The UN day is approaching. On October 24th the United Nations celebrates its 70th Anniversary, a milestone in history after World War II. Conceived as a unifier of states and populations, its central mission was to restore international peace and ensure security. Its Founding Charter lays out the purposes of the United Nations: Article 1 enumerates them in 4 points: to maintain international peace and security, and to that end to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means; to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
Official UN logo for its 70th Anniversary, Photo credit: www.un.org/un70/en
To achieve these purposes, the United Nations set up UN main organs and bodies, programmes, funds and specialized agencies each one delegated to make concrete steps towards peace and security, as well as respect of international human rights, international law and sustainable development. The work tackles humanitarian aid, food assistance, sustainable tourism, social protection, labor rights, urban development, green economy, gender equality and protection of reproductive rights, education, children' human and personal development, refugees protection, hunger eradication, women economic and social empowerment, freedom of trade, global vaccinations and health issues.
The aim of the United Nations system is to prevent war from happening, restoring security, protecting people and advancing human development and social progress.
Everyone should feel protected, this is why the United Nations is called a "family", where each and every person works and contributes to making other people secure, protected, loved and wanted. Where people can live their lives in freedom, peace and can solidarity work together to give life a meaning, and where all the basic needs are fulfilled. An ideal world where each and every person has the opportunity to born, eat, study, be loved by a caring family, grow in a protected shelter, have a job that satisfies a person's professional skills, love and create another family, share experiences and life moments with other people, creating a circle of open minds and hearts where dialogue is the pillar of development, progress and caring for the human beings and the planet earth.
Tolerance, understanding, desire of knowledge, curiosity towards peoples and cultures, open-mindedness towards new things: these feelings can make us move forward in life, giving us the love, passion and motivation to pursue our dreams, thinking, imagining and concretely acting towards the construction of a better word, where everyone is included and where support, teamwork, trust and compassion are the foundation of this new world.
On September 25th the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, a new agenda composed of 17 goals. New challenges ahead, for the next 15 years, where we can all make a contribution and work towards poverty eradication and social, economic inclusion, sustainable use of natural resources and ensure prosperity for all.
In 1945, after the devastation of a world war where more than 60 million people lost their lives, and in a world today where conflicts are still ongoing, and where states cannot agree on peace negotiations and peaceful living as neighbors, we should all stand up and make our voice heard, in a way that our heart speaks as beats as the heart of each human being, where we truly listen to what we all need and share with others the experience of our living on earth.
If you happen to be in Madrid, check the event at Conde Duque Cultural Center (Calle Conde Duque 11, Madrid) where the 14 agencies of the United Nations in Spain are gathering and showcasing their work in a fun and interactive way, willing to get closer to civil society and debate on the present and the future of the organization, committed to build a strong, united and better world.
Official tweet hashtag #UN70 Spanish: #ONU70
Some inspirational examples of UN work around the world:
History: a documentary about the founding of the United Nations in San Francisco, on June 26th 1945
Music: songs from the United Nations Orchestra, where the power of music unite people
Publications: Social Protection, Inclusive Growth and South-South cooperation issues, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG), Brasilia- Brazil
Photos: work of the World Food Programme in the field
Children' Education, Learning and Development: Bouba & Zaza, a cartoon about the protection and the care towards planet Earth, UNESCO Regional Office of West Africa- Dakar, Senegal
Te espero en Madrid! Naciones Unidas Fuertes, un Mundo Mejor.
@GaiaParadiso