LJUBLJANA/NEW YORK, 1 October 2025 – The United Nations commemorated its 80th anniversary this week during the General Assembly High-level Week, reaffirming its founding vision of peace, cooperation, and shared responsibility for the future of humanity.
Ms. Eileen Dong, Asia-Pacific Representative of International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1], was representing the institute and its directors Bakhyatar Aljaf and Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović. Ms. Dong joined world leaders and distinguished delegates at the High-level Meeting to commemorate this historic milestone.
The world is at crossroads. As conflict, displacement, and digital exploitation escalate, we must reinforce multilateralism, defend the principles of international law, and empower survivor-led and trauma-informed solutions, and gender mainstreaming economy that uphold dignity, huamn rights, and justice for all.
Prior to the High-level Meeting, the General Assembly hosted a celebratory evening featuring the short film A Living Legacy by director Sing J. Lee and producer Sylvia Zakhary, as well as performances by acclaimed artists Tiwa Savage, the UN Staff Recreational Council Chamber Music Society, and multi-Grammy award winners. The historic chamber, bathed in blue light, became a stage for celebrating the vibrancy, diversity, and unity of the global community.
UN General Assembly President reminded delegates of the Organization’s founding pledge in 1945: a promise to learn from the darkest chapters of history and to build a more just and peaceful future. Yet, she cautioned, the world now faces new and grave crises in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and many other spots, alongside the rise of online hatred.
As the world looks to the future, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged collective resolve to not only defend the United Nations but also strengthen it. The Sustainable Development Goals represent more than aspirations—they are a roadmap for resilience, solidarity, and hope.
The United Nations’ 80th anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring power of multilateralism, and the essential role of leaders, civil society, and institutions – such as IFIMES - in building a future rooted in peace, justice, and sustainability.
Ljubljana/New York, 1 October 2025
[1] IFIMES - International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN in New York since 2018, and it is the publisher of the international scientific journal "European Perspectives." Available at: https://www.europeanperspectives.org/en
