International Challenges And Cooperation #MultilateralistMatters
/
6:03
/
MP4
/
880.1 MB

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG , UNITED NATIONS

International Challenges And Cooperation #MultilateralistMatters

World’s problems must be tackled together, say UN and EU from shores of Lake Geneva

Cooperation between countries - multilateralism – is the only way to respond to global challenges in the 21st century, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) have declared, at the launch of a new exhibition in Geneva, showcasing the significance and relevance of international solidarity.

“The issues we are talking about from climate to pandemics are what people care about today. And most people understand you can only try to tackle these global issues via cooperation,” said Lotte Knudsen, EU Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, who opened the exhibition, From Geneva to the World - #MultilateralismMatters. “It doesn't mean there are immediate results, but you certainly cannot solve them on your own by closing your borders, or just dealing with one country at a time.”

Highlighting how the global upheaval caused by the COVID-19 crisis in the last 18 months had “amply demonstrated the need for collective action and solidarity”, Ambassador Knudsen maintained that international cooperation should have “a positive impact on people's lives” in all areas.

These included in the humanitarian sphere and human rights, climate change and the environment, health, refugees and migration, all issues that are showcased in a large-format, informