UNESCO, Culture

Audiovisual archives: a priceless heritage that enriches our collective memories

Audiovisual archives represent not only the past images and sounds of our shared experiences, but also serve as a valuable source of cultural, social, and linguistic diversity. Conserving this heritage and ensuring it remains accessible to the public is a vital goal for all memory institutions and the public. On the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (27 October), UNESCO highlights the theme "Your Window to the World," emphasizing that audiovisual heritage allows us to witness events beyond our own experiences, listen to the voices of the past, and create narratives that inform and entertain.

An audio engineer in 1955 works at UN Radio in New York. The UN audiovisual archives contain records from more than 75 years of the Organization’s history.
Photo:United Nations/MB
Members of the United Nations General Assembly vote on a resolution at the resumed 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate and sustained ‘humanitarian truce’

26 October 2023 — The United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce” between Israeli forces and Hamas militants...

Gaza: Testimonies highlight grim plight of civilians expecting to die

27 October 2023 — The UN’s top human rights official issued a new appeal on Friday for an end to the Israel-Palestine crisis and the release of all hostages, amid rising civilian deaths and...

Israel-Palestine: Gazans ‘left with nothing but impossible choices’

26 October 2023 — Day 19 of the Gaza conflict comes on the heels of the deadliest 24 hours so far amid hospitals shutting down, while UN humanitarians reiterated urgent calls on Thursday for all...

UN Sustainable Development Goals

17 Goals to transform our world

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

Thomas the Tank engine

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.

children holding up books

Reading and learning are essential to children’s growth and development; stories can fuel their imagination and raise awareness of new possibilities. The SDG Book Club aims to encourage them to learn about the Goals in a fun, engaging way, empowering them to make a difference.

Act Now

ActNow is the United Nations campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs can improve life for all of us and everyone can join the global movement for change. To log your actions, download the app.

SDG7 - affordable and clean energy
 
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

More from the
United Nations

Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A man unloading food rations from a truck in Egypt. Humanitarian Aid, Palestine

Urgent access to Gaza is required

The World Food Programme has recently stockpiled 310 metric tons of food at the Gaza border, which is ready to be dispatched to the people in dire need. Despite immense challenges, WFP has been providing food and cash assistance to over 522,000 Palestinians since the beginning of the current crisis, and it continues to reach out to more people every day. Nearly one-third of the population of Palestine -1.84 million people- are food insecure. The humanitarian organization aims to provide a vital food lifeline to 805,000 people over the next 30 days in Gaza and the West Bank, subject to the conditions, bringing food, water, and other essential supplies.

A man looking at several border surveillance monitors. OHCHR, Migrants

Digital technologies at borders: a threat to people on the move

Technologies can be used for good by providing migrants with the ability to stay connected to their families and communities and to make complaints about chronic abuses. However, a new study from OHCHR reveals technologies can also harm human rights during the migration processes, with no real safeguards put in place. The report exposes multiple harms linked to the use of digital technologies in the management of borders, such as biometric recognition tools and massive interoperable databases, often linking information across government sectors and deployed in insecure ways. Emotion detection systems are also being used to justify migration decisions, leading to biased and discriminatory practices.

Fatmata Binta Jalloh training rural women and men. FAO, Agriculture and Food, Women and Gender Equality

Sierra Leona: Fostering inclusive decision-making

Fatmata Binta Jalloh is a gender and youth expert working with Sierra Leone's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. She helps rural women by providing them with access to technical training, inputs, and other opportunities to help them maximize their agricultural activities. Fatmata, along with Foday Kamara, the director of a local NGO that supports youth and women's empowerment, took part in a project implemented jointly by the FAO and the NGO Solidaridad. The programme aimed to equip both women and men with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the agricultural sector, while also strengthening the position of rural women and enabling them to participate in decision-making processes.

UNOPS, Economic Development

Empowering African rural women

UNOPS is increasing access to educational and training opportunities, income-generating activities, gender-sensitive health services and safe drinking water for women living in rural areas across Africa.

Humanitarian Aid, UNCTAD

Another bad year for the Palestine economy

Against a backdrop of heightened political tensions, the Palestine economy continues to operate below potential, rendering the population in dire need of humanitarian assistance, according to UNCTAD's latest report.

Women and Gender Equality, IOM

Female cross-border traders find solidarity

To mitigate the risk of gender-based violence while trading, Rwandese women have found welcome relief from the construction of a one-stop border post initiative by IOM and partners.

Climate Change, UNEP

Bracing for hurricane season

As climate change feeds increasingly frequent hurricanes in the Caribbean, UNEP has implemented a revolving loans programme. This will facilitate low-interest loans to Antigua and Barbuda residents for hurricane-proofing their homes.

What we do

Due to the powers vested in its Charter and its unique international character, the United Nations can take action on the issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including:

Structure of the
United Nations

The main parts of the UN structure are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was founded.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal representation.

The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.

The Economic and Social Council is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).

The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization's other principal organs.

Learn more

Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society.

Women at UN CSW63 Side Event - “Take the Hot Seat”. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is greeted on his visit to the Central African Republic

While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions still lives on less than US$1.90 a day — the internationally agreed poverty line, and millions of others live on slightly more than this daily amount.

A young girl holds a smiling infant at the Zaatari Refugee Camp

Following up on a pledge made by UN Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Watch and Listen

Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

With bombs raining down on hospitals and United Nations shelters, the people of #Gaza have nowhere safe to go. In Gaza, 50,000 women are currently pregnant. Almost 160 women will give birth every day amid the violence. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. 

Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship

The Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship (RAF), mandated by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1980,  offered a unique opportunity for 12 young journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to cover the opening of the 78th session of the UNGA. 

Deploying to the frontlines for peace

Lt. Esinam Baah takes us through her trials and triumps as a woman peacekeeper with United Nations in Lebanon. She is one of 173 women deploying to UNIFIL as part of Ghana's military contingent. 

UN Podcasts

A robotic hand and a human hand in the middle of the letters AI.

Advantages and disadvantages of AI for jobs

There is much discussion of the effects Generative AI will have on job creation and destruction, but just as important is the effect it will have on the quality of jobs – decent work – and which countries and sectors will feel the effects most. A new ILO research paper suggests that its impact on the augmentation of jobs is at least as important as the automation of tasks. However, it also implies that, without the right policies, AI could deepen existing inequalities between genders and the richest and poorest. Find out more in this episode of ILO's Future of Work Podcast.

Latest Audio from UN News

The United Nations in Pictures

Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Aerial view of the impact of the floods in Libya.
Photo:UNDP/Shutterstock

A race against time to rebuild Libya after floods

Storm Daniel hit Libya on 10 September 2023, causing floods that killed over 4,300 people with twice as many still unaccounted for. Over 43,000 people have been displaced and are in urgent need of food, clean water, shelter, healthcare, and financial support. The floodwaters have also exposed landmines and unexploded ordnance, posing a threat of disease. UNDP is working with local authorities in Benghazi to accelerate the rebuilding process and offer an environmentally sustainable recovery that engages Libyans and provides livelihood opportunities.

A grief-stricken woman in the rubble from the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
Photo:WFP/Hasib Hazinyar

Afghans face a difficult winter while rebuilding the country

After the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan, WFP has already reached nearly 34,000 survivors with emergency food assistance, which they began distributing within hours after the first quakes struck. The UN agency plans to deliver food and cash assistance to more than 100,000 people over the next three to seven months - and roll out longer-term resilience programmes to help them rebuild their livelihoods. WFP urgently needs US$18.8 million so that Afghanistan’s earthquake survivors can eat and rebuild from the country’s latest disaster, and US$400 million to help the most vulnerable survive harsh weather.