Category: United Nations

Source: United Nations (video statements)

On Saturday, 18 July 2026, on Nelson Mandela International Day, the UN Movie Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is honoured to present a special conversation with lead actor Keenan Arrison on THE HEART IS A MUSCLE — South Africa’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, and winner of the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Directed by Imran Hamdulay, the film is a portrait of inherited trauma, the slow courage of forgiveness, and what it means to be a father — themes that speak directly to the values at the heart of the United Nations: the protection of human rights, the pursuit of reconciliation, and the belief that vulnerability is not weakness, but strength. As the film reminds us — and as Mandela showed the world — it is in choosing to break the cycle, to forgive, and to rise, that our common humanity is most fully expressed.

Opening remarks will be delivered by H.E. Mr. Mxolisi Nkosi, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations; Mbongiseni Buthelezi, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation; and Ndaba Mandela, Founder and Chairman of the Mandela Institute for Humanity.

Cinema holds the unique power to illuminate the universal ideals enshrined by the United Nations — peace, human rights, cultural dignity, and equal rights for all. Founded at United Nations Headquarters by Brenda Vongova, the UN Movie Society is committed to championing the goals and values of the United Nations through the universal language of motion pictures.

Learn more about Mandela Day at the United Nations:
https://www.un.org/en/events/mandeladay/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkHfFNE6UkQ

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Opening remarks by Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the High-level meeting on critical energy transition minerals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQIbjoHOtn8

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Final, the United Nations Youth Office announced the launch of a global advocacy campaign on youth mental health and well-being: One World, One Game, One Goal. Through football, the initiative aims to raise awareness, encourage investment in mental health, and empower young people by promoting resilience and a whole-of-society approach to well-being.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/FdJArtRmvbQ

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Women are driving the energy transition from the frontlines of innovation, policy, investment, and community organizing. Aligned with the 2026 High-Level Political Forum’s theme of transformative, equitable action, this session convenes senior leaders from clean energy entrepreneurship, sustainable finance, and multilateral institutions to explore how diverse leadership accelerates progress on SDG7. Bridging grassroots networks and global institutions, the conversation will highlight the unique impact of women-led approaches, expose where structural barriers persist, and outline how the international community can champion inclusive leadership at every level. Join us to reshape the future of clean energy.

Speakers:

– Ms. Selen İnal, Founder of EcoMuse and Member of the Council of Engineers for the Energy Transition
– Ms. Rana Ghoneim, Director, Division of Energy and Climate Action at UNIDO

Moderator: Ms. Kathryn Clay, Lead Energy & Climate Analyst at Washington Post Intelligence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jptHOL4kL94

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Press Conference by Felipe Paullier, the Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, and Sahira Al Nahari, a Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They briefed journalists on mental health and football.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup men’s final, Felipe Paullier announced the convening of One World, One Game, One Goal, a global event with the UN Member States Friends of Football to celebrate football and sports as powerful drivers of youth mental health and well-being.

Talking to reporters in New York, Paullier said young people are “navigating a very complex world with unpredictable change,” where they are “most interconnected than ever, but at the same time, we have very worrying figures about isolation among people in general, and especially adolescents and youth.”

Behind these numbers, he said, “there’s actually people, millions of young people, families and communities that are carrying a pain which is often unseen, unspoken and unsupported.”

Paullier said, “we’re taking this moment where everyone is looking into football as a connector of humanity, football as something that brings us together, sometimes to celebrate, to talk about something, sometimes to cry when our team is not performing well.”

During the event, he said, “we will launch a one-year campaign, a public advocacy campaign, that it’s about elevating youth mental health and well-being onto the world stage, because we believe that we cannot advance any of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) if there is not a generation that feels supported, that feels empowered and resilient.”

Joining Paullier, Sahira Al Nahari, who is a young leader for the SDGs, said, “football has a lot for us to learn from. When we’re facing a global crisis, let’s zoom into the stadiums. When you look at the stadiums, we learn discipline, resilience and how to recover from profound loss. It prepares us ultimately for the most complex match of all, which is the game of life.”

Al Nahari said, “on the field, absolutely no one wins alone. Players depend on a whole ecosystem. So, you have defenders, you have midfielders, coaches, medics, and fans in the stands all having important roles. And so, when we approached Youth mental health, we required the same exact ecosystem.”

One World, One Game, One Goal is part of the United Nations Youth Office’s flagship initiative on Youth Mental Health and Well-Being, advancing an important shift from fragmented, individual approaches to a holistic ecosystem model.

Friday’s event will bring together young leaders, changemakers, policymakers, UN entities, governments, civil society, private sector partners, athletes, and advocates to celebrate football and sports.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYCmKxEoG3g

Source: United Nations (video statements)

The head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) Leonardo Santos Simão said, “the threat posed by terrorist and other non-state armed groups remains acute, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, rapidly targeting coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea.”

The UNOWAS chief briefed the Council (14 Jul) on three broad trends that stand out for the region: first, the concerning security situation, second, the renewal of the momentum for dialogue and cooperation, and thirdly, the democratic developments occurring in the region.

