“The only way forward is together”: UN marks 80th anniversary

The event opened with a performance by the youth choir Sing for Hope, members of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, and pianist David Watkins under conductor Tilman Michael. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock recalled the difficult circumstances in which the organization was created.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the opening remarks, noting that many of the UN’s earliest staff had lived through war and drew on those experiences in shaping the mission of peace. He stressed that the founding principles are now under pressure and that the UN remains vital in addressing global challenges.

“To meet these challenges, we must not only defend the United Nations, we must strengthen it. That is the purpose of Agenda 2030, the Pact for the Future and the UNIT initiative. To renew the foundations of international cooperation and to ensure that we can deliver for people. (...) To meet these challenges, let us remember what our founders knew: the only way forward is together. Let us rise to this moment with clarity, courage, and conviction,” Guterres said.

He later reinforced the message in a post on X, pointing to the UN’s role in achievements such as eradicating smallpox and protecting the ozone layer. He added that as the organization turns 80, the world needs to “realize the promise of peace.”

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa addressed the challenges of human rights and information in the digital age. She reminded delegates that the UN Charter was born 80 years ago as a promise to prevent the tragedies of manipulated truth, dehumanization, and war.

Today, she warned, humanity faces an “information armageddon” where falsehoods spread faster than facts, algorithms fuel outrage over empathy, and disinformation thrives in a toxic information environment. Research shows lies travel six times faster than facts, she said, and the rise of generative AI risks making the problem worse.

According to Ressa, there are three possible solutions: ending impunity for digital platforms through global standards, building a trust infrastructure rooted in independent journalism, and investing in comprehensive initiatives, including strengthening democratic institutions and supporting women in peacebuilding.

Earlier, Kazakh President’s Archives shared rare footage featuring Kazakhstan’s participation in the sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations at the close of the 90s.