Beijing, 23rd October 2015 - As part of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations (UN), the UN in China is coming together with national and international partners in Beijing to reflect on the important and noble aspirations on which the UN is built. The occasion aims to celebrate the UN’s history and to look to how it can continue to contribute to peace, development and human rights.

To celebrate the birthday, on the 24th of October more than 200 iconic monuments and buildings in more than 60 countries will be lit blue, the official color of the United Nations. In China, the Great Wall will be illuminated as part of the global ‘Turn the World UN Blue’ campaign.

The UN day is celebrated just one month after the historic 2030 Action Agenda for Sustainable Development was approved by 193 member states. The agenda provides world leaders with a concrete set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030.

Speaking about the founding of the UN Charter, Alain Noudehou, Resident Coordinator of the UN in China, said: “As we celebrate UN Day 2015, we should take the opportunity to reflect on how to ensure a strong UN as we continue to work for peace, prosperity, equality and the protection of our planet.” He talked about the UN’s role in the new global development agenda concluding that “the United Nations is as relevant in 2015 as it was back in 1945.”

Ambassador Shi Zhongjun, Representative from Ministry of Foreign Affairs also highlighted the special significance of the UN’s 70th anniversary saying: “For 70 years, as the most universal, representative and authoritative intergovernmental organization, the United Nations has played an irreplaceable role in safeguarding world peace, advancing common development, improving global governance, and promoting global cooperation.”

"United Nations has gone through various tests and played important roles in promoting joint development and progress of humanity", explained Ambassador Lu Shumin, President of United Nations Association of China.  He reaffirmed that "the international community needs joint effort to realize the dream and goals as stated in the United Nations Charter".

On behalf of the UN Country Team in China, Mr. Noudéhou also thanked the Government of China for its commitment and leadership in its support of the work of the UN in China and globally. He highlighted the UN’s commitment to further strengthen the long-standing partnership and friendship with China in the context of the 2030 Action Agenda.

Organized by the UN System in China jointly with the UN Association in China, the commemoration brought together more than four hundred representatives from the Chinese government, civil society, and the diplomatic and international community in Beijing. It was hosted in the UN Common Premises in Beijing. Artistic performances included pianist Yang Shanshan, erhu player Wang Zitong and the Children’s Choir from Banchang Primary School in Beijing.

The theme for this year’s UN day is ‘Strong UN, Better World’ and it will be commemorated all over the world. In his message for UN Day, the UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon highlighted that “The timeless values of the UN Charter must remain our guide.  Our shared duty is to ‘unite our strength’ to serve ‘we the peoples’”.

Note to editors:

About UN Day

The General Assembly of the UN has declared October 24 as the anniversary of the coming into force of the Charter of the United Nations. It is devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the UN and to gain their support for the work of the UN.

More information on the UN 70th anniversary is available on: http://www.un.org/un70/en