President Luong Cuong and members of the Vietnamese delegation attend the High-Level Meeting to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

Themed “Better Together: 80 Years and Beyond for Peace, Development and Human Rights,” the session drew nearly 150 heads of state, government leaders and senior representatives of UN member states, as well as leaders of international and regional organizations.

Presenting his report on the global situation and the UN’s work, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is moving towards multipolarity and stressed the need for an effective multilateral system to avoid repeating the mistakes that led to the First World War.

Guterres emphasized that the UN remains a moral compass - a force for peace, defender of international law, promoter of sustainable development, protector of human rights, and a body that turns global commitments into concrete actions. He highlighted five key choices for the international community today. First, peace must be grounded in international law. Second, human rights and dignity must be safeguarded by implementing international commitments, including mobilising resources and reforming the international financial system to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Third, climate justice and action must be accelerated through a just and sustainable energy transition, with resources mobilised for green finance via financial mechanisms and policies. Fourth, advanced technologies and artificial intelligence should be harnessed for global and human development. Fifth, a more inclusive, transparent and 21st-century-ready UN is needed, including through the UN80 Initiative and revisions to the 2026 budget to enhance accountability, improve delivery and cut costs.