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STORY: UN / LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
TRT: 06:27
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / ARABIC / SPANISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 OCTOBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
24 OCTOBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The privilege to sit at this table carries a duty — above all — to honour the faith of those people. And to channel the resources so often spent on war, to the causes of development and peace. On many pivotal occasions, this Council has delivered on that task.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The Council is a vital necessity, and a powerful force for good. But at the same time, its legitimacy is fragile. Too often, we have seen members of this body act outside the principles of the Charter — principles we have all freely agreed to as sovereign nations.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“When one nation flouts the rules, others think they have licence to do the same. And history tells us, with brutal clarity, where that road leads.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“The United Nations emblem does not bear the laurel wreath of a victor, but the olive crown of a peacemaker. To the privileged few who sit at this table, I urge you — be worthy of that crown.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“In the last 80 years, the UN has seen both successes and failures, both highs and lows. In our view, the greatest disappointment is the unresolved issue, perhaps the oldest one on the UN agenda, the issue of Palestine. Despite all efforts, we have yet to achieve the creation of an independent Palestinian state, the return of Palestinian refugees and the establishment of peace in this long-suffering land, it is crucial not to allow that this prospect be erased and replaced by other schemes.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Dorothy Shea, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“United States will continue to reject initiatives that fall outside the purposes of the charter. As the largest contributor to the UN's budget throughout its existence, we will prioritize a strong return on our investment, as we expect other countries to do as well. This is a critical moment for the UN effective leadership will be essential in advancing needed reforms, looking to the future and the selection of the next Secretary General, the United States looks forward to a secretary general who shares this vision, of returning the UN to its founding purpose of maintaining international peace and security.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Dhakkar, Ambassador, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Somalia:
“My delegation views the kind of state of this council with profound concern. The ongoing conflict in Gaza is a stark testament to our collective shortcomings. When the Security Council stands paralyzed in the face of such human suffering it does more than forfeits its mandate. It undermines the very foundation of the Charter.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Fu Cong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, People's Republic of China:
“President Xi Jinping earnestly put forward the Global Governance Initiative, a profound answer to the major proposition of our times, what kind of global governance system to build and how to reform and improve global governance. It presents China's solution to how to address the widening global governance deficit and advance establishment of a more just and equitable global governance system. First, we should adhere to sovereign equality, the sovereignty and dignity of all nations, regardless of size, strength and wealth must be equally respected.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kuwait:
“80 years have passed since the nations came together and pull their will in the wake of two devastating wars, to establish an organization that embodies hope based on a Charter that combines noble principles and logical principles. And amongst the prominent ones are the maintenance of international peace and security, the development of great labor relations amongst nations, promoting the right of peoples to self-determination, promoting human rights, sovereign equality among states, peaceful resolution of disputes, abstaining from the use of force and non-interference in internal affairs of states. Over time the Charter has become more than just a legal document, but a moral and humanitarian covenant, reflecting the world's dream: reason prevailing over ignorance, wisdom over brute force and justice over injustice. Despite the existence of this organization and its charter, since 1945 wars and conflicts have not ceased, and today there are about 120 conflicts around the world and injustice continues finding its way through the gaps of silence and hesitation.”
20. Wide shot, Security Council
21. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Samuel Reinaldo Moncada, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Venezuela:
“Today we're also witnessing attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations from so called preemptive strikes against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities to military deployments in the Latin American and Caribbean region disguised as actions of legitimate defense that seek to simply advance regime change policies and revive the infamous Monroe Doctrine. These actions, which pretend to be justified by exceptionalist approaches, including those of peace through strength, are clearly incompatible with the UN Charter, and they fuel both tensions and instability around the world.”
22. Wide shot, Security Council
"The privilege to sit at this table carries a duty — above all — to honour the faith" of those people who, for the last eight decades, have placed their trust in the United Nations to save them from the scourge of war, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, addressing the Security Council.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter entering into force, the Security Council held an open debate titled “The United Nations Organization: Looking into the Future”, reflecting on the body’s legacy and the urgent need for reform amid deep global divisions.
Calling the Security Council “a vital necessity, and a powerful force for good,” Guterres warned that its “legitimacy is fragile.” He said too often members act outside the Charter’s principles, stressing that “when one nation flouts the rules, others think they have licence to do the same. And history tells us, with brutal clarity, where that road leads.”
Guterres urged Council members to remember the spirit of the Organization’s founders: “The United Nations emblem does not bear the laurel wreath of a victor, but the olive crown of a peacemaker. To the privileged few who sit at this table, I urge you — be worthy of that crown.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the UN’s 80-year history had seen “both successes and failures.” He cited the question of Palestine as “perhaps the oldest one on the UN agenda,” saying, “Despite all efforts, we have yet to achieve the creation of an independent Palestinian state, the return of Palestinian refugees and the establishment of peace in this long-suffering land.”
Representing the United States, Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea said her country would “continue to reject initiatives that fall outside the purposes of the charter.”
She noted, “As the largest contributor to the UN’s budget throughout its existence, we will prioritize a strong return on our investment." Shea also said Washington looks forward to a next Secretary-General “who shares this vision of returning the UN to its founding purpose of maintaining international peace and security.”
Somalia’s Ambassador Ahmed Dhakkar said, “The ongoing conflict in Gaza is a stark testament to our collective shortcomings.” He added, “When the Security Council stands paralyzed in the face of such human suffering it does more than forfeits its mandate. It undermines the very foundation of the Charter.”
China’s Ambassador Fu Cong outlined President Xi Jinping’s Global Governance Initiative as “China’s solution to how to address the widening global governance deficit and advance establishment of a more just and equitable global governance system.” He emphasized that all nations, “regardless of size, strength and wealth must be equally respected.”
Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah reflected on the founding ideals of the UN, calling the Charter “a moral and humanitarian covenant.” He said, “Despite the existence of this organization and its charter, since 1945 wars and conflicts have not ceased, and today there are about 120 conflicts around the world and injustice continues finding its way through the gaps of silence and hesitation.”
Venezuela’s Ambassador Samuel Reinaldo Moncada talked about what he called “attacks against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations,” citing “preemptive strikes against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities” and “military deployments in the Latin American and Caribbean region disguised as actions of legitimate defense.” He said such actions “pretend to be justified by exceptionalist approaches” but are “clearly incompatible with the UN Charter.”
