City of Bonn: UN@70: Happy Anniversary!

Seventy years of the United Nations – a time to reflect on the past and set the course for the future Bonn celebrates the anniversary with the city’s traditional United Nations Day and the United Nations Talks in October as well as with a number of events throughout the entire year.

UN @ 70

The organization was founded in 1945 after the end of WW II, a terrible war with innumerable victims, leaving an unprecedented level of destruction and great distress in its wake. At the time, 51 countries committed to maintaining peace around the globe.

“The 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to reflect – to look back on the UN’s history and take stock of its enduring achievements. It is also an opportunity to spotlight where the UN – and the international community as a whole – needs to redouble its efforts to meet current and future challenges across the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development, and human rights.” (Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s message for UN70)

Bonn’s UN Family

2015 is not only a special anniversary year for the United Nations, but will be a decisive year for the future as well. The work on the sustainable development agenda will take center stage, and Bonn’s UN family will form part of the related processes, conferences and summit meetings. The Sustainable Development Goals will replace and build on the Millennium Development Goals, and they will reflect many ‘Bonn Topics’ that our UN entities are working on.

The founding charter of the United Nations entered into force on 24 October 1945. Traditionally, this day is celebrated as United Nations Day around the globe. Being Germany’s United Nations City, Bonn has recognized this special day for many years. In fact, this year will see the 20th edition of a festival on the Market Square in front of the Old Town Hall. The Bonn-based UN agencies introduce their work with a colorful program for all. Apart from the United Nations, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Foreign Office and many Bonn-based international organizations will be present on this day and place a special emphasis on their activities relating to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Bonn United Nations Talks will again take place on the evening before, i.e. on 23 October. Guest speaker will be Professor Klaus Töpfer, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. The talks will be followed by a reception on the occasion of United Nations Day.

The University of Bonn invites to the public lecture series “The United Nations at 70: Fit for “The Future We Want”?” that aims to review how some of the most pressing global challenges are addressed by the United Nations. Taking a long-term perspective, eminent experts offer critical appraisals of the United Nations’ role in pertinent policy fields, such as sustainable global development, peacekeeping, human and refugee rights or international climate policy, and contextualize them in view of current processes and perennial reform debates.

More information on upcoming lectures

September will see the second edition of the Festival Save the World. Together with renowned artists, UN and NGO senior experts, Theater Bonn has organized this festival to allow the audience to experience climate change and its consequences first hand. There will again be several guest performances, concerts, a special children’s program and many surprising insights for our visitors. Detailed Festival program

Source: Bonn International Newsletter, Edition 3, August 2015

Seventy years of the United Nations – a time to reflect on the past and set the course for the future Bonn celebrates the anniversary with the city’s traditional United Nations Day and the United Nations Talks in October as well as with a number of events throughout the entire year.

UN @ 70

The organization was founded in 1945 after the end of WW II, a terrible war with innumerable victims, leaving an unprecedented level of destruction and great distress in its wake. At the time, 51 countries committed to maintaining peace around the globe.

“The 70th anniversary of the United Nations is an opportunity to reflect – to look back on the UN’s history and take stock of its enduring achievements. It is also an opportunity to spotlight where the UN – and the international community as a whole – needs to redouble its efforts to meet current and future challenges across the three pillars of its work: peace and security, development, and human rights.” (Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s message for UN70)

Bonn’s UN Family

2015 is not only a special anniversary year for the United Nations, but will be a decisive year for the future as well. The work on the sustainable development agenda will take center stage, and Bonn’s UN family will form part of the related processes, conferences and summit meetings. The Sustainable Development Goals will replace and build on the Millennium Development Goals, and they will reflect many ‘Bonn Topics’ that our UN entities are working on.

The founding charter of the United Nations entered into force on 24 October 1945. Traditionally, this day is celebrated as United Nations Day around the globe. Being Germany’s United Nations City, Bonn has recognized this special day for many years. In fact, this year will see the 20th edition of a festival on the Market Square in front of the Old Town Hall. The Bonn-based UN agencies introduce their work with a colorful program for all. Apart from the United Nations, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Foreign Office and many Bonn-based international organizations will be present on this day and place a special emphasis on their activities relating to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Bonn United Nations Talks will again take place on the evening before, i.e. on 23 October. Guest speaker will be Professor Klaus Töpfer, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. The talks will be followed by a reception on the occasion of United Nations Day.

The University of Bonn invites to the public lecture series “The United Nations at 70: Fit for “The Future We Want”?” that aims to review how some of the most pressing global challenges are addressed by the United Nations. Taking a long-term perspective, eminent experts offer critical appraisals of the United Nations’ role in pertinent policy fields, such as sustainable global development, peacekeeping, human and refugee rights or international climate policy, and contextualize them in view of current processes and perennial reform debates.

More information on upcoming lectures

September will see the second edition of the Festival Save the World. Together with renowned artists, UN and NGO senior experts, Theater Bonn has organized this festival to allow the audience to experience climate change and its consequences first hand. There will again be several guest performances, concerts, a special children’s program and many surprising insights for our visitors. Detailed Festival program

Source: Bonn International Newsletter, Edition 3, August 2015