24 October marks 76 years since the United Nations was established to bring hope and stability to a world devastated by war, genocide and destruction.  We celebrate UN Day on this day every year to highlight the achievements of the UN and its organizations, funds and programmes. Since its beginning, the UN has taken on numerous humanitarian, environmental and peace-keeping challenges, including providing food to 90 million people in over 75 countries, assisting more than 34 million refugees, authorizing 71 international peacekeeping missions, and coordinating 140 nations to minimize climate change.  The UN family is safeguarding human rights with 80 treaties and declarations, supporting democratic elections in more than 50 countries each year, and providing vaccinations for nearly 60 percent of the world’s children.

We at UNDP are proud to be part of this UN family, working side by side with our colleagues in more than 170 countries and territories worldwide to put an end to poverty in all its forms and to ensure that by 2030 all people everywhere enjoy peace and prosperity.

From democratic governance to human rights, from energy efficiency to climate action, and from social cohesion, to recovery and peacebuilding in the east of Ukraine, UNDP has worked closely with the Government and local authorities, with partners across the UN system, with civil society and with local communities to help identify and develop targeted solutions to Ukraine’s development challenges – so that the country can achieve sustainability, prosperity and equality for all, leaving no one behind.

UNDP and the entire UN Family in Ukraine are also working tireless to ensure the country is able to build forward better from the debilitating effects of the long COVID pandemic. Our collective priority is to ensure the country is stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

We very much look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming years as Ukraine progresses into a modern, inclusive and prosperous state, formed and informed by the Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations Charter begins with phrase, “WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS.”  This means UN Day is OUR day, not just the birthday of an institution. It is our day to reflect on what can be achieved when we all work together, united. On behalf of the UN Development Programme in Ukraine, I would like to wish everyone, all of us a happy UN day.