New Year Address to the Nation.

Citizens of Russia, friends,

We are bidding farewell to 2023. Very soon it will become part of history and we will have to move forward, create the future.

We have worked very hard and accomplished a lot over the past year. We were proud of our common achievements and happy about our successes. And we were firm, protecting the national interests, our freedom and security, and our values which continue to provide us with an unshakeable foundation.

And the main thing which has united us is the destiny of the Motherland. There is a deep understanding of the utmost importance of the historic period which Russia is going through, those large-scale objectives which society is facing and the colossal responsibility for the Motherland which every one of us feels.

We are acutely and clearly aware of how much depends on us during this period, on our positive attitude, and our aspiration to support each other in word and deed.

Work for the collective good has united society. We are united in our thoughts, tasks and in combat, whether at work or on days off, displaying the main traits of the Russian people – solidarity, mercy and firmness.

I would like to address our military personnel – everyone who is on duty, who is on the front lines fighting for truth and justice. You are our heroes. Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you and we admire your courage.

I am well aware that now you feel the love of those nearest and dearest to you, the powerful, sincere support of millions of Russian citizens, the support of the entire people.

We have proved over and over again that we are able to tackle the most difficult tasks and we will never back down as there is no force that can divide us, make us forget the memory and the faith of our fathers, or stop our development.

Friends,

At all times, the New Year celebrations have been associated with bright hopes and the sincerest wish to bring joy to loved ones.

The upcoming year of 2024 has been declared the Year of the Family in our country. And a truly big family is definitely a family where children grow up, where parents are given attention, and treated with warm-heartedness and care, and where everyone loves and respects each other.

Devotion to the Motherland is nurtured via such kinship of all generations, love of home.

I would like to convey my very best wishes for the new year to all Russian families. After all, the history of our huge, wonderful and beloved Motherland is shaped by the history of each family. We – the multinational people of Russia – decide and create its fate.

We are one country, one big family. We will ensure the steady development of the Motherland, the well-being of our citizens, and we will become even stronger.

We are together. And this is the most reliable guarantee of the future of Russia.

Happy New Year, friends! Happy 2024!

President of Russia, Vladimir Putin.

Новогоднее обращение к гражданам России.

31 декабря 2023 года - 23:55 P.M. - Москва; Кремль.

New Year's 2024 Message.

Message of the United Nations Secretary-General tor New Year 2024.

"2023 has been a year of enormous suffering, violence, and climate chaos. Humanity is in pain. Our planet is in peril. 2023 is the hottest year on record. People are getting crushed by growing poverty and hunger. Wars are growing in number and ferocity. And trust is in short supply. But pointing fingers and pointing guns lead nowhere. Humanity is strongest when we stand together. 2024 must be a year for rebuilding trust and restoring hope. We must come together across divides for shared solutions. For climate action. For economic opportunity and a fairer global financial system that delivers for all. Together, we must stand up against the discrimination and hatred that are poisoning relations between countries and communities. And we must make sure new technologies such as artificial intelligence are a force for good.
The United Nations will keep rallying the world for peace, sustainable development and human rights. Let's resolve to make 2024 a year of building trust and hope in all that we can accomplish together. I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year".

António Guterres.

International Day of Epidemic preparedness 2023; December 27th.

FORUM: "Enhance collaboration, cooperation, and equity in responding to pandemics of the future." International Day of Epidemic Preparedness 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic affected hundreds of millions of lives, caused millions of deaths and inflicted devastating impacts on humanity. After three years of unprecedented global efforts, on 5 May the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, stressing however, that it does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #EpidemicPreparedness, #27December, #InternationalDayofEpidemicPreparedness.

EVENTS: On December 27th, the World Health Assembly (WHA) and World Health Organization (WHO) will hold a webinar to mark the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness 2023. The Secretary-General said these efforts are making progress and recalled that the High-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, held in September, concluded with a robust political declaration which complements negotiations underway towards a pandemic accord. The pandemic accord will help to create a safer and healthier world with a universal system of response to disease eruptions, he added.

STATEMENTS: "This first-ever global agreement aims to enhance collaboration, cooperation, and equity in responding to pandemics of the future " said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his end-of-year message.

Statement from the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the International Day of Epidemic preparedness 2023; December 27th. 

COVID-19 is no longer the international public health emergency it was, but it is still circulating, and its devastating effects are still with us. Economic damage inflicted by the pandemic endures. Many healthcare systems are struggling. Millions of children are threatened by disease after missing out on routine childhood vaccinations. And three years after the first COVID-19 vaccines were developed, billions of people remain unprotected – overwhelmingly in developing countries.

