UNIS/SGSM/1466
13 December 2024
On International Migrants Day, we celebrate the contributions millions of migrants make to communities, economies and countries around the world.
But today is also a day to remind ourselves of the challenges migrants can face — from prejudice and discrimination, to outright violence and abuse, to the unimaginable cruelty of human trafficking.
These challenges are made worse by the rising tide of mis and disinformation and hate speech which sows division and distorts the valuable contributions migrants are making each and every day.
As a global community, we must summon our common humanity, and work to reverse these harmful trends.
The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted six years ago, provides concrete solutions to protect migrants at every step of their journeys and continue expanding rights-based pathways for migration.
And through the recently adopted Pact for the Future, the countries of the world re-committed to strengthening international partnerships and global cooperation for safe, orderly and regular migration.
Today and every day, let’s stand up for the rights of all migrants and work to create safe, humane and inclusive migration systems.
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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.
