For the United Nations, 2020 has been a year of canceled meetings, just like for everyone else. Things have been put on hold. But a quick overview of the UN calendar during that uniquely difficult year marked by the Covid19 pandemic shows that the organization has been most resilient. Whether online or in-person, much has been done, notably for peace and education. Here are a few examples:
Less visible than monuments and other cultural artifacts, the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage is just as exposed to oblivion and willful destruction if it is not carefully protected and encouraged. During its fifteenth session, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage met for the first time using a fully online (and thus intangible) modality, from 14 to 18 December 2020.
ECOSOC Integration Segment – Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realizing the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development – Shared Responsibility to Recover Better from COVID-19 – 6 July 2020.
Marking the importance of the UN on its 75th anniversary: UN’s mission ‘more important than ever, Secretary-General says at UN Day ceremony
The following two items stress the importance of the often-neglected philosophical perspective in solving world problems through the meaningful integration of constructive approaches:
The importance of philosophy in times of crisis, the theme of World Philosophy Day 2020
On March 23, 2020, the Secretary-General expressed concern of an epidemic expansion of COVID 19 in countries that are besieged by conflict. The Secretary-General expressed special concern to those who have fled to refugee camps due to war where proximity makes it a venue where the COVID virus can quickly spread. The Secretary-General has called for greater cooperation on a large scale with developed societies providing needed support to the developing world. The Secretary-General says that he feels “strongly determined.” After his address, the Secretary-General answered questions.
SDG 4: The adverse impact of COVID 19 on Healthcare, Education and Poverty
On July 7, 2020, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pointed to the ways in which the impact and effect of COVID 19 were even more devastating in the developing world, which is far less equipped to address the health challenges that are exacerbated by the expansion of the pandemic. Secretary General Guterres expressed it as follows: “Although the novel coronavirus affects every person and community, it does not do so equally. Instead, it has exposed and exacerbated existing inequalities and injustices.”
On September 15, 2020 the Government of Georgia, cognizant of the health threat resulting from the pandemic, has made the ongoing efforts at improving education opportunity as a top priority. The Georgian government has taken advantage of Distance Education to keep learning alive even in the midst of these troubling times. Read more about the remarkable initiatives being taken by the Georgian government at the link above.