When the next pandemic arrives, we must do better. But we’re not yet ready. We must prepare and act on the lessons of COVID-19.

Working together, the world must improve surveillance of viruses, strengthen health systems, and make the promise of Universal Health Coverage a reality. We must renounce the moral and medical disaster of rich countries hoarding and controlling pandemic healthcare supplies, and ensure everyone has access to diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. And we must strengthen the World Health Organization’s authority and financing.

These efforts are making progress. The High-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in September agreed a robust political declaration. This complements the negotiations on a pandemic accord in Geneva.

On this International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, I urge countries to build on this momentum by delivering a strong, comprehensive accord, focused on equity, by next year’s World Health Assembly in May.

Together, let’s act on the lessons of COVID-19, prepare, and build a fairer, healthier world for all.

United Nations Secretary-General.

International Human Solidarity Day 2023; December 20th.

FORUM: “A call for unity and action.” International Human Solidarity Day 2023. Solidarity is the principle that recognizes our common humanity and the interconnectedness of our destinies. It highlights the need for collective effort, cooperation, and mutual understanding to solve complex challenges such as poverty, hunger, climate change, and conflict. This day serves as an opportunity to celebrate achievements made through solidarity and to recommit to building a more just and equitable world. To promote human solidarity, it is important to actively engage in your community, and get involved in different activities and events. This means helping out and supporting causes that help people who are in need. By doing this, we can bring people from different backgrounds together and help them understand each other better. It’s also important to support local projects that help address homelessness, education, and health. In this way, we show compassion for our community members, making sure every individual is cared for. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #SolidarityDay, #20December, #HumanSolidarityDay, #TheWorldWeWant, #PromotingSolidarity, #LeaveNoOneBehind.

EVENTS: On December 20th, the United Nations system organizations will hold an event to celebrate unity, kindness, and diversity during the International Human Solidarity Day 2023 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.

SUMMIT

International Migrants Day 2023; December 18th.

FORUM: “Act today for a better tomorrow for all: Improving the health of migrants to unleash the power of migration.” International Migrants Day 2023. Migration has always been a part of human history, with people moving for various reasons. This phenomenon continues to shape our world as more individuals seek better opportunities and escape conflicts, violence, climate change, and environmental degradation. Migrants bring a multitude of skills that can benefit and enrich host countries and communities. They can serve as agents of change, creating opportunities for progress and contributing to social and economic growth. Their contributions to the health and well-being of the society they live in are invaluable. For instance, migrant health workers were indispensable to the frontline response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, many countries are increasingly relying on migrant workers in their health care systems. To unleash the full potential of migration as a solution to global challenges, it is vital to prioritize the physical and mental health and well-being of migrants.

 

WHO advocates for specific actions to achieve this:

• Reorient health systems into integrated and inclusive health services and programmes for migrants, in line with the principles of primary health care and universal health coverage, keeping people healthy in all life stages, not only when they are sick.
• Address the root causes that may affect the well-being of migrants, including social determinants of health, such as poor housing and working conditions, lack of education, inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, food insecurity, and vulnerability to violence.
• Invest in comprehensive data collection and monitor health determinants, status and outcomes of migrants to assess accountability for progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other goals and global targets.
• Promote high-quality global research, strengthen knowledge production, and build research capacity to understand and address the health needs of migrants and shape responsive policies and practices worldwide.
• Remove barriers to universal health coverage (UHC), including discrimination, cultural and language factors, and unaffordable costs, ensuring that migrants, including those in irregular situations, receive legal and social protection through national health systems and insurance schemes.
• Include migrants in national public health strategies, including preparedness and response, as equitable and appropriate health services for all migrants yield positive outcomes for the society as a whole.
• Address the shortage or lack of health professionals, services, and programmes that can cater to the cultural and linguistic needs of migrants, such as training competent health care professionals who can provide culturally sensitive care.
• Build sustainable, consultative structures and mechanisms that optimize migrants’ involvement in health projects.

Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #InternationalMigrantsDay, #18December, #MigrantsDay, #safeMigration, #RegularMigration, #OrderlyMigration.

Statement from the United Nations Secretary-General on International Migrants Day 2023; December 18th.

Migration is a fact of life and a force for good. It promotes the exchange of knowledge and ideas and contributes to economic growth. It enables millions of people to pursue opportunities and improve their lives.

At the same time, poorly governed migration is a cause of great suffering. It forces people into the cruel realm of traffickers, where they face exploitation, abuse, and even death. It undermines trust in governance and institutions, inflames social tensions, and corrodes our common humanity.

