United Nations, Sept 22 (V7N) – The United Nations General Assembly Hall resonated with music, memories, and messages of peace on Monday as the world body commemorated the 80th anniversary of its founding. The ceremony took place in New York as global leaders gathered for the annual General Assembly debate, with the historic chamber darkened and illuminated in blue light to mark the milestone.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock reflected on the UN’s origins, recalling how the organization was born out of the devastation of two world wars and the horrors of the Holocaust, at a time when 72 territories remained under colonial rule. The signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945, she said, represented a solemn promise by world leaders to learn from history’s darkest chapters.

Baerbock warned, however, that the world once again faces grave challenges, citing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Haiti, as well as the rise of “unfiltered hatred online.” She urged nations not to retreat from multilateralism, declaring, “We cannot take the easy path and simply give up. We have to choose the right path; to show the world that we can be better together.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also invoked the spirit of the Organization’s founders, noting that many of its first delegates and staff bore the visible scars of war. Far from being idealists, he said, they understood from experience that peace is “the most courageous, the most practical, the most necessary pursuit of all.”

Guterres cautioned that UN principles are “under assault as never before,” pointing to the targeting of civilians, violations of international law, growing poverty and hunger, the faltering progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the escalating climate crisis. He stressed that the international community is moving toward a multipolar world and must respond with renewed cooperation.

“To meet these challenges, we must not only defend the United Nations but also strengthen it,” he declared. Calling on leaders to rise to the moment with “clarity, courage, and conviction,” Guterres emphasized that the promise of peace must be realized for future generations.

The commemoration underscored both the achievements and shortcomings of the UN since its founding in 1945. While the institution has provided a forum for cooperation and conflict resolution, it now faces mounting pressures that test its credibility and effectiveness in a rapidly changing world.

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