These pressing issues necessitate urgent action and World Cities Day, celebrated on October 31, offers a platform to reflect on the unprecedented challenges that they face. 

Designated by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 68/239, it aims to elevate the international community’s focus to promote sustainable development and tackle the challenges of urbanisation.  

Persons with disabilities continue to be left behind in global development efforts. Progress is insufficient for them in 30% of the Sustainable Development Goal targets, and in 14% of cases, the target has been missed or progress has stalled or been reversed. This includes targets on access to financial resources, healthcare, water, and information and communications technology (ICT), as well as on building the resilience of persons with disabilities during disasters and other emergencies.  

The United Nations has unveiled the official logo for the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives (IYC), symbolizing unity and global collaboration. The design features interconnected figures around the globe, representing people working together to create a better world. The logo highlights the cooperative movement's spirit of collaboration and its global impact in building a more equitable and sustainable future, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2024 Global Cooperative Conference takes place on 25-30 November 2024 at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India and will be the official launch of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC) in the presence of global leaders, academics and practitioners. The IYC takes the theme “Cooperative Build a Better World”, to inspire cooperators worldwide to work together to strengthen the international cooperative movement.

The Chairperson of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Issues express their deep concern over reports of growing violence against the Indigenous Peoples of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Bangladesh.

The Secretary-General's Report of the 79th Session of the General Assembly was published 1st October 2024. The report, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/27, examines the contribution of sport to achieving peace and the Sustainable Development Goals.

World leaders on Sunday adopted the Pact for the Future, a landmark declaration pledging concrete actions towards a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for tomorrow’s generations.

At the Summit of the Future, the UN Inter-Agency Group on Ageing, represented by the Universal Postal Union, urged world leaders to recognize the crucial role older persons play in global development.

1. What is the Summit of the Future?

In 2020, the UN turned 75 and marked the occasion by starting a global conversation about hopes and fears for the future.

This was the beginning of a process that would eventually lead, four years later, to the convening of the Summit of the Future, a major event this September, which will take place at UN Headquarters, just before the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly.

The rapid advancement of information and digital technologies has ushered in an era of unprecedented opportunity for social development. From telehealth to e-learning, digital tools are revolutionizing the way we deliver and access essential services. However, a new report by the UN Secretary-General emphasizes the immediate need to bridge the gap in access to technology and make sure that these technologies are used responsibly and inclusively.