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From left: UN flag at the Headquarters, in New York; UN peacekeepers in the field; a health worker prepares a sample for testing; Secretary-General António Guterres on his way to a meeting on the ACT-Accelerator; and a WFP aircraft air-drops sacks of food.
UN Photo; UN Women (centre)
From left: UN flag at the Headquarters, in New York; UN peacekeepers in the field; a health worker prepares a sample for testing; Secretary-General António Guterres on his way to a meeting on the ACT-Accelerator; and a WFP aircraft air-drops sacks of food.

Looking back at 2020, In Case You Missed It

30 December 2020
UN Affairs

At UN News, 2020 started with a hope that the year would be one of peace for Syria’s children.  However, in the weeks that followed, the news cycle was upended by the coronavirus pandemic, that not only changed what we covered, but also how we covered UN-related news around the world.  

Confined to our homes, we continued to inform you about the UN’s work worldwide, with the pandemic adding to a seemingly un-ending list of crises the Organization had to confront and help find solutions for.   

Zoom meetings and webinars replaced in-person negotiations, and the General Assembly’s annual debate, the so called “diplomatic Superbowl”, also moved virtual, but we had it covered. 

We brought you stories of challenges and of hope, and we took on the “virus of misinformation” in order to help inoculate societies globally through our Social Media-based Verified campaign. 

And with this epochal year coming to an end, here’s a look back at some of our multimedia coverage, with the top five most read, heard and tweeted news stories across our platforms – that did not revolve around the pandemic - #InCaseYouMissedIt  

Since Christmas Eve, we’ve been featuring some more in-depth pieces on how the coronavirus has changed the world.

For full coverage through the year, click here. And from all of us here, have a safe, healthy, happy and successful 2021.

STORIES

1. Yemen: ‘Hanging on by a thread’, UN chief requests funding to meet staggering humanitarian crisis

A displaced family in Marib, Yemen, carries a winter aid package back to their shelter.
IOM
A displaced family in Marib, Yemen, carries a winter aid package back to their shelter.

2 June 2020  – More than five years of conflict have left Yemenis “hanging on by a thread, their economy in tatters” and their institutions “facing near-collapse”, the UN chief told a virtual pledging conference on Tuesday, calling for a demonstration of solidarity with some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.  Read  more...

2. Use of religious beliefs to justify rights violations must be outlawed, says UN expert

3. UN Secretary-General calls for domestic violence ‘ceasefire’ amid ‘horrifying global surge’

4. As famines of ‘biblical proportion’ loom, Security Council urged to ‘act fast’

5. Extraordinary ‘megaflash’ lightning strikes cover several hundred kilometres, smashing records 

 

AUDIO

1. PODCAST SPECIAL: Nations United, hosted by Julia Roberts

The Sustainable Development Goals projected onto UN Headquarters, New York.
UN Photo/Cia Pak
The Sustainable Development Goals projected onto UN Headquarters, New York.

21 September 2020 – In the midst of COVID-19, we have an historic opportunity to look at the world as it is, based on the facts, and then focus on collective solutions, according to a special project undertaken by the United Nations this year to mark its 75th anniversary, and the fifth anniversary of the game-changing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tune in to this special edition of our Lid is On podcast - Nations United: Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times, hosted by Hollywood great, Julia Roberts. Listen here...

2. UN peacekeepers stand with Lebanese in aftermath of Beirut blast

3. Biodiversity must ‘move up international agenda’, following Australia bushfires

4. From child bride to UN human rights officer: one Iraqi woman’s journey

5. Solidarity through song: Tongan musician hails Pacific Unite Concert

 

TWITTER

Top five tweeted news stories on @UN_News_Centre
Screenshots from Twitter
Top five tweeted news stories on @UN_News_Centre

Click here to view our Twitter timeline.   

VIDEO

Click here to view the playlist.

 

 

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sustainable development|peacekeeeping|human rights

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Since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, UNIFIL and its peacekeeping troops have maintained their daily operational activities along the Blue Line in South Lebanon.

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From left: UN flag at the Headquarters, in New York; the Deputy Secretary-General holds a copy of the UNCTAD SDG report; UN peacekeepers in the field; Secretary-General with women members of his Senior Management Team.

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Useful Links

  • 📰 Top five most read stories
  • 🔊 Top five most played audios
  • 🗣️ Top five most tweeted
  • 🎥 Top videos on UN WebTV

News Tracker: Past Stories on This Issue

Secretary General’s New Year message.

After year of ‘trials, tragedies and tears’, UN chief sends message of hope for 2021

28 December 2020
UN Affairs

As the world enters 2021, after a “year of trials, tragedies and tears”, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has delivered a message of hope for the new year. 

The 75th anniversary of the United Nations is marked by a ceremony in the UN General Assembly.

UN’s mission ‘more important than ever’, Secretary-General says at UN Day ceremony

26 October 2020
UN Affairs

Seventy-five years after world leaders united to promote global peace and progress through cooperation, representatives from the international community stood in the UN General Assembly Hall on Monday to reaffirm their commitment to this promise. 

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