VIDEO - 'United Nations and Decolonization: Past to Present'

When the United Nations was founded, some 750 million people, nearly a third of the world's population, lived under colonial rule. Today, fewer than 2 million people in 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories.  

As the Organization marks its 75^th anniversary this year, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs’ (DPPA) Decolonization Unit has unveiled a short film: United Nations and Decolonization: Past to Present. 

The video walks the viewer through the Organization work in this area since 1945.   

“The 75^th anniversary coincides with the 60^th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,” recalls Josiane Ambiehl, Chief of the Decolonization Unit. 

“Now is the time to re-invigorate our commitment towards this historic goal of the Organization,” she said. 

The video includes familiar scenes from UN Headquarters in New York, including the Conference Building, General Assembly Hall, and Trusteeship Council Chamber, where Member States take action on the decolonization agenda. 

It also captures the work done in the field, depicting how Member State delegates and UN officials interact with stakeholders during visiting missions of the Special Committee on Decolonization. 

The video is accessible in English from the revamped UN and Decolonization website from DPPA. The Decolonization Unit will produce versions of the video in the other five official languages soon. 

If you have questions for the Decolonization Unit, please write dppa-decolonization@un.org.