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10/24/25
This event begins 10/24/47 and repeats every year forever
(A/RES/168 (II))
United Nations Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the United Nations. No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future we want. Today, the urgency for all countries to come together, to fulfil the promise of the nations united, has rarely been greater.
UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 77 years.
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10/24/25
This event begins 10/24/72 and repeats every year forever
(A/RES/3038 (XXVII))
An essential part of the work on development consists of the mobilization of public opinion in both developing and developed countries in support of set objectives and policies. Governments of the more advanced countries must continue and intensify their endeavors to deepen public understanding of the inter-dependent nature of development efforts, and of the need to assist the developing countries in accelerating their economic and social progress. Similarly, Governments of developing countries must continue to make people at all levels aware of the benefits and sacrifices involved, and to enlist their full participation in achieving the development goals and objectives.
The mobilization of public opinion has to be the responsibility mainly of national bodies. Governments may give consideration to the establishment of new national bodies or to strengthening the existing ones designed to mobilize public opinion, as a long-term measure, to give increasing development orientation to the educational curricula. Considering that leadership can make a significant contribution to the mobilization of public opinion, the formulation of concrete aims by the competent authorities is indispensable.
The role of the organization of the United Nations has been to assist the various national information media, in particular by supplying adequate basic information from which these media may draw both substance and inspiration for their work.
In 1972, the General Assembly established World Development Information Day to draw the attention of the world to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them (resolution 3038(XXVII)). The Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.
The Assembly deemed that improving the dissemination of information and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young people, would lead to greater awareness of the problems of development, thus, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for development.
Background
Since the 1970s, Governments dedicated themselves to the fundamental objectives enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations to create conditions of stability and well-being and to ensure a minimum standard of living consistent with human dignity through economic and social progress and development. The launching of the First United Nations Development Decade in 1961 marked a major world-wide endeavor to give concrete substance to that solemn pledge. Since then, attempts have continued to adopt measures for that purpose.
Unfortunately, however, the standard of living for millions of people in the world is still pitifully low: they are often still undernourished, uneducated, unemployed and wanting in many basic amenities. Nonetheless, the current frustrations and disappointments must not be allowed to cloud the vision or stand in the way of the development objectives.
The success of international development activities depends in large measure on improvement in the general international situation that requires concrete progress particularly in the promotion of equal political, economic, social and cultural rights for all members of society.
The ultimate objective of development must be to bring about sustained improvement in the well-being of the individual and to bestow benefits on all. If undue privilege, extremes of wealth, and social injustice persist, then development fails in its essential purpose. The international community must rise to the challenge of the present age of unprecedented opportunities offered by science and technological advances, such that they may be equitably shared by all countries and, in turn, may contribute to the accelerated economic development throughout the world.
Science and Technology
Developing countries must continue to increase their expenditure on research and development. They must also continue their concerted efforts, with appropriate assistance from the rest of the world, in expanding their capability to apply science and technology for development, so as to enable the technological gap to be significantly reduced.
Full international cooperation must be extended for the establishment, strengthening and promotion of scientific research and technological activities, which have a bearing on the expansion and modernization of economies. Particular attention must be devoted to fostering technologies suitable for each country, and concentrated research efforts should be made in relation to selected problems - the solutions to which can have a catalytic effect in accelerating development.
New Solutions to Development Challenges
The information and communications technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalization, and can foster economic growth, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication, and social inclusion that will help to expedite the integration of all countries, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, into the global economy.
Furthermore, it is a well-established fact that information and communications technologies present new opportunities and challenges and that there is a pressing need to address the major impediments that developing countries face in accessing new technologies, such as insufficient resources, infrastructure, education, capacity, investment and connectivity, and issues related to technology ownership, standards and flows. In this regard, we call upon all stakeholders to provide adequate resources, enhanced capacity-building, and technology transfer on mutually agreed terms to developing countries.
The Digital Divide
However, there are concerns regarding the digital divide in access to information and communications technology tools and broadband connectivity between countries at different levels of development, which affects many economically and socially relevant applications in areas such as government, business, health and education, and further expresses concern with regard to the special challenges faced in the area of broadband connectivity by developing countries, including the least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries. (A/RES/65/141)
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10/24/25
This event begins 10/24/21 and repeats every year forever
(A/RES/75/267)
In 2021, the UN General Assembly decided to commemorate Media and Information Literacy (MIL) week, citing the need for the dissemination of factual, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information. The resolution recognizes that the substantial digital divide and data inequalities that exist among different countries and within them, can be addressed in part by improving people’s competencies to seek, receive and impart information in the digital realm.
In the current ecosystem of complex and sometimes contradictory messages and meanings, it is hard to conceive of the public good being advanced, if the public is disempowered in the face of opportunities and threats. Each individual needs to be equipped with media and information literacy competencies to understand the stakes, and to contribute to and benefit from information and communication opportunities.
Global Media and Information Literacy Week, commemorated annually, is a major occasion for stakeholders to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards “Media and Information Literacy for All.”
What is Media and Information Literacy?
Our brains depend on information to work optimally. The quality of information we engage with largely determines our perceptions, beliefs and attitudes. It could be information from other persons, the media, libraries, archives, museums, publishers, or other information providers including those on the Internet.
People across the world are witnessing a dramatic increase in access to information and communication. While some people are starved for information, others are flooded with print, broadcast and digital content. Media and Information Literacy (MIL) provides answers to the questions that we all ask ourselves at some point. How can we access, search, critically assess, use and contribute content wisely, both online and offline? What are our rights online and offline? What are the ethical issues surrounding the access and use of information? How can we engage with media and information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote equality, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, peace, freedom of expression and access to information?
Through capacity-building resources, such as curricula development, policy guidelines and articulation, and assessment framework, UNESCO supports the development of MIL competencies among people.
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10/24/25 10/30/25
This event begins 10/24/95 and repeats every year forever
Disarmament Week seeks to promote awareness and better understanding of disarmament issues and their cross-cutting importance. Starting on 24 October, the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the week-long annual observance was first called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly’s 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2). In 1995, the General Assembly invited governments, as well as NGOs, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B, 12 December 1995) in order to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament issues.
Throughout history, countries have pursued disarmament to build a safer, more secure world and to protect people from harm. Since the foundation of the United Nations, disarmament and arms control have played a critical role in preventing and ending crises and armed conflict. Heightened tensions and dangers are better resolved through serious political dialogue and negotiation—not by more arms.
Weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, continue to be of primary concern, owing to their destructive power and the threat that they pose to humanity. The excessive accumulation and illicit trade in conventional weapons jeopardize international peace and security and sustainable development, while the use of heavy conventional weapons in populated areas is seriously endangering civilians. New and emerging weapon technologies, such as autonomous weapons, imperil global security and have received increased attention from the international community in recent years.
Measures for disarmament are pursued for many reasons, including to maintain international peace and security, uphold the principles of humanity, protect civilians, promote sustainable development, foster confidence and trust among States, and prevent and end armed conflict. Disarmament and arms control measures help ensure international and human security in the 21st Century and therefore must be an integral part of a credible and effective collective security system.
The United Nations continues to celebrate the efforts and involvement of a range of actors contributing to a safer, more peaceful common future through disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation efforts.
In a world threatened by weapons of mass destruction, conventional arms and emerging cyberwarfare, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres presented a new agenda for disarmament to save humanity, save lives and secure our common future.
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