Youngmi Kim, soprano, and Yungwook Yoo, piano
Photo of the pre-recorded performance of Youngmi Kim, soprano, and Yungwook Yoo, piano, to be projected in the GA hall during the 2021 concert, organized by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN.
Photo:SBS Medianet

Building Back Together for Peace and Prosperity

A symbol of hope for global unity

United Nations Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 when the UN Charter entered into force. UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 76 years. Usually held in the General Assembly Hall of the Organization, at Headquarters in New York, a concert is held to mark UN Day.  As the world begins gradually to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 Concert represents a call to strengthen international cooperation in the interest of both nations and peoples, for a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.

 

2021 Celebrations

UN annual concert

This year's UN Day Concert followed a hybrid format with part live and part pre-recorded performances, with a small audience following physical distancing protocols.

Held on Thursday, 21 October 2021, under the theme “Building Back Together for Peace and Prosperity”, the concert was sponsored by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations.

Renowned violinists Angela and Jennifer Chun along with soprano Youngok Shin provided in-person performances in the General Assembly Hall, at the UN Headquarters in New York. Pre-recorded videos have been screened during the event, featuring acclaimed soprano Youngmi Kim, the Goyang Philharmonic Orchestra, pianist Yungwook Yoo and all-female K-POP band aespa.

Programme

 

UN Day at Expo 2020 Dubai

On 24 October 2021, Expo will celebrate United Nations Day as an Honor Day with a variety of official events. This will include an official ceremony at the Al Wasl Dome and an exciting cultural performance by the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO), a unique group of young musicians in the UAE and the Arab world at large, devoted to cultivating the musical talent of young people, by creating a cultural and artistic environment for young talents for audiences of all ages. The ceremony will take place on the Stage of Nations in Al Wasl Dome starting 10:15 am GST, with the presence of high-level government officials from the United Arab Emirates. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed will join the ceremony in person and give opening remarks to commemorate the global efforts and impact of the United Nations work to serve people and planet for 76 years. Audiences from all over the world can virtually join the Honor Day ceremony, which will be livestreamed across the UN YouTube channel and UN Web TV.

The UN will open a selected group of photos from the exhibit #TheWorldWeWant—curated from more than 50,000 images from over 130 countries submitted to a global photo contest hosted and organized by mobile app Agora in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. The physical exhibit will be on display at the Opportunity Pavilion plaza, just across from the #UNHub, starting Sunday, 24 October 2021. To visit the exhibit in person, please find more information about accessing the Expo site here.

Concert poster

2021 UN Day Concert poster

 

Related links

Hymn to the United Nations

Get inspired by this revived W.H. Auden’s Hymn to the United Nations. "Let music for peace Be the paradigm, For peace means to change At the right time, As the World-Clock, Goes Tick and Tock. So may the story Of our human city Presently move Like music, when Begotten notes New notes beget, Making the flowing Of time a growing".

How it all started

In 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the Charter had been ratified by a majority of signatories. Watch history in the making with this footage from the UN archives !

 

illustration of people with clock, calendar, to-do list and decorations

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.