeed “where my generation has failed” the UN chief said, urging the class of 2022, not to work for “climate wreckers” in industries that continue to profit from fossil fuels. UN Secretary-General António Guterres was delivering the commencement address at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, one of the oldest and most prestigious Catholic universities in the United States, close to New York City. He told graduates that they needed to be the generation that succeeds in meeting the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).