On International Migrants Day, we highlight the urgent need for safe migration governance rooted in solidarity, partnership, and respect for human rights.

Five years ago, the international community adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. This has become an important reference point and resource for Member States to assess actions, enhance cooperation, and expand rights-based pathways for migration.

Yet such measures remain the exception, not the norm. Today and every day, we must work towards a more humane and orderly management of migration for the benefit of all, including communities of origin, transit, and destination.

Together, let us secure a safer and more prosperous future for all.

United Nations Secretary-General.

EVENTS: On December 18th, the UN Migration, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants and the specialized agencies will host a webinar to mark the International Migrants Day 2023 from the IOM Headquater in Switzerland. The World Health Organization (WHO) will join the International Organization for Migration (IOM), along with global partners and communities to hold an event that will not only celebrate migrants but also willl serve as a catalyst for advocating their rights and uniting the global community in harnessing the transformative power of migration.

FESTIVAL: Health for All Film Festival - In 2024, WHO will continue to celebrate the power of audiovisual storytelling for health with all those interested in public health narratives! The 5th Health for All Film Festival calls for submissions from 1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024. This year, there is a Special Migrants and Refugees Health Film Prize. We invite public health institutions from around the world, nongovernmental organizations, communities, activists and students in public health, film schools, and other relevant domains to submit their original short films that shed light on the impact of migration and displacement on the physical and mental health and well-being of people on the move. Short films can also raise awareness on the rights and unique health needs of these populations, and showcase how access to health care for these populations contributes to their better health and well-being. Independent filmmakers, production companies, and TV broadcasters are also invited to participate. A multilingual social media kit with visuals is also available at the bottom of the page to further promote this call and invite submissions of short films on migrants and refugees health before 31 January 2024. For more information on how to apply, please visit the Health for All Film Festival website.

From November 27th to December 1st 2023 was held the Fourth WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health. On the first four days, technical discussions will focus on core sub-themes under the overarching umbrella of the social determinants of migrant health: Health literacy - Recording; Working conditions - Recording; Housing and living conditions - Recording; Food and nutrition - Recording. The last day will be devoted to a panel discussion on the overarching topic of this year's school. [Recording].The full programme of the School is available here.


STATEMENTS: Watch the video statement of Mrs. Amy Pope, IOM Diretor-General on International Migrant’s Day 2023; December 18th.

Arabic Language Day 2023; December 18th.

FORUM: “Arabic – the Language of Poetry and Arts.” Arabic Language Day 2023. This edition will highlight language's importance in reuniting for a constructive dialogue, shaping perceptions, and cultivating understanding in the current global landscape marked by uncertainties and turbulence. Through this year’s theme UNESCO will shed a light on the numerous contributions of Arabic to humanity’s cultural and linguistic diversity, as well as to knowledge production. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #ArabicLanguageDay, #18December, #Arabiclanguage, #Multilingualism.

Statement from the Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Arabic Language Day 2023, December 18th.

In this 11th World Arabic Language Day, and as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the inclusion of Arabic among the official languages of the United Nations, our Organization honours a language spoken by nearly 450 million people worldwide and which has an exceptional linguistic and cultural heritage.A link between continents, the Arabic language draws its depth, influence and diversity from a thousand-year-old history, at the crossroads of exchanges. Today, as in the past, it is enriched by the contributions of other cultures, thus conveying thinking of extraordinary historical significance.From this context conducive to the flourishing of words and ideas, over the centuries seminal works have been created, such as those of the poets Abū Nuwās and Omar Khayyam, the poetess al-Khansā', the philosopher and physician Avicenna, and the philosopher Averroës.This year, with the theme of the Day, “Arabic – the Language of Poetry and Arts”, UNESCO pays tribute to the women and men who perpetuate the poetic and artistic brilliance of this living language, helping to renew it.While working for cultural diversity in general, UNESCO is committed to promoting the Arabic language in particular. Through the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme to Strengthen the Arabic Language in UNESCO, for example, we encourage the use of Arabic within our Organization. More extensively, we seek to promote its practice and increase its dissemination, by supporting cultural exchanges and events, and by increasing the number of Arabic translations of UNESCO publications.In 2021, the inscription of Arabic calligraphy on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was also a strong initiative of the Organization, enabling us to make better known the aesthetic splendour of this language which is also an art. On this World Arabic Language Day, UNESCO calls for a celebration of a language and the cultures that it enriches. More broadly, our Organization is keen to emphasize the extent to which we need plural ways of considering and reflecting the world, through linguistic diversity: this is an invaluable asset and a sustainable prerequisite for peace.

