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Climate action protest in Glasgow during COP26, the UN Climate Conference.
UN News/Conor Lennon

2021: A good year to listen in

A hit podcast series on climate action, the drama of COP26, and stories from the field, stretching from Vanuatu to Brooklyn. Here are some of our favourite audio highlights of the last 12 months.

MINUSMA peacekeepers talk to villagers about their difficulties in Gao, northeastern Mali.
MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko

2021 Year in Review: UN support for countries in conflict

Long-running conflicts continued in Syria and Yemen this year, whilst fresh unrest caused serious instability in Myanmar, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Sudan. United Nations "Blue Helmet" peacekeepers suffered losses and injuries, particularly those serving in the peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR). Nevertheless, the UN reaffirmed its commitment to protect those caught up in the fighting.

A COVID-19 vaccination centre in Luanda, Angola.
© WHO/Booming/Carlos Cesar

2021 Year in Review: ‘We underestimate this virus at our peril’

Despite the almost miraculous development of effective vaccines against COVID-19 in 2020, the virus continued to spread and mutate throughout the last year, with much of the blame placed on a lack of effective global collaboration as a key reason for the prolonged pandemic. 2021 also saw the launch of a UN-backed programme to help developing countries protect their populations against the virus, and steps were taken to prepare for future global health crises.