For decades, nuclear weapons were tested around the world. Since the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) opened for signature in 1996, that era has changed dramatically. This video, tied with its 30th anniversary being marked during the United Nations high-level week, shows how thanks to the CTBT, a global network of more than 300 monitoring stations can detect the telltale signals of a nuclear explosion anywhere on Earth. Discover how science, technology and diplomacy are helping turn the norm against nuclear testing into law.
We asked AI to show us a CEO… then a secretary.
The results highlight a much bigger issue.
A new UN Women report warns that artificial intelligence can reinforce gender stereotypes and existing inequalities if gender equality isn’t built into AI from the start. Studies cited in the report found gender bias in 44% of AI systems tested, with more than one in four showing both gender and racial bias.
Watch to learn why experts say building better AI for women means building better AI for everyone.
🔗 Learn more from UN Women: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/media-advisory/2026/06/ai-is-already-rewriting-reality-for-billions-of-people-it-is-getting-women-wrong
Briefing by Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, on the situation in the Middle East.
Briefing the Council on his latest visit to the country, the Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Claudio Cordone, said, “I have seen further progress in institutional development, while Syrians continue to grapple with dire economic conditions and the country confronts internal and external security challenges.”
Cordone said he had the opportunity “to hear from local officials and civil society in different parts of the country a strong commitment to build a Syria where everyone feels they belong, with representative institutions, a culture of accountability for both past and present, and tangible improvements in people’s lives with sustained international support.”
He told the Council he had “also discussed with the Syrian authorities’ preparations for the holding of future parliamentary and presidential elections, and possibly other elections, in line with a new constitution.”
The Special Envoy stressed that “the heavy lifting needed for the implementation of these electoral plans within the remaining three-and-a-half years of the transition must not be underestimated.”
He said, “Israeli presence and military activity in southern Syria has continued in violation of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, with near-daily incursions, temporary checkpoints, searches of homes and artillery fire, particularly in Quneitra and western Daraa.”
Cordone noted that “two Syrians who were taken to Israel and held there were returned home, but others remain in Israeli custody” and on 9 September, “Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu visited Israeli forces on Jabal al-Sheikh / Mount Hermon, reiterating that Israel would not permit hostile forces to establish themselves along its border.”
Briefing by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), on the situation in the Middle East (Syria).
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated, “we must raise our collective voice and reject hatred. And we must redouble our efforts to tackle hate speech, online and offline.”
Guterres spoke at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech. The Conference was jointly organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
The Secretary-General highlighted that the effort to counter hate speech must be truly inclusive, grounded in respect and equity; shaped by women, men, and youth; and welcoming of religious, traditional, and community leaders, Indigenous Peoples, and minority groups.
He also emphasized, “reining in hate speech does not mean extinguishing freedom of expression. But freedom of expression must never be an excuse for causing or compounding harm.”
Guterres underscored, “we cannot conquer hate speech on our own. Governments, regional and multilateral organizations, the private sector, and civil society — including faith communities, academia, and the media — have a shared responsibility to help build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.”
“We all have a role to play,” the UN chief said, “no bystanders.”
Guterres continued, “that is why I come to you today with an urgent message: We must work together to foster mutual understanding. To end the tragic cycles of fear, hatred, and violence. And to build the cohesive and stable societies envisioned in our Charter.”
The Secretary-General conclude, “let us rise to this challenge. And let us deliver on our shared promise to current and future generations.”
Briefing by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), on the situation in the Middle East (Syria).
In his address to the Council, humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher said, “since December 2024, more than 2 million internally displaced Syrians, 1.8 million refugees have gone home voluntarily. This is a historic wave of return – the highest in Syria in two decades – is a profound sign of hope.”
Fletcher said, “through 300 partners, we’ve reached over 2.5 million people monthly this year with humanitarian support, reopening key routes into Al-Hassakeh and flights to Deir ez Zour in August. However, four major obstacles threaten this progress: continued displacement, localized insecurity, regional escalation, and landmines.”
He said, “as winter approaches and the regional situation remains unstable, funding will be vital as a bulwark against losing those advances Syria has fought so hard to achieve. If we fail to invest today, the costs will be higher tomorrow – in renewed displacement, deteriorating services and lost opportunities to consolidate stability and transition towards reconstruction and development in Syria.”
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Guests Today and Tomorrow
Hate Speech
Peacekeeping
Syria/Security Council
Lebanon
Yemen
Djibouti
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Ukraine
Abyei
South Africa
Reprisals
Water Resources
World Patient Safety Day
Nicholas Haysom Memorial
Financial Contribution
GUESTS TODAY AND TOMORROW
Sarah Hendricks, Director of Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, and Shantanu Mukherjee, the Acting Director of the Statistics Division in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, will be briefing on the launch of the Gender Snapshot Report 2026.
Tomorrow, David Nanopoulos, Head of the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs, will brief on the annual Treaty Event. This year’s event, entitled "Promoting Multilateral Treaties, Safeguarding Humanity," will take place during the high-level week, from 22 to 25 September.
HATE SPEECH
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at an event at the Global Conference on Countering Hate Speech, saying that the toxic message of hate speech is spreading fast and striking deep. It is taking on new forms, finding new pathways, and weaponizing new technologies. And this is from digital platforms to algorithms to artificial intelligence.
The Secretary-General said we must raise our collective voice and reject hatred, and we must redouble our efforts to tackle hate speech online and offline. Reining in hate speech does not mean extinguishing freedom of expression, he said, but freedom of expression must never be an excuse for causing and compounding harm. The Secretary-General noted that the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech is grounded in international human rights, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
This afternoon at 4:30 p.m., the Secretary-General will speak at the launch of the UN System Data Commons, which creates a one-stop shop enabling easier public access to data and statistics from throughout the UN system. Twenty-six UN entities are joining forces to create a single gateway to their public data and statistics.
Almost 44 million data points are to be made available on the new platform today.
USG LACROIX TRAVEL
Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, has concluded his latest travel, which included visits to the Kyrgyz Republic and China. In the Kyrgyz Republic, he discussed peacekeeping issues with governmental authorities ahead of the country’s upcoming membership in the Security Council. The Kyrgyz Republic has long been a contributor to peacekeeping, dating back shortly after its independence, which was 35 years ago.
Then he traveled to Beijing, where he participated in the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, focused on international security and security governance. China is the second largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping and supports the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund and currently deploys more than 1,600 peacekeepers throughout UN missions. Mr. Lacroix is now safely back in New York.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-09-17
Guterres spoke at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech. The Conference was jointly organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
The Secretary-General highlighted that the effort to counter hate speech must be truly inclusive, grounded in respect and equity; shaped by women, men, and youth; and welcoming of religious, traditional, and community leaders, Indigenous Peoples, and minority groups.
He also emphasized, “reining in hate speech does not mean extinguishing freedom of expression. But freedom of expression must never be an excuse for causing or compounding harm.”
