Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, at the 74th plenary meeting of the 80th session of the General Assembly on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
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António Guterres, said, “Racial discrimination is a violation of human rights and human dignity. It is a learned behaviour that is both pervasive and deeply destructive.”
He also said, , “I am deeply troubled by how racism and xenophobia are being mainstreamed on digital platforms and in political discourse. What might begin with dog whistles — coded messages meant to embolden other bigots — can quickly turn into full-throated hate speech. We know where this road leads: to further injustice, violence, and even worse. The remedy is solidarity. Governments, institutions, businesses and communities must work together to safeguard the dignity, justice, equality, and rights of every person.”
UNICEF senior official Ted Chaiban told reporters that 118 children have been killed and 372 more have been injured in Lebanon since the escalation began –“the equivalent of a classroom of children every day that’s either killed or injured.”
UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban briefed reporters on his recent visit to Lebanon.
He said, “Twenty-three days into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, children across the region are paying a devastating price. A further descent into a wider and more protracted conflict would be catastrophic for millions more.”
According the UNICEF, more than 2,100 children have been killed or injured, including 206 children killed in Iran, 118 in Lebanon, four children killed in Israel and one in Kuwait. “These are the reported figures and they are expected to rise as the violence continues. That’s an average of approximately 87 children either killed or injured every day since the beginning of the war,” Chaiban added.
The UNICEF deputy chief also said, “alongside the dead and the wounded, we are witnessing rapid displacement across several countries, driven by relentless bombardments and evacuation orders that have emptied communities and entire urban areas.”
He continued, “In Iran, there are estimates of up to 3.2 million people that have been displaced, including 864,000 children. In Lebanon, more than a million people are displaced, including 400,000 children, making up nearly one third of the displaced. Many families are taking refuge in public buildings, including schools. 90,000 Syrians have returned to Syria since the onset of the conflict, alongside several thousand Lebanese.”
“Across the Middle East, around 44.8 million children were already living in conflict affected settings before this war and the consequences of what is unfolding now will be long lasting for them,” Chaiban said.
The UNICEF deputy chief highlighted that more than 350 public schools are used as shelters, disrupting the education for around 100,000 students.
He said, “though efforts are on the way to provide online education and other ways to access children with learning and teaching, as we know schools provide more than learning. They offer structure, protection and continuity. So when schools are closed, are repurposed, those stabilizing elements are lost.”
UNICEF and Partners have been responding to the crisis, Chaiban said, adding that the Fund has reached 151,000 IDPs in more than 250 shelters, and in hard-to-reach areas with essential non-food items.
“We’re providing water and sanitation support to 188 of the shelters out of the 600, serving around 46,000 people. We’ve pre-positioned high energy biscuits, ready to use complementary foods to prevent wasting among children. Some 13,000 children in shelters have received education and learning materials,” he added.
On funding gap, the UNICEF deputy chief said, “the UN issued a flash appeal for $308 million. The UNICEF portion of that’s required is 48.2 million. This is three-month flash appeal. And yet for both the UN and for UNICEF, there’s about an 85 percent funding gap. So, you know, a key demand is for support to be able to sustain the response, but also essential services that are critical for the population, and for the displaced in particular.”
The children’s fund called for “a cessation of hostilities and protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” reminding all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law.
Chaiban said, “as the Secretary-General has indicated, we need a de-escalation and a political way forward to this war.”
He also called for “safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access” to support missions that are being undertaken to go south and the urgent financial support to sustain the response.
Press briefing by AU / Africa Group, led by Ghana, on the proposed resolution to be tabled and considered in the GA on Wednesday, 25th March during the GA commemorative event marking the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day of Zero Waste (30 March 2026).
"The world wastes far too much food.
Every day, we throw away enough to prepare 1 billion meals — while letting 9 percent of humanity go hungry.
We are putting our climate, ecosystems and health at risk.
And threatening our ability to feed ourselves in the future.
That’s why this year’s International Day of Zero Waste spotlights the mounting food waste crisis — and calls on each of us to take action.
Consumers can make a big impact with small changes in their shopping and cooking habits.
Retailers can optimize their operations and redistribute surplus food.