Ms Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.

رسالة من المديرة العامة لليونسكو، السيدة أودري أزولاي، بمناسبة اليوم العالمي للغة العربية، 18 كانون الأول/ديسمبر2023

EVENTS: On December 18th; The celebration of World Arabic Language Day 2023 will be held from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.This year’s commemoration coincides with the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of Arabic as one of the six UN official languages. To pay tribute to the poetic and artistic brilliance of the Arabic language, UNESCO will bring together researchers, academics, youth, and heads of international institutions. The UNESCO organizes round table discussions and cultural performances. Applicants to the Prize for Arab culture must have contributed significantly towards the development, dissemination and the promotion of Arab culture in the world.The winners of the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture will be announced. The event will serve as a solid platform to delve into the discussions on the Arabic language's influence on shaping knowledge, societal transformations through poetry, and its impact on the arts, while fostering cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue. The Roundtables within this initiative will center on:

• Philosophy and Poetry: The Contribution of Arabic Poetry to Knowledge Shaping and Social Transformations
• Arabic Language and Arts: Broadening Scopes of Cultural Diversity
• ‘Arab Latinos!’: The Arabic Imprint in Latin America and the Caribbean

Side Event: Additionally, as part of this initiative, a side event will be organized to reflect on the initial outcomes and highlights of the forthcoming publication focused on the role of Arabic in social inclusion and its preservation within the Arabic-speaking communities of Europe while promoting their integration into host societies. To register, please click here

EXHIBITION: Witness the exhibition showcasing the achievements in advancing the Arabic language under ‘Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Programme for the Arabic Language at UNESCO’ from the 18th to the 22nd December. The programme has fostered intercultural dialogue, enriched linguistic diversity through its projects and initiatives, promoted knowledge production and dissemination in Arabic, and, last but not least, endorsed the annual flagship event: World Arabic Language Day.

International Universal Health Coverage Day 2023; December 12th.

FORUM: "Health for All, Time for Action." International Universal Health Coverage Day 2023. This year, UHC Day presents an opportunity to revitalize commitments towards accelerating UHC as countries recover from the devastating economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries in all Regions needs to make significant progress on the UHC service coverage index, which measures population coverage of essential health services based on tracer interventions that include reproductive, maternal, child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #Timeforaction, #Healthexpenditure, #InvestinHealth, #healthForAll, #UHC, #12December, #UHCday, #UniversalHealthCoverage.

EVENTS: On Decembe 12th, the World Health Assembly (WHA), the Regional offices of the World Health Organization and the Global Health Council with host an event to mark the International Universal Health Coverage Day 2023. The theme for this year’s UHC Day is “Health for All: Time for Action”, and invites us to emphasize the need for immediate and tangible steps in creating the world we want. It calls for reflecting on a decade of progress, challenges, and opportunities in advancing UHC. The campaign urges our leaders to enact policies that guarantee equitable access to essential health services without financial hardship and will build on the momentum and outcome from the second United Nations High-Level Meeting on UHC in September 2023: a renewed action-oriented political commitment that will refocus political attention and financial investments on accelerating progress.

• Pan American Health Organization will host a forum on how to Invest, Innovate and Implement PHC to Achieve Universal Health.
• South-East Asia Region will held a Webinar on UHC-Now More Than Ever.
• European Region will organize the Tallinn Charter 15th Anniversary Health Systems Conference: Trust and transformation – resilient and sustainable health systems for the future.
• Western Pacific Region will launch the Report entitled - Progress towards universal health coverage: improving financial protection.

WEBINAR: Progress towards UHC: improving financial protection in the Western Pacific Region. On Tuesday, 12 December 2023, 12:30–13:30 Manila time, WHO will host a webinar to share findings from the new report, Progress towards universal health coverage: improving financial protection in the Western Pacific Region. Speakers will include: Lluis Vinals Torres, Director, Division of Health Systems and Services for the WHO Western Pacific Region; Ding Wang, Health Economist, WHO Western Pacific Region; and experts from countries in the region. Register for the event

• On December 11th 2023, from 14:30 – 16:00 was held a conference entitled Global Spending on Health: Coping with the Pandemic.
• On December 11th, 2023,from 14:00 – 16:00 a panel discussion entitled ''Delivering quality care to everyone,everywhere, at all times.'' was held.
• On December 11th, 2023, from 14:00 – 15:30, an event entitled '' Shaping our health future: young leaders and parliamentarians unite for UHC was held.

