UNIS/SGSM/1449
22 October 2024
The United Nations was built by the world, for the world.
Since 1945, it has been the place for countries to unite behind global solutions to global problems.
Solutions that ease tensions, build bridges and forge peace.
Solutions to eradicate poverty, spur sustainable development, and stand up for the most vulnerable.
Solutions that deliver lifesaving relief to people living through conflicts, violence, economic hardship, and climate disasters.
Solutions that level the scales of justice and equality for women and girls.
Solutions that tackle issues that were unimaginable in 1945 — climate change, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and outer space.
In September, the General Assembly adopted the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.
Together, these milestone agreements will help ensure that the United Nations system adapts, reforms and rejuvenates, so it is fit for the changes and challenges around us and delivers solutions for all.
But our work will always be rooted in the timeless values and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and in the dignity and human rights of every person.
In today’s troubled world, hope is not enough.
Hope requires determined action and multilateral solutions for peace, shared prosperity and a thriving planet.
Hope requires all countries working as one.
Hope requires the United Nations.
On United Nations Day, I call on all countries to keep this beacon for the world, and its ideals, shining.
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We must transform how we produce and consume, and how we value nature, says the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "Biodiversity is the bedrock of life and a cornerstone of sustainable development.... Biodiversity loss is a global challenge. No one country, however rich or powerful, can address it alone. Nor can they live without the rich biodiversity that defines our planet."
LGBTIQ+ people around the world face an onslaught of hate speech, attacks, and restrictions on their rights. The power of communities is the theme this year which reminds us that we are strongest together. "LGBTIQ+ people, and those working with them to secure their rights, have proved time and again the value of communities in providing support and driving change," says UN Secretary-General António Guterres
"From the telegraph to radio, from the Internet to Artificial Intelligence, technology has transformed how we live, work, and connect." — António Guterres
Barbados signed and deposited its instrument of ratification for the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (the “Beijing Convention on the Judicial Sale of Ships”) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 May 2025.
