On the anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter, a renewed commitment to its promise in a world fraught with dangers, and an affirmation that hope trumps fear

The children were standing in front of an enlarged version of Charter Which was titled “United Nations Charter 80,” and was made available to anyone who wanted to sign it during the past days in front of the General Assembly Hall before the celebration was held today, Friday, which was titled “Signing the 80th United Nations Charter, a renewed expression of our collective commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter.” The slogan for this year’s commemoration is: “Better Together: One Charter, One Future”.

After the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, signed that version of the Charter, Baerbock stressed in her speech to the attendees that our responsibility is to defend the Charter in a world where the principles of the United Nations are not only under pressure, but also under attack,

She added that this defense should not be made “just today, through the ceremony, but through our actions. By proving through what we do every day, including in this room, that the promise made in San Francisco is still alive.”

It is noteworthy that the Charter was signed on June 26, 1945 in the American city of San Francisco. But it did not enter into force until October 24, 1945, after it was ratified by the legislative bodies of the signatory states. The Charter, which is an international treaty, is a legal instrument that binds all member states to the principles and obligations set forth in it.

Multilateralism has not failed

The President of the General Assembly said that the greatest honor that can be given to the founders of the United Nations today is not limited to celebrating what they built, but rather extends to ensuring the organization’s readiness for the future through the success of the reform process through the UN 80 initiative. She pointed to the conversations taking place these days about the value and usefulness of the United Nations, and whether there is a need for something completely new.

She said that although better performance was needed to fulfill the promise of peace, “In no case should we allow skeptics to weaponize these shortcomings.”.

She explained that the charter is “A pledge to keep trying, especially when facing headwinds like the ones we are witnessing today.”She stressed that multilateralism has not failed, but rather its effectiveness is proven every day.

promise to the world

In turn, the Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that the Charter was a promise to the world that humanity is capable of choosing cooperation instead of chaos, the rule of law instead of its absence, dignity instead of domination, and hope instead of fear. He added: “For eighty-one years, we have striven to keep this promise alive.”.

He pointed out that the United Nations was never perfect, but it is indispensable, noting that the promise of the Charter is being subjected to a severe test that pushes it to the brink of collapse.

He stressed that the Charter is not a selective list. “Its principles are not optional and do not accept compromise.”.

Guterres said: “Some tell us that the solution to these unrest lies in self-restraint – behind walls and borders, and behind the comfortable illusion that any country alone is able to withstand the storms of our time. They are wrong. Retreat is not security. Rather, it is surrender.”.

Unfinished business

The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that in a world filled with common risks, cooperation is not a form of naivety, but rather the utmost degree of realism and insight.

He stressed that there is a need for reform, “But reform must strengthen the position of the United Nations, not weaken it. The solution does not lie in reducing cooperation, but in strengthening it.”.

He pointed out that the work of the Charter is not yet complete, adding that this work “It is our responsibility to preserve the Charter, strengthen the United Nations, and once again choose peace, justice and our common humanity.”.

“We refuse to allow fear to win.”

The young Egyptian woman, Maryam Abdel Salam Solika, spoke to the attendees, citing her experience, as she is the founder of The Good News, which provides digital content full of positivity to her young peers.

She said that the charter “It is a cornerstone of peace, a guiding star by which we all can be guided. However, over the years we have witnessed some member states deliberately choosing to undermine this foundation and deviate from that guiding star.”.

Solika confirmed that despite this, she came pregnant today “Good news, and the truth that the only force that outweighs fear is hope.”.

She went on to say: “The good news is that we – the people of today – refuse to let fear win. We refuse to view hope as a weak feeling, an afterthought, or something doomed to defeat; hope, in reality, is the complete opposite of all of that.”.

She called on those present to be part of the dialogues and endeavors of today’s peoples, to help them rebuild peace.

She concluded her speech by saying: “May peace come to those who sincerely seek it, and peace come to those who have the courage to build it.”.