Commemorating the 78th Anniversary of the United Nations in the green lung of Kuala Lumpur

The 78th anniversary of the United Nations was celebrated in Malaysia at Taman Tugu, a 66-acre green sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur. The event brought together 160 UN staff and over 150 guests from the diplomatic corps, government, civil society, the private sector, and media. It was officiated by the Honorable Datuk Mohamad bin Alamin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, alongside Ms. Karima El Korri, UN Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam.

In Ms. El Korri's commemoration speech, she underscored the founding purposes and principles of the United Nations upheld in the organization's Charter, “As we look back on nearly eight decades of commitment to peace, security, human rights, the UN stands as a beacon of international unity and a source of hope for people around the world.

On Malaysia’s commitment to the global community. Ms El Korri added that, “Malaysia’s unwavering commitment to globally agreed frameworks is unquestionable. We applaud the nation’s fresh perspective on the economy and society outlined in Malaysia Madani, Ekonomi Madani, and the many macro and local-level initiatives drive the country’s transformation.”

YB Datuk Mohamad bin Alamin commended the UN on its 78th anniversary and emphasized the long-standing partnership, “The UN has accompanied us in our journey since independence, and we hope this partnership will continue to prosper.”

The Honorable Deputy Minister stressed that Malaysia has always been an active member of the UN, engaging with the global community through various means, from co-sponsoring resolutions to its continued support of UN peacekeeping missions, with over 800 personnel participating across various missions. He also thanked the Malaysia UN Country Team for its continued efforts in supporting the country in reaching its goals for a more sustainable and equitable future towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Under the theme "Act Now on UN Day and Every Day," the UN Day event amplified the Act Now! campaign, which aims to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals and commit to a healthy planet, an inclusive economy, a just society, and a world working together.

The feature activity for the day was the Act Now storytelling sessions by UN entities, each highlighting their work, capturing the audience's attention with topics ranging from healthy aging, the care economy, sustainable tourism, immunization for hard-to-reach populations, refugee support, green urban spaces, promotion of safe migration, building capacities of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and empowering children through disaster education.

UN Day guests also explored the Park’s tranquil trails, immersing themselves in the beauty of Malaysia's unique biodiversity.

A few individuals shared their unique experiences and impressions of the event:

Sumalee Sterup-Hansen, Head, United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) was enthusiastic on UN Day being held outdoors, “I loved the venue on UN Day at Taman Tugu. It’s so welcoming and provided fantastic green ambience, meaningful activities, uplifting discussion with partners in a lovely outdoor space. The concept showed a very thoughtful process to organizing the event differently and successfully connect audiences brilliantly with the theme ‘Act now’.”

Dr. Shiau Yun Chong, National Programme Analyst, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), gave her views as one of the storytellers: “Telling the stories of UNFPA was like unwrapping special gifts - each one full of hope and empowerment. As a storyteller, I felt a sense of joy and responsibility, and I am proud to contribute to creating positive change and inclusivity for the world.”

Zhi Ying of Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB) explained their engagement with MSMEs to drive the SDG and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda: "We developed a website portal to guide MSMEs on how they can start their ESG journey. We've put in relevant resources, tools, and figures as guides for them. The application ensures a user-friendly experience for clients who want to align their work with the ESG agenda.”

Siti Munawirah Ahmad Mustaffa, Communications Assistant, International Organization for Migration (IOM) presented IOM’s work on the theme - Promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration for the benefit of all, “This year, IOM anticipates resettling over 6,000 individuals from Malaysia to a third country, the highest since 2016. To support migrants in their journey, IOM initiated a cash-based intervention program last December. Over 10 months, 500+ beneficiaries from the refugee and asylum-seeker community received cash assistance, helping them pay overdue rent."

Asiya, a youth leader from the refugee community, shared, "Witnessing individuals come together for various causes, including advocating for refugee rights, is truly inspiring and commendable. When people show concern, their nation begins to care, marking the beginning of a positive impact on the world by like-minded individuals.”

The event was also marked by a captivating photo exhibition presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The exhibition proudly displayed a rich chronicle of Malaysian leaders who have played significant roles at the United Nations throughout the years; Malaysia’s significant contributions to peacekeeping; and dynamic engagement within the UN General Assembly.

This important commemoration, amidst the challenging times facing the world, highlighted the enduring values of unity, cooperation, and sustainable development that the UN embodies and acknowledged the global community's shared responsibility in realizing a better future for all. It also emphasized the need to involve the younger generation, empower women and girls, and safeguard human rights to make strides that genuinely enhance the well-being of people around the world.

Photos by Farah/UNICEF and Devendiran/UNHCR

View the UN Day photo album on Flickr here