Cities can scale organic waste separation and strengthen procurement for schools and hospitals.
And national governments can drive systemic change by addressing food waste in their climate
action and biodiversity plans and forging public-private partnerships.
Through initiatives like the Food Waste Breakthrough and No Organic Waste, both launched at
COP30, we can halve food waste by 2030, cut its methane emissions by up to 7 percent, and
build circular, resilient food systems.
Beyond protecting our planet, these efforts will create green jobs;
Reduce food insecurity and climate impacts;
And prevent up to 1 trillion US dollars in economic losses each year.
We cannot take food for granted.
Together, let’s build the zero-waste food systems we need to nourish both people and planet."
More info:https://www.un.org/en/observances/zero-waste-day
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
– State of the Global Climate/Report
– World Meteorological Day
– Racial Discrimination
– Lebanon
– West Bank
– Sudan
– South Sudan
– Security Council/Afternoon
– Ukraine
– Senior Personnel Appointment
– Financial Contribution
– Guest
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
This morning, the Secretary-General addressed the General Assembly event marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He said that many of the solutions to confront racial discrimination are being weakened as some governments dismantle anti-racist policies and practices and leaders try to rewrite history.
He said he was deeply troubled by how racism and xenophobia are being mainstreamed on digital platforms and in political discourse. What might begin with dog whistles, coded messages meant to embolden other bigots, can quickly turn into full-throated hate speech.
Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, also spoke and said that race remains the most common ground for discrimination globally. Yet many countries still lack anti-racism legislation, and not even a quarter have comprehensive anti-discrimination laws. And he warned that hate speech is spreading unchecked, even in societies that pride themselves on tolerance, adding that racism is not only unjust and unlawful; it is morally and intellectually bankrupt.
LEBANON
The UN is deeply concerned about continuing attacks on healthcare, including health workers, health facilities and ambulances. As of today, the WHO [World Health Organization] reports 64 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in 51 deaths and 91 injuries, further straining an already fragile health system.
Displacement also continues to surge. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that more than 1.2 million people, or around one in every five residents, have been forced to flee their homes. More than 130,000 people, including some 46,000 children, are currently sheltering in more than 600 collective sites nationwide, most of which are already at full capacity. Our humanitarian colleagues warn that these figures will rise further as hostilities intensify, with Israeli authorities announcing plans to escalate ground operations along the blue line.
Strikes on critical infrastructure also continue. Reports indicate that yesterday’s destruction of the Qasmieh bridge in the Sour district has further isolated southern Lebanon from the rest of the country. This comes amid a broader pattern of strikes on crossings over the Litani River, with three bridges destroyed by Israeli forces in just the last 10 days. Between the Sour and Saida districts, only one bridge remains functional, raising concerns over people’s ability to flee and access assistance. Such destruction may also impede our peacekeepers’ ability to fulfill their mandate under Security Council resolution 1701.
Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-23
In the aftermath of World War II, the search for a permanent UN headquarters became one of the most high-profile decisions of the era – involving world leaders, city officials, and influential figures including US President Harry S. Truman, the Rockefeller family and New York City mayor William O’Dwyer.
Before the iconic Headquarters was built, the UN operated out of a series of temporary locations across New York – including Hunter College (now Lehman College), where the first Security Council meeting took place in March 1946, and Parkway Village in Queens, a pioneering residential community that housed many UN delegates and staff.
Through rare archival footage, historic photography, and expert interviews, this film traces the early years of the UN in New York (1945–1952) and explores the deep political, cultural, and economic ties between the Organization and its host city.
As the UN marks 80 years since its first meetings in New York, this story sheds light on a defining moment in both global diplomacy and the city’s history.
Featuring:
Chris McNickle, New York City historian
Rula Hinedi, Chief of the UN Guided Tours Section
Duane Tananbaum, Emeritus Professor, Lehman College
Archival materials:
The Todd Webb Archive
New York City Municipal Archives
NY State Archives
Indiana University Moving Image Archive
00:00:00 NYC After WWII
00:01:30 Why New York Won the UN Headquarters
00:02:43 The Rockefeller Deal
00:04:23 The UN’s Early Days in New York City
00:05:43 First Security Council Session in NYC
00:06:17 Housing Diplomats in a Segregated City
00:07:54 The UN’s Legacy & New York Today
In the aftermath of World War II, the search for a permanent UN headquarters became one of the most high-profile decisions of the era – involving world leaders, city officials, and influential figures including US President Harry S. Truman, the Rockefeller family and New York City mayor William O’Dwyer.