PUBLICATIONS: The world is off track to make significant progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) (SDG target 3.8) by 2030 as improvements to health services coverage have stagnated since 2015, and the proportion of the population that faced catastrophic levels of out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending has increased. Read the followingsuggested reports:

1. Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2023 Global monitoring report.
2. Operational framework for building climate resilient and low carbon health systems.

International Day of Neutrality 2023; December 12th.

FORUM: “Promoting neutrality as an instrument of preventive diplomacy.” International Day of Neutrality 2023. Neutralism or a "neutralist policy" is a foreign policy position wherein a state intends to remain neutral in future wars. A sovereign state that reserves the right to become a belligerent if attacked by a party to the war is in a condition of armed neutrality. Neutrality has for decades dovetailed with “international activism” and the articulation of international law and collective action. The policy of neutrality contributes to strengthening global peace and security and plays an important role in forging peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the countries of the world. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #PreventiveDiplomacy, #NeutralityDay, #12December, #NeutralistPolicy, #Neutralism.

EVENTS: On December 12th, the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, and the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs will observe the at International Day of Neutrality 2023 at UNHQ to discuss the principles of Neutrality.

In Defense of Neutrals 

The demise of neutrality has been much exaggerated. Finnish membership and Sweden’s accession application to NATO have been interpreted in some corners as evidence of its decline. In wars of aggression, refusing to pick sides is untenable, some hold, as they berate those who still do not send weapons to Ukraine or sanction Russia.Yet whether critics like it or not, neutrality isn’t going anywhere. Principled stances of neutrality, always and everywhere, are reactions to conflict. So long as conflict exist, so too will neutrals. Not even the two World Wars, the 40 years of the Cold War, or 30 years of U.S. unipolarity could get rid of the so-called fence-sitters—a pejorative to discredit the nonparticipation of third parties to conflicts. The argument is always the same: Not helping the good side of an epic struggle between good and evil is equal to doing evil yourself. Yet the very logic of war and conflict ensures neutrals don’t go away.

That’s because although wars usually devour some neutrals, they always breed new ones: The Napoleonic wars created Switzerland’s permanent neutrality, and the Belgian revolution against the Dutch brought about Brussels’s version of the same. The First World War destroyed the latter but, in turn, inspired Danish neutrality and Norwegian neutrality . The 2nd World War have ruined those (and many more) but rebirth the neutrality of Irish, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish. The Cold War did away with the last three, but gave rise to the neutrality of Austria, Finland, and Yugoslavia—and the entire nonaligned movement, too. The current war over Ukraine is no exception; it has given rise to neutral policies in roughly two-thirds of the world. Nonaligned behavior of third states is a fact of international life and will remain one.As a political concept, there is no universally accepted definition of what neutrality actually means. It is most commonly understood as not taking sides in international conflicts—but this shallow definition is also the root of the misperception that neutrals are politically apathetic, which they are not.Neutrality had been defined under international law before World War I, but only as the relationship of third parties to belligerents during hot shooting wars. This understanding is often quite useless for political analysis because it leaves out peacetime neutrality and creates a binary world in which a state is either a belligerent or a neutral, with nothing in-between. This rarely aligns with reality, as visible in Switzerland’s support of EU sanctions against Russia while refraining from sending weapons to Ukraine.

During the Cold War, the common understanding of neutrality shifted from nonparticipation in foreign wars to nonparticipation in military alliances, spurred most prominently by the foreign policies of Sweden, Finland, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, and Yugoslavia, and to some degree, the nonaligned movement.States that mention neutrality in their foreign-policy principles or even constitutions, such as Switzerland, Austria, Ireland or more recently Serbia, Moldova, and Mongolia, simply promise to always keep to the basic laws of neutrality in any future conflict, especially when it pertains to active military involvement.

Beyond what neutrality is, there are deep, pervasive misunderstandings about its effects and why various states embrace the strategy. Most widespread is the allegation that neutrals are passive and lethargic in their foreign policies. The opposite is true. Maintaining an independent policy that does not align with the wishes of belligerents (be it in a shooting war or a trade war) is exceedingly difficult and requires constant engagement with all conflict parties. This was true for Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland during WWII, and it is true today for nations such as India, South Africa, and nearly all countries in Latin America, which are in exchange with Russia, Ukraine, and the West to balance their nonaligned way through this war.

