In 2024, the United Nations marked the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2250âa landmark commitment to the global Youth, Peace and Security agenda. On 15 December, the UN Youth Office, in partnership with the UN system and with the support of Member States, convened a high-level stocktaking event and an intergenerational Peace Circle to reflect on progress, elevate youth leadership, and renew political commitment for the decade ahead.
We are grateful to young people around the world leading peacebuilding and conflict-resolution efforts in their communities. We see you and we stand with you.
As the world debates how technology is shaping societies, actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been sharing why people and purpose must remain at the heart of the digital future.
UN Newsâ Vibhu Mishra spoke with him on the sidelines of a high-level UN meeting marking 20 years of global cooperation on the internet and digital technologies.
Mr. Gordon-Levitt reflected on creativity, inclusion and the responsibility that comes with powerful digital tools, especially as technology becomes more embedded in everyday life.
He said he was inspired by people working not just for profit, but to make the world better â even when the challenge feels like a âDavid and Goliathâ battle.
Filippo Grandi has devoted more than three decades to easing the suffering of refugees: âMy pride after all these years is that the center of this effort of my lifetime has been on people, and especially on the people that suffer most in the world, including refugees.â
Now, shortly before his term comes to an end, and as more than 117 million people worldwide remain forcibly displaced, the long-serving UN High Commissioner for Refugees is welcoming a rare moment of hope for one of the worldâs largest refugee populations. âHome means your house, your family, your friends, your work, your school, and it is fantastic when, like in Syria [âŚ] people can go back to their homes. This is what most refugees want.â
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, not only helps those who flee war and persecution, but also those who choose to go home when peace returns. Appearing on Awake at Night for a second time, Filippo Grandi reflects on the dangers of divisive politics, the human cost of painful budget and staff cuts, and shares his hopes and dreams for life after the UN.
[00:00] Introduction
[01:22] A life devoted to people
[04:55] Why displacement has nearly doubled
[08:24] What peace really means
[10:51] The meaning of home
[12:54] Why hate-fueled narratives are dangerous
[16:13] When humanity shines
[18:07] What keeps Filippo awake at night
[24:37] The pain of letting colleagues go
[28:19] Watching refugees return home in hope
[31:15] Witnessing violence and unresolved conflicts
[32:57] Rage, indignation, and negotiation
[34:47] A life of service worth every sacrifice
[36:39] His next chapter
[40:07] His hope for the UN
[41:00] Geneva, City of Refuge
[42:50] âDonât Lose Heartâ: A final message to colleagues and listeners
[43:30] Closing remarks
Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
#podcast #unitednations #awakeatnight #UNCHR #Refugees
About Awake at Night
Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast âAwake at Nightâ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives â from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.
In 2024, the United Nations marked the 10th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 2250âa landmark commitment to the global Youth, Peace and Security agenda. On 15 December, the UN Youth Office, in partnership with the UN system and with the support of Member States, convened a high-level stocktaking event and an intergenerational Peace Circle to reflect on progress, elevate youth leadership, and renew political commitment for the decade ahead.
We are grateful to young people around the world leading peacebuilding and conflict-resolution efforts in their communities. We see you and we stand with you.
Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
Parliament is full of red and green, and not just because itâs Christmas. The colours hold special significance for the House of Commons and @HouseofLords
In a video briefing to the press, a World Food Programme official reflects on a recent visit to Gaza, describing the conditions faced by displaced families during winter â including mothers with newborns living in tents, limited food access, and unsafe surroundings.
An on-the-ground account of the humanitarian situation as witnessed during a WFP field visit.
Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)
In 2025 the House of Lords considered 6,500 changes to bills, pressed the government for action in over 1,400 hours of business, and heard from the public, organisations, and ministers in 656 committee meetings.
đ Catch up on a busy year and explore the key highlight https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2025/dec-2025/2025-in-the-house-of-lords/
Catch-up on House of Lords business:
Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/
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Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, echoed concerns about instability and funding shortfalls. She said recent violence underscored the fragile situation. âLast weekâs attack in Palmyra, and other suspected ISIL attacks in recent months, also illustrate the fragile situation in many areas,â she said, adding that such violence undermines prospects for development and investment.
Msuya warned that aid operations are being constrained by lack of resources. âWith our humanitarian appeal for 2025 only 30 per cent funded, there are millions more people that we canât help,â she said, noting reductions and disruptions in critical assistance.
Civil society voices also addressed the Council. Mariam Jalabi, co-founder of the Syrian Womenâs Political Movement, appealed to Syrians at home and in the diaspora to continue pursuing justice and accountability. She called on Syrians to âcelebrate the anniversary of our liberationâ and to ensure that âthe voice of the Syrian people be the source and compass of all authority.â
"We all share one clear goal. A just and lasting peace for Ukraine." – President von der Leyen
On 19 December 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took part in the European Council press conference with Council President AntĂłnio Costa, and Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, to address securing funding for Ukraine.
It was announced that the EU has secured an agreement to finance Ukraine’s needs for the next two years, committing EUR 90 billion through EU borrowing on the capital markets.
Additionally, it was announced that progress has been made on the Mercosur agreement, enhancing trade opportunities amid rising tariffs. Praising the Danish Presidency’s leadership, Commission President von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to Ukraine, energy independence, and defence initiatives.
For the full transcript of the speech, see here: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_25_3134
Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission:
https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-282866
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