On the final day of UN 2.0 Week, thousands gathered virtually for "Culture Day"—exploring how the UN System is transforming workplace culture to better serve humanity.
"Culture is the foundation everything else is built on," stated moderator Shauna Carey. "Without the right culture, the best plans won't deliver the needed change." This truth played out through compelling examples of UN teams worldwide who are shifting from traditional hierarchical approaches to collaborative, human-centered methods that prioritize community voices and evidence-based innovation.
Transformation on the Ground
The Expo began with participants from 155 countries joining a collective mindfulness practice led by Liliana Uruburo of NewWork—more than a wellness exercise, it demonstrated the cultural shift toward psychological safety and inclusion that underpins effective collaboration.
UN changemakers then showcased remarkable stories of transformation in practice. Luis Cervantes described how UNDP's work with indigenous communities in Mexico has evolved from top-down consultations to genuine co-design processes where communities shape solutions to complex legal and social challenges. This participatory approach reflects a fundamental shift in how the UN views its role—from imposing solutions to facilitating locally-owned change.
This same collaborative mindset appears in conflict settings. In Syria, despite 14 years of crisis leading to increased gender-based violence, Huda Kaakeh shared how UNFPA's multi-component intervention is reducing intimate partner violence rates from 79% to 44%. By empowering survivors and community leaders through dialogue, theater, and shared decision-making, the program demonstrates how cultural change can happen even in the most challenging circumstances.
Innovation Meets Human-Centered Design
The cultural transformation extends to how UN agencies apply evidence and embrace experimentation. Angelo Ghelardi highlighted how UNICEF teams in Mozambique are moving beyond traditional communication approaches to integrate behavioral insights and human-centered design in addressing declining vaccination rates. This represents a broader shift toward understanding and addressing the real barriers people face rather than assuming compliance.
Similarly, Samuel Fraiberger demonstrated the World Bank's growing comfort with cutting-edge, technology-enabled solutions. Their AI-powered counter-speech initiative in Nigeria achieved a nearly 5% reduction in online hate speech while respecting rights and working through trusted local influencers—proving that innovation and human dignity can advance together.
Leadership for the Future
The High-Level Panel explored what this transformation means for leadership across generations. Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, captured the essence of this shift: "It's about ending the idea that we do things this way because we've always done them this way." The UN is embracing intergenerational collaboration where young people are partners in decision-making, not just beneficiaries of programs.
Demonstrating the power of storytelling, Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, shared a parable about complexity and innovation: "Development is complex, and you need the mindset of experimentation, exploration, and innovation. Be ready for change and transformation."
Raúl Sánchez of NYU School of Professional Studies challenged participants to consider their future impact, citing participatory creativity and multi-generational collaboration: “Instead of thinking, what do you want to create, ask, what movement do you want to be a part of?”
Sustaining the Movement
To accelerate and embed this transformation, initiatives like "Transformative Spaces" are emerging across the UN system. Gabriel Tuan of UN Women introduced this concept, emphasizing how creating environments where hierarchies dissolve enables authentic co-creation: "Do you know that every mindset, interaction, everything you do, has an impact?" These spaces foster the deep listening, mindfulness, and collaborative problem-solving that enable sustainable change.
As Ayaka Suzuki from the Secretary-General's Executive Office concluded: "Skills alone are not enough. It's about mindset. The UN may be 80, but we have to stay young at heart, be nimble and agile."
Culture change isn't a top-down mandate, but a collective movement. The UN's transformation is underway, one conversation and experiment at a time—from teams on the ground to Headquarters.
Will you be part of this movement? A part of the next 80?