A second assumption is that neutrality equals weakness and pacifism. However, a functioning neutrality policy is usually a sign of strength, as it was for the United States during its 150 years of neutrality. Neutrals have to be strong enough—militarily and ideologically—to withstand the criticism and threat from all sides of a conflict to maintain their independent positions, as the pressure on India to take sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict shows. Last year, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had to explain to a European audience that India rejects the West’s binary framing: “I don’t think it’s necessary for me to join this axis or not, and if I’m not joining this I must be with the other one. I don’t accept it.”

A successful neutral must meet at least two conditions.

First, its status must be credible and predictable. This means neutrals must communicate their policy stances unequivocally and be able to put up a minimum defense on their own if attacked, which is what Switzerland did during WWII when it threatened to blow up its infrastructure and fight vehemently should Germany invade. This does not mean that neutral countries need to be armed to the teeth, because neutral credibility also implies not posing a threat to either side. If one side comes to perceive a neutral as a threat—either because it is armed too much, too little, or collaborates extensively with the enemy—it’s often game over, and the neutral may become a target of economic or military attack, as happened to Laos and Cambodia in the Vietnam War.

Second, a neutral state must be useful. It can do so by assuming the function of a buffer state, offering good office services (representing belligerents diplomatically on their enemy’s soil), acting as a diplomatic intermediary for negotiations, providing a platform for international trade, offering its banking and currency to all sides, or even by tacitly accepting spying on its territory to function as an intelligence hub. Switzerland, for example, explicitly acknowledged in 1815 that its neutrality would serve peace and stability in Europe by buffering the Austrians and the French—and later served all the above functions during the World Wars.

It is often assumed that neutrals are by default strategically disadvantaged, since they can’t rely on external support to confront threats. However, being useful to belligerents is the best security guarantee a state can get. It dramatically increases the cost of attack for a potential invader, up to the point where both sides of a conflict might be willing to intervene, should the neutral be attacked. Such was the case for neutral Belgium in 1914. It was precisely the infringement of its neutrality by Germany that prompted the United Kingdom and France to declare war to help the buffer state—no alliance needed. In the Cold War, too, former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower signaled the defense of neutral Austria. “An attack by the Soviet Union on Austria’s neutrality would mean World War III,” the U.S. State Department proclaimed over the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

But what about Ukraine, critics say. It had a neutrality clause in its constitution, and it was attacked! Credibility is the issue here. Not only did the NATO alliance promise eventual Ukraine membership during the Bucharest summit of 2008, but the Maidan revolution swept out the elected government of Viktor Yanukovych, bringing in pro-NATO forces. With Ukraine’s buffer state status gone, or at least questionable, Russia went on the attack in 2014.

On the other side of Russia, Mongolia stands as a counterexample, successfully buffering Russia and China with no threat against its sovereignty from either side. For Ukraine, permanent neutrality had been an option before the Russian invasion began and even until late March 2022. (It was a part of the Istanbul negotiations, which fell apart in April). Now permanent division of the country will be more likely.

During the 20th century, neutrals have worn many geopolitical hats, and they proved especially valuable during the Cold War, as the belt of neutrals from Finland and Sweden down to Switzerland, Austria, and Yugoslavia put physical space between NATO and Warsaw Pact members. What’s more, the neutral and nonaligned states helped bring about the few cross-iron curtain political breakthroughs: During negotiations for the nuclear nonproliferation treaty and the Conferences on Security and Cooperation in Europe , they often functioned as the oil that greased the wheels of world diplomacy.

Now that Finland and Sweden have relinquished their roles as buffers, Russia has already signaled it will treat them as potential threats, making them front-line states in case of a NATO-Russian war. Former Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky understood this dynamic and hence tried very hard to settle as many international organizations in Vienna as possible—even during the hottest peak of the Cold War—because they would prove Austria’s usefulness and serve as a pragmatic guarantee against a nuclear attack.

Successful neutrality is anything but fence-sitting. Engaged neutrality means taking an active role for one’s own interests and the interests of all conflict parties—being omnipartial, rather than impartial. It means getting involved whenever possible and staying out only when necessary. Engaged neutral states are obliged to raise their voices when it comes to massive human rights violations, genocide, or war.

Today, the question of whether nonalignment is long gone or having a resurgence is moot. When it comes to neutrality, there are really only two questions that matter:

First, which neutrals will leave the stage, and which ones will be born?
Second, will the neutrals play a constructive role in the new global conflict, or will they be relegated to the margins?
For better or worse, if history is of any guidance, neutrality is here to stay. We might as well think about how to use it productively.

