UN@80: Eight Decades of Hope, Cooperation and Collective Progress

Inspired by hope, the United Nations embodies the conviction that humanity could learn from its darkest moments. The very name “United Nations” was a declaration of intent: that cooperation, not conquest, would guide the new world order. And for decades, that vision held. The UN became the beating heart of global diplomacy offering a forum where every country, big or small, had a seat and voice at the table. 

As the world marks 80 years since its founding, the spirit of unity remains as vital as ever. Across continents, nations are coming together to resolve conflicts, accelerate climate action, and close the gap on inequality. From global cooperation on pandemic preparedness to shared innovation in technology and inclusive development, there is a renewed determination to shape a more peaceful, resilient, and equitable future for all. 

The United Nations stands at a pivotal moment — one of renewal and opportunity. While challenges of confidence and resources persist, its founding ideals continue to inspire global cooperation. Around the world, there is growing momentum to strengthen the UN’s effectiveness and make it more representative, inclusive, and responsive to today’s realities. Dialogue on Security Council reform, peacebuilding, and sustainable development is paving the way for a revitalized UN — one that can act decisively and deliver on the promise of peace, dignity, and shared progress for all. 

But perhaps, expecting perfect unity was always too high a bar. The UN was never about eliminating differences it was about managing them and if we recognize this then we can see that as the world evolves, unity in 2025 must and does look different than it did in 1945.  

Unity among nations is no longer just about nations sitting in grand chambers, but about people connecting across borders through science, technology, art, and shared causes. Unity today is found in young activists demanding climate justice, in global health workers fighting pandemics, and in ordinary citizens choosing empathy over division. The UN provides the scaffolding for these efforts, even when the politics above it seem messy. 

And despite the criticism, the UN’s impact remains deeply woven into our daily lives. It coordinates humanitarian aid after disasters, vaccinates millions of children through UNICEF, feeds families in conflict zones via the World Food Programme, and champions human rights through the UNHCR and OHCHR. The Sustainable Development Goals continue to rally governments, businesses, and citizens around shared objectives from ending poverty to tackling climate change.  

Progress may be uneven, but the effort to move forward together still defines the UN spirit. As we move forward with a new understanding of unity, those of us within the multilateral system must look outward, to listen, learn, and support what is already emerging. Change is happening, just not always in UN meeting rooms, in New York, Geneva, Rome Vienna, or Nairobi.  

Real unity depends on inclusion, recognizing that those too often excluded from global policy discussions are indispensable to shaping solutions that work. Whether nations remain united will depend on whether they can adapt the UN’s founding principles to these new realities, cooperation, respect, and collective responsibility. Eighty years on, as long as the world keeps striving to work together, however imperfectly, the name United Nations will continue to mean something profound. 

As we celebrate United Nations Day let us remember, the past has given us many lessons, now it’s about the future we choose to build together. The UN may be 80 years old, but its mission is timeless, to turn fear into hope, and division into dialogue. Humanity cannot only be for those who look and believe as i do, never again cannot be for some and not all. UNGA 80 offers more than a ceremonial anniversary, it is a crucial test of whether multilateralism can evolve to meet the moment and even in turbulent times, diplomacy still dares to dream. Happy UN day!