If you should happen to be in New York City the next two days, you might want to check out what’s happening at the United Nations. The intergovernmental organization is celebrating its 70th year in addition to United Nations Day on Oct. 24.
Tomorrow, the United Nations is celebrating UN Day with a concert performed at the iconic UN General Assembly Hall. It will be a special concert featuring the Korean Broadcasting System Traditional Orchestra and other renowned international artists.
On Saturday, there will be an unveiling of a major art installation in celebration of the organization’s 70th anniversary. The work, by artist Cristobal Gabarron, is called “Enlightened Universe,” and will make its debut in Central Park. It’s an interactive sculpture formed by a sphere and surrounded by a spiral of seventy figures—one for each of the United Nations’ seventy years.
Around the world, countries are celebrating UN Day by illuminating landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Empire State building with blue light.
The United Nations Charter was signed on June 26, 70 years ago, launching a remarkably enduring institution. In 1945, in the aftermath of the most disastrous war ever inflicted by mankind upon itself, the nation-states of the world, some of which lay in complete ruin, resolved to make the world a better place by preventing conflict, finding relief for millions of refugees, achieving fair dealings among states, providing disaster relief, among many other things.
In the end, it resolved to be strong and steadfast in its missions. These goals, given the background of the recent world war, seemed lofty and even unrealistic. They still often do. Many of the goals were achieved successfully, but many were often challenged but never undone by the rivalries inherent among super powers and smaller states. There was a recognition throughout its history that progress in the search for fairness and equality would always be done in the shadow of almost perpetual conflict somewhere on this earth, often addressed by the peace-keeping efforts of the United Nations, but never ended.
The UN Charter began with a pre-amble which is worth remembering—“we the peoples of the United Nations are determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war..to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and the worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women of nations large and small..to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
The world, as Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, noted, is still full of strife, and more than full of major changes. “Today,” he said recently, “our world continues to be re-shaped by globalization, urbanization, migration, demographic shifts and other seismic trends. New Threats have emerged, from climate change to cyber-crime an pandemics.”
“In many respects, the world is shifting beneath our feet,” he said.
We have all seen the changes and turmoil every day, on our computer screens, tablets and iPhones, which are themselves powerful engines of change. We see the refugees, the implosion of Syria, the demonstrations, the riots and the acts of terror daily. We see disease, climate change, natural disasters, hunger and political instability. That’s why the world needs the UN.
In times like these, we like to believe that all the people working together all over the world can hold disaster at bay, find common solutions, gather together in harmony. As a sage rock-n-roller once sang: “Imagine all the people.”