Why Neutrality Is Obsolete in the 21st Century?
As Finland joins NATO, a few European holdouts cling to nonalignment. ANALYSIS| FRANZ-STEFAN GADY

South Africa’s Nonsensical Nonalignment
ANC has forgotten that the outside world’s principled rejection of neutrality sustained the struggle against apartheid. ARGUMENT| EUSEBIUS MCKAISER


Why Latin America Will Stay Nonaligned?
As Argentina’s president prepares to meet with the U.S. president, the bloc’s consensus on Russia’s war in Ukraine will be put to the test. ANALYSIS | JACOB SUGARMAN

International Mountain Day 2023; December 11th.

FORUM: “Restoring Mountains ecosytems.” International Mountain Day 2023. This theme was selected to fully include mountains in the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030, co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the UN Environment Programme. The Decade is an opportunity to draw together political support, scientific research and financial resources to significantly scale-up restoration and prevent further degradation of mountain ecosystems. The Mountains cover around 27% of the Earth’s land surface and host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. As the water towers of the world, they supply freshwater to an estimated half of humanity. Mountains are home to an extraordinary range of plants and animals, and to many culturally diverse communities with different languages and traditions. From climate regulation and water provisioning services, to soil maintenance and conservation, mountains are key to our lives and livelihoods. Yet mountains are suffering from the impacts of climate change and unsustainable development, escalating risks for people and the planet. Climate change threatens the flow of water, and fast-rising temperatures are forcing mountain species and the people that depend on these ecosystems to adapt or migrate. Steep slopes mean the clearing of forest for farming, settlements or infrastructure can cause soil erosion as well as the loss of habitat. Erosion and pollution harm the quality of water flowing downstream. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, up to 84 percent of endemic mountain species are at risk of extinction, while populations of a range of other montane plant and animal species are projected to decline and face extinction. The recent biodiversity agreement of the 2022 United Nations Biodiversity Conference – which pledges to protect 30% of the Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas and inland waters by 2030 – provides an impetus to revive and protect mountain landscapes. The United Nations General Assembly also recently proclaimed 2023–2027 as “Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions” in its triennial resolution on sustainable mountain development. Its objectives are to attract grant assistance and investments for mountains, develop “green” economies and technologies, create mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between mountainous countries, and develop science and education in the field of sustainable mountain development. The celebration of the International Mountain Day 2023 is a chance to increase awareness about the relevance of mountain ecosystems and call for nature-based solutions, best practices and investments that build resilience, reduce vulnerability and increase the ability of mountains to adapt to daily threats and extreme climatic events. Follow the conversations with the hashtags:#MountainDay, #ReadingMountains, #11December, #MountainsMatter,#mountainecosystem #ecosystemservice #InternationalMountainDay.

EVENTS: A high-level side event will be held in the Food and Agriculture Pavilion at the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai on December 11th at 14.00–15.00 GST to celebrate the International Mountain Day 2023. The event will feature high-level speakers, youth and Indigenous Peoples who will share their perspectives on addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in mountain regions. The event will be broadcast soon; See details here and Get the agenda programme!

As the COP28 continues, a panel discussion will held by the UNDP Buthan ahead of #MountainDay, we take you to Lunana, one of the highest human settlements on earth. Home to 3 of Buthan’s 17 high risk glacial lakes, Lunana lives in constant fear of #GLOF as glaciers melt fast. What actions we need to develop to reduce fthe impacts of Climate change on mountains water ecosystems.

On December 13th, from 14.30–16.00 CET online, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and the FAO-led UN Decade Task Force on Best Practices will host a technical session “Sharing knowledge throughout the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: Good practices for the restoration of mountain ecosystems” to showcase and share good practices for restoration of mountain ecosystems. The event will be broadcast on Zoom – details here.

FESTIVAL: Taking place every year in the run-up to or on International Mountain Day on December 11th, the Reading Mountains Festival 2023 will offer us an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the literary and cultural diversity of the Alps. This year, the Festival enters its ninth edition, and if you have never been part of it, we warmly invite you to join in and organise (or attend) an event! Learn more about the Ninth edition of the Reading Mountains Festival.

STATEMENTS: Read the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on the International Mountain Day 2023.



Statement by David Cooper Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity International Mountain Day 2023; December 11th.

