Debate
A UN75 Dialogue in the Great Hall of Justice: The Future We Want, The UN we Need
- Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf
- Stef Blok
- Date
- Saturday 24 October 2020
- Time
- Location
- Peace Palace
About the Event
As we approach the 75th anniversary of the UN it has become apparent that we need to revisit important questions about the UN and change the way we act as a global community. The UN75 activities are forward-looking and encourage attendees to think about what the world will look like in the next 25 years, the role of the UN in achieving our visions for 2045, and what needs to be done now to achieve the targets, goals, and visions we have set for our collective futures.
The UN75 activities organized by the Chair of UN Studies, UNU-MERIT, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and partners in the Netherlands emphasize the role of young people (people under 35). Each event provides a platform for young people to share and discuss their dreams, criticisms, and visions for the future of the UN. At each event we bring together young people, policy makers, UN representatives, and stakeholders working in the field to produce statements and actions plans on how we can improve the UN going forward. The plan is to collect young people’s thoughts about the future of the UN and to share them with the UN through the UN 75 feedback mechanism.
The event at the Peace Palace is a follow up to the online UN75 Dialogue that took place in September. With help from some of the young people who attended the September event the Chair will present some of the ideas and suggestions that were discussed during the event. The report we created is available online and will be shared with the UN representatives, Minister Blok, and the UN Youth representatives who attend the event.
You can follow the event via livestream on YouTube here.
Panelists
- President Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the International Court of Justice
- Minister Stef Blok, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs
How to submit your questions to the panellists
If you have an comment or question you would like to share with all or one of the panellists please email unstudies@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Programme
- Opening Remarks
- Remarks by Panellists
- Musical intermission
- Q & A with Panellists and youth representatives
- Closing remarks by Burgemeester (Mayor of the Hague) Jan van Zanen
About UN 75 & the UN75 Report
The events are part of the UN75 global dialogue series in the Netherlands being organized by the Chair of UN Studies in Peace and Justice at Leiden University and The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The interactive dialogues will be structured around questions which arise from the UN75 toolbox provided by the UN Secretariat. It will also utilize the priorities from the UN Global Youth Strategy, in particular:
- How to amplify youth voices at the UN?
- Developing the role of youth in human rights - especially civic engagement at the city level.
- Young people as catalysts for peace.
The events aim to inspire action, bring together actors working on similar issues, and increase the visibility and relevance of the UN. The plan is to provide a lasting and substantive contribution from The Hague UN community directly to the UN. The goal is to share with the panellists and UN community what young people in the Netherlands are doing to ensure they live in a society that provides effective institutions that deliver justice and combat corruption, promotes peace, and is inclusive by ensuring all citizens are able to participate in the Dutch political system.
Click here to access the UN’s report
For more information about UN 75 what this short video