Before the iconic Headquarters was built, the UN operated out of a series of temporary locations across New York – including Hunter College (now Lehman College), where the first Security Council meeting took place in March 1946, and Parkway Village in Queens, a pioneering residential community that housed many UN delegates and staff.
Through rare archival footage, historic photography, and expert interviews, this film traces the early years of the UN in New York (1945–1952) and explores the deep political, cultural, and economic ties between the Organization and its host city.
As the UN marks 80 years since its first meetings in New York, this story sheds light on a defining moment in both global diplomacy and the city’s history.
Featuring:
Chris McNickle, New York City historian
Rula Hinedi, Chief of the UN Guided Tours Section
Duane Tananbaum, Emeritus Professor, Lehman College
Archival materials:
The Todd Webb Archive
New York City Municipal Archives
NY State Archives
Indiana University Moving Image Archive
00:00:00 NYC After WWII
00:01:30 Why New York Won the UN Headquarters
00:02:43 The Rockefeller Deal
00:04:23 The UN’s Early Days in New York City
00:05:43 First Security Council Session in NYC
00:06:17 Housing Diplomats in a Segregated City
00:07:54 The UN’s Legacy & New York Today
In a world flooded with information, the stories that move people to care—and act—are the ones that cut through the noise.
Join us for a dynamic conversation exploring how storytelling can amplify social impact, build authentic connections, and turn complex issues into narratives that inspire change.
Moderator:
Annemarie Hou, Executive Director, UN Office for Partnerships
Speakers:
Tabitha Morton, Executive Director, UN Women UK
Bradley Archer Haynes, Global Marketing and Social Impact Chief, former Head of Brand and ED of Content for Change, Paramount Global
Intergenerational Leadership for Climate Justice and a Sustainable Future.
The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges of our time and without urgent action it will continue to accelerate. It is our collective responsibility to leave behind a world that is safe and livable for future generations. But there is still reason to have hope: climate solutions are now readily available and cost-effective to implement.
Meaningful youth engagement is a fundamental human right and a non-negotiable strategy to raise climate ambition. From grassroots campaigns to global advocacy, youth-led movements are sparking hope, driving recognition of urgent realities, and transforming calls for climate justice into action. This intergenerational conversation will explore why it is essential to elevate young and diverse voices in the fight for the future of people and the planet.
Speakers:
Charitie Ropati, UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change, indigenous climate justice advocate, and water engineer
Mary Robinson, member of the Elders and former chair, first woman President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Russell Reed, Climate Activist, We Are Family Foundation Lead Delegate & Co-Architect of the NDC Youth Clause Campaign
Moderator:
Justin Worland, Senior Correspondent, TIME
SDG Media Zone website: https://www.un.org/en/sdgmediazone
Video message by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (25 March 2026).
"Today we commemorate the victims of a staggering crime:
Millions of people stolen from their families and communities in Africa.
Trafficked across the Atlantic.
And — if they survived the journey — enslaved in the Americas.
Millions more were born into bondage, brutally exploited for their labour, and denied their basic humanity.
We honour their quiet resilience and courageous acts of open resistance.
This global order prevailed for over 400 years — and haunts our world even now.
In systems and institutions shaped and enriched by chattel slavery.
In social and economic inequalities rooted in past injustices.
And in biases that permeate our culture and impact us all.
On this International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, we are called to confront these legacies.
By rejecting the false narrative of racial difference and the ugly lie of white supremacy.
By dismantling racism — online, in the media, in schools, at work, in politics, and within ourselves.
And by working for truth, justice, and repair.
I welcome the initial steps by some governments to address the consequences of slavery.
But far bolder actions — by many more Member States — are needed.
Including commitments to respect African countries’ ownership of their own resources.
And steps to ensure their equal participation and influence in the global financial architecture and the UN Security Council.
Together, let us commit to a world where all people live and thrive in dignity".
