Remarks of Mrs. Zainab Hawa Bangura on the occasion of the United Nations Day 2025

Remarks of Mrs. Zainab Hawa Bangura, Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) on the occasion of the United Nations Day 2025

UNON Conference Room 2 Friday, 24 October 2025, 10:00am

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Your Excellency Dr. Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs (MFDA), Kenya,

Your Excellency Ambassador Beyene Russom, Eritrean Ambassador to Kenya and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Kenya,

USG Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and my dear friend and sister,

Mr. Raf Tuts, UN-Habitat Director of Global Solutions Division, representing my friend and sister, USG Anacláudia Rossbach, UN-Habitat Executive Director,

Mr. Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya,

Excellencies,

Honoured Guests,

Students and Youth,

Friends of the United Nations,

Esteemed Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning to every one of you.

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the United Nations

Office at Nairobi — the UN’s only Headquarters in the Global South — as we join the world in commemorating United Nations Day 2025 and celebrating this landmark 80th anniversary of the United Nations.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to start by conveying my condolences to the people and the Government of Kenya for the loss of Honourable Raila Odinga, the former Prime Minister of the Republic of Kenya. May he rest in peace.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Eighty years ago, in the aftermath of war, the world’s nations united behind a bold vision — to build peace, promote human rights, and advance development for all.

We are deeply honoured to mark this milestone here in Kenya, a country that has been a steadfast partner of the United Nations for decades. From hosting these impressive premises of the UN Office in Nairobi, to advancing peacekeeping, environmental protection, sustainable development and urban cities and housing initiatives, Kenya has been at the heart of the UN story. As I frequently say, just about every facet of UN operations is represented here in Kenya (perhaps with the exception of the International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA).

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This celebration of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations is special because of you.

In this Conference Room and watching online, are people who have devoted their lives to service.

To action. To hope.

Women and men of the United Nations.

Diplomats. Partners in civil society. Advocates and changemakers.

You are all living proof that the world changes -- not just through declarations, but through dedication.

Through courage.

Through the quiet, persistent work of people who refuse to give up.

And so this anniversary is more than a commemoration of our past. It is also about a living legacy.

The United Nations is alive -- in each and every one of you.

In all who understand that global problems demand global solutions.

We are all privileged to be part of one of the most ambitious and profound undertakings in human history:

The decision -- despite our differences -- to solve problems together.

To work sincerely, creatively, and humbly toward a better future for all.

It is often difficult. Sometimes dangerous. But we choose to work.

Because eight decades of wars prevented or mitigated … children educated … diseases cured … and lives saved … tell us one thing:

That anything -- and everything -- is possible when we stand united.

Here in Nairobi, at this Headquarters, and the home of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Habitat, the founding principles of the United Nations continue to inspire us to be a living testament to what can be achieved when nations work together for people and planet.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, As a tradition, at this ceremony, I read the message from the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, which is dedicated to this day - I quote:

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““We the peoples of the United Nations...”

These are not just the opening words of the United Nations Charter – they define who we are.

The United Nations is more than an institution. It is a living promise – spanning borders, bridging continents, inspiring generations.

For eighty years, we have worked to forge peace, tackle poverty and hunger, advance human rights, and build a more sustainable world – together.

As we look ahead, we confront challenges of staggering scale: escalating conflicts, climate chaos, runaway technologies, and threats to the very fabric of our institution.

This is no time for timidity or retreat.

Now, more than ever, the world must recommit to solving problems no nation can solve alone.

On this UN Day, let’s stand together and fulfil the extraordinary promise of your United Nations.

Let’s show the world what is possible when “we the peoples” choose to act as one.”

End of quote.

Thank you. Asanteni sana.