General Assembly: 1st plenary meeting, 80th session

Gazing at United Nations Charter as north star, General Assembly President opens session under theme ‘Better Together’.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 00:27:07
• Production Date: 9 September 2025
• Asset Language: Arabic; English; French; Russian; Spanish; Chinese; Original
• Personal Subject: ANTONIO GUTERRES; ANNALENA BAERBOCK
• Corporate Name: GENERAL ASSEMBLY; UNITED NATIONS
• Subject Topical: ANNIVERSARIES; DEVELOPMENT; GA PRESIDENT; HUMAN RIGHTS; PEACE; UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION; WOMEN; UN CHARTER; APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS; WORK PROGRAMME
• MAMS Id: 3445877
• Parent Id: 3445095
• Alternate Title: MTG GA 80 SESSION 01 PLENARY 09 SEP 2025 PM

Description

Calling the eightieth session of the General Assembly “non-ordinary”, the new President, Annalena Baerbock (Germany) urged action over celebration under the theme “Better Together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights”.

Questioning whether the anniversary was truly a moment for celebration, she pointed to the starvation of children in Gaza, the banning of Afghan girls from schools, the fear of drone strikes in Kharkov, sexual violence against women in Darfur, rising seas in the Pacific and the 808 million people living in extreme poverty and worried about how to feed their family.

“Instead of celebrating, one might rather ask: Where is the United Nations, which was created to save us from hell? Where is the United Nations as conflict spread, as our planet burns, as human rights are trampled?”, she asked. The answer, she declared, “must be clear: We are not giving up. We are here. We see you even when we face setbacks and frustrations.”

Opening of the session by the President of the General Assembly - Item 1

• Minute of silent prayer or meditation - Item 2
• Appointment of the members of the Credentials Committee - Item 3 (a)
• Organization of work, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items - Item 7 : Letter from the Chair of the Committee on Conferences A/80/358 

Related Sites and Documents

UN Meetings Coverage

A/80/358

A/80/PV.1