This International Mountain Day 2023, we reflect on the crucial importance for human well-being of these majestic ecosystems and seek to raise awareness of the possibility for action under the theme "Restoring Mountain Ecosystems". Mountains encompass nearly 27 percent of the Earth's land surface, standing as some of the most unique and inspiring landscapes. They are biodiversity-rich, hosting half of the world's biodiversity hotspots, and serve as sources of freshwater for almost half of humanity. Climate change, overexploitation, land use and contamination change represent the greatest threats to mountain biodiversity. Climate change affects water flow and glacier areas, forcing mountain species and communities to adapt or migrate. Ecosystem conversions for farming, settlements, or infrastructure on steep slopes can lead to soil erosion and habitat loss, impacting water quality downstream. Alarmingly, up to 84 percent of endemic mountain species are at risk of extinction, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Mountains, despite their magnificent landscapes, are particularly fragile ecosystems. This fragility underpins the urgency for our collective commitment and effort to restore and protect them. Restoration is a critical action to secure the supply of crucial ecosystem services and functions that deliver direct benefits to people, such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, reducing erosions, water provisioning, and increasing soil fertility. Mountain restoration and rehabilitation support local livelihoods and reduce human-wildlife conflicts. The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022 calls for the conservation of at least 30 percent of the Earth's ecosystems and for 30 percent of degraded areas of ecosystems to be under restoration. We must join forces to effectively move the Framework from agreement to action and safeguard the diversity of mountain landscapes. On this International Mountain Day 2023, let us increase awareness and call for the restoration of mountain ecosystems that enhance resilience, reduce vulnerability and secure the well-being of future generations and our planet.

CBD Executive Director.

PHOTO CONTEST: Join the IMD 2023 Photo contest "Restoring Mountain Ecosystem".
Enter the 2023 Mountains Matter photo contest for International Mountain Day by capturing ecosystem restoration in mountains through your lens.

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS

Posters, Banners, Postcards are available on Trello.

Human Rights Day 2023; December 10th.

FORUM: “75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” Human Rights Day 2023. For 75 years, the core ambition of the Declaration has been to infuse societies with equality, fundamental freedoms and justice. It enshrines the rights of all human beings and is a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies and a bedrock of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Our hope is to increase the knowledge of the UDHR as a foundational blueprint for taking concrete actions to stand up for human rights. In the decades since the ratification of the UDHR in 1948, human rights have, in real terms, become more recognised and more guaranteed across the globe. However, the promise of the UDHR, of dignity and equality in rights, has been under a sustained assault in recent years.

 The celebration of the UDHR75 will:

Educate: Increasing global knowledge and awareness of the UDHR and its enduring relevance for our times and for the future; and showing how the Declaration has guided the work of UN Human Rights.

Promote attitude change: Countering the increasing scepticism of, and rollbacks against human rights by establishing that human rights are never relative and must always be upheld as what unites all of humanity.

Empower & mobilize: Offering concrete knowledge and tools to help people better fight for their rights.

Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #humanrights75, #Act4RightsNow, #HumanRightsDay, #10December, #UDHR75, #75thanniversary, #HumanRights.

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on Human Rights Day 2023. December 10th.

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

The iconic opening sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as important today as it was when it was adopted 75 years ago.

The Universal Declaration is a roadmap, helping to end wars, heal divisions and promote lives of peace and dignity for all.

But the world is losing its way. Conflicts are raging. Poverty and hunger are increasing. Inequalities are deepening. The climate crisis is a human rights crisis that is hitting the most vulnerable hardest.

Authoritarianism is on the rise.

Civic space is shrinking and the media is under attack from all sides.

Gender equality remains a distant dream and women’s reproductive rights are being rolled back.

Today, it is more important than ever to promote and respect all human rights – social, cultural, economic, civil and political – which protect us all.

The Universal Declaration shows the way to common values and approaches that can help resolve tensions and create the security and stability our world craves.

As we work to update global frameworks and make them more effective in the 21st century, human rights must have a unique and central role.

I call on Member States to use this 75th anniversary, and the Summit of the Future next year, to strengthen their commitment to the timeless values of the Universal Declaration.

And on Human Rights Day, I urge people around the world to promote and respect human rights, every day, for everyone, everywhere.

António Guterres.

Statement of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk's on Human Rights Day 2023; December 10th.

EVENTS: On December 10th; 2023, we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ahead of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights milestone celebration, starting on this year's, we will launch a year-long campaign to showcasing the UDHR by focusing on its legacy, relevance and activism. During the observance of the Human Rights Day 2023; the United Nations and the International Community will Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Several conferences, webinars, workshops will be held from New York and Geneva, Participate to the Human Rights 75 Initiative.

On Human Rights Day, the Secretary-General will take part in the Doha Forum in Qatar. The theme is Building Shared Futures.

CAMPAIGN: Time for Human Rights.