UN Day 2025 - Reflecting on 80 Years of the United Nations and a Lasting UAE Partnership

The United Nations in the United Arab Emirates joined the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) to mark UN Day 2025 with a public event celebrating the UN’s 80th anniversary and exploring the future of multilateralism.

The event brought together representatives from government, the diplomatic corps, and academia, with participation from AGDA students, to discuss how the UN can adapt to 21st-century challenges while preserving the principles that have guided it since 1945.

In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director General of AGDA, reaffirmed that “the UAE believes in multilateralism as a core principle of its foreign policy and continues to support the UN as it faces some of its hardest tests.”

H.E. Berangère Boëll, United Nations Resident Coordinator for the UAE, noted that “we are facing 21st-century challenges with tools built for the 1950s, and that is why renewing the UN system has become a necessity, not a choice.”

Panelists reflected on both the UN’s achievements and the need for institutional renewal. H.E. Nickolay Mladenov, Director General of AGDA, highlighted that “we don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we need to adapt the UN to today’s world while preserving the principles agreed upon 80 years ago.”

Prof. Eric Alter, Dean of Graduate Programs at AGDA, emphasized that while the UN might look different if created today, it “remains a cornerstone that has greatly advanced conflict reduction, poverty alleviation, and humanitarian action.”

Joining remotely, H.E. Jeffrey Feltman, Visiting Fellow in International Diplomacy at the Brookings Institution and former Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the United Nations, observed that “the UN has fulfilled its core purpose, preventing a Third World War and offering channels to ease tensions among great powers.”

A photo exhibition accompanied the event, tracing the evolution of the United Nations and the UAE’s long-standing partnership since the country joined the organization in 1971. The display showcased milestones in peace, development, and humanitarian cooperation, underscoring the UAE’s active role in multilateral engagement.

The UN in the UAE expresses its appreciation to AGDA for its partnership in hosting this meaningful commemoration, reaffirming the shared commitment to dialogue, collaboration, and a renewed multilateral system fit for the future.