Simão stated that the terrorist and other non-state armed groups are “adapting their tactics, increasingly using advanced technology, such as drones, means of communication and cryptocurrencies.”

He also highlighted, “coupled with terrorism, drug trafficking, production and consumption are a rapidly growing phenomena in the region, affecting mainly coastal states, where increasing quantities of different types of these substances are being seized by the authorities.”

“Youth are the principal victims, but there are also reports of their use by terrorist combatants,” the UNOWAS chief said, adding that political and public institutions in some countries are “reportedly threatened by drug syndicates, leading to their weakening.”

“Humanitarian access remains severely constrained in many areas, while funding shortfalls are reducing the reach of life-saving assistance,” Simão said.

He added, “women, children and young people continue to bear the brunt of displacement, insecurity, rights violations and limited access to essential services.”

“Attacks on schools underscore the wider toll that insecurity is taking on the future prospects of entire communities,” Simão emphasized.

The head of UNOWAS highlighted the growing role of the African Union. He said, “it is playing an increasingly important part in fostering dialogue, bringing parties closer together, and ensuring strategic coherence.”

“This shift is reflected in strengthened cooperation with ECOWAS as well as increased engagement with Mali and other countries in the region,” Simão added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5y-khrIeDo

Source: United Nations (video statements)

After the Council’s meeting, UNOWAS chief Leonardo Santos Simão told reporters, “the region has demonstrated remarkable resilience. But it cannot succeed without sustained international support.”

He reiterated, “we must therefore invest in humanitarian assistance, development and regional cooperation if we are to address the root causes of instability and build lasting peace in the region.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxPBAxoGNX0

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
– Secretary-General/Trip Announcement
– Critical Energy Transition Minerals
– Iran
– Yemen
– Lebanon
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Security Council
– Sudan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo/Humanitarian
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Noon Briefing Guest
– Financial contribution

SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT

Tomorrow, the Secretary-General will start a visit to China, where he will have several official engagements. During the visit, the Secretary-General will travel to Yunnan Province. He will visit the Erhai Lake Ecological Corridor in Dali, a 900-hectare nature-based restoration project that has significantly boosted local biodiversity. Afterwards, in Kunming, he will interact with beneficiaries and local counterparts of UN programmes supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in China. Among these are programmes on biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration, low-carbon rural development and sustainable agriculture, rural revitalization, as well as gender equality and social inclusion.

While in China, the Secretary-General will also attend the Opening Ceremony of the World AI Conference in Shanghai. In his address, he will emphasize that the defining question is not whether artificial intelligence will transform our world, but whether that transformation will reduce inequalities and expand opportunity. The Secretary-General is expected to underscore that the technology that will shape the future of humanity must be shaped by all of humanity, and that it cannot be governed by a handful of countries or companies. The Secretary-General will also deliver remarks at the Opening Session of the World AI Conference Meteorological Forum.

The Secretary-General will return to New York on Monday, 20 July.

CRITICAL ENERGY TRANSITION MINERALS

This morning, the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, addressed a High-Level Meeting on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. She stressed that advancing the energy transition, at speed and scale, has never been more urgent or vital.

Ms. Mohammed noted that the climate crisis is driving us deeper into planetary overshoot with rising temperatures pushing us closer to irreversible catastrophic tipping points. And at the same time, she added, a global energy crisis is exposing the folly of a world still hooked on hydrocarbons, with limited access to cleaner fuels for the poor, and accelerated destruction of our natural systems, pushing ecosystems to the brink.

The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out that these crises have one common cause: fossil fuels. She underscored that they demand the same answer: a fast, fair and inclusive transition to clean energy, along with shared benefits from decarbonization, and a surge in adaptation finance, resilient infrastructure and climate justice for those already facing climate harm.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-07-14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL0fpDz75Ow

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Addressing an emergency meeting of the Security Council requested by the Yemeni government, Acting Assistant Secretary-General Indrika Ratwatte said, “Yemen’s humanitarian crisis deepening just as our ability to respond has been sharply reduced” due to “unprecedented fall in humanitarian funding.”

Ratwatte said, “food insecurity is approaching catastrophic levels, with more than 18 million people across Yemen hungry and many of them in an acute situation of hunger.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fXZ9RjwELo

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Since June 2024, UN DESA has partnered with the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology and Accenture to develop SDG Chat. As the first proposal approved by the UN Secretariat’s Cross-functional Working Group on Generative AI, this tool uses GenAI to provide a single, intuitive interface for UN DESA’s SDG resources. By making critical data easily accessible, SDG Chat fosters global engagement and serves as a prime example of how public-private partnerships can accelerate sustainable development.

Speakers:

– Ms. Bjørg Sandkjær, Assistant Secretary-General, UN DESA
– Ms. Lan Guan, Chief AI & Data Officer, Accenture
– Lambert Hogenhout, Chief of Data and AI, UN OICT

Moderator: Martha Barreneche, Youth Advocacy & Well-being International Specialist, UN Youth Office

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c6ebbLkI9g