International Human Solidarity Day

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stake-out at the US Mission at Geneva with Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. Signing of memorandum of understanding and funding announcement at the U.S. Mission in Geneva. Speakers: Tressa Rae Finerty, Chargé d'Affaires, U.S. Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Jeremy Lewin, Senior Official for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Watch the OCHA - U.S. Mission at Geneva stakeout with Tom Fletcher! Live Media Stakeouts

  Every year on December 20th , the United Nations marks International Human Solidarity Day , a moment to reaffirm a simple but powerful idea: global challenges can only be addressed when people and nations act together. In a world shaped by inequality, conflict and climate pressures, solidarity remains a cornerstone of international cooperation. Solidarity is embedded in the United Nations Charter and was formally recognized as a fundamental value of international relations in the Millennium Declaration. In 2005, the General Assembly proclaimed the Day to underscore the shared responsibility of governments, institutions and individuals to promote peace, human rights and social and economic development . The observance is closely linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , which places people and planet at its center. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals depends not only on national action, but also on global partnerships that support poverty eradication, red...

  Statement and answers to media questions by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation , S.V. Lavrov, during a Joint press conference following the Second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum , Cairo, December 20, 2025; Выступление и ответы на вопросы СМИ Министра иностранных дел Российской Федерации С.В.Лаврова в ходе совместной пресс-конференции по итогам Второй министерской конференции Форума партнерства Россия – Африка, Каир, 20 декабря 2025 года.

On December 20th , the United Nations system organizations will hold a virtual event to discuss the values of unity, kindness, and diversity to mark the International Human Solidarity Day 2025 at the UNHQ . The Observance of the International Human Solidarity Day is a special day that reminds us that we are all part of the same human family. It teaches us the importance of working together and helping each other . When we work together in solidarity , we can overcome any problem or difficulty. This day encourages us to think about how we can make the world a better place for  everyone.  

UN Geneva press briefing chaired by Alessandra Vellucci, Director, UN Information Service. Watch the UN Geneva Press Briefing: UNHCR, IOM, FAO, WHO, UNICEF, OCHA! 01:11:00 Press Conferences

End-of-Year Update from United Nations Geneva Director-General. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), said the year was slowly but steadily approaching its end. The year 2025 had been challenging, testing the resilience of the United Nations system. The liquidity crisis was one of many issues the system had had to address. However, UNOG had delivered tangible results despite these difficult circumstances. In 2024, UNOG had facilitated 8,500 meetings, but it had facilitated 8,700 meetings thus far in 2025. This showed that Geneva remained a very important place for meetings, multilateral dialogue and events. This year, it had hosted three sessions of the Human Rights Council, the World Health Assembly, the International Labour Conference, the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, and the Sixth Conference of Speakers of Pa...

UN Geneva press briefing chaired by Alessandra Vellucci, Director, UN Information Service TOPICS: WFP - Ross Smith, WFP Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response - Latest developments in Sudan; urgent needs, increasing risk of further displacement, WFP operations and continuing challenges UNHCR - Matthew Saltmarsh with Ewan Watson, UNHCR Head of Global Communication Service & Martin Azia Sodea, UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award winner (Global Laureate) - The global Nansen Refugee Award winner WHO - Christian Lindmeier with Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory - Illnesses, infections and storms - Gazans facing another harsh winter IOM - Kristin Parco, IOM Chief of Mission in Sri Lanka - Update on IOM's Cyclone response in Sri Lanka. UNFPA - Eugene Kongnyuy, Deputy Director of UNFPA's Humanitarian Response Division - Launch of UNFPA's 2026 global humanitarian appeal to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls in crisis set...

Worsening humanitarian situation as violence drives new displacement during the rainy season. Paola Emerson, Head of Office, for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Mozambique, speaking from Maputo, said attacks were continuing in Nampula forcing people to continue to move away from their homes to seek safety. So far, 107,000 people had been displaced in recent weeks, amounting to 330,000 in the last four months. These areas had been affected by three cyclones this year, with the majority of the displaced, 67 percent, being children. Many families were staying in open spaces or schools. The Government was the first responder, and humanitarians were trying to do the best they could with available stocks. So far, around 40 percent of the required food had been received, as well as voucher assistance , but this was woefully inadequate, and in some instances, the lack of sufficient support was forcing returns. Some donors had stepped up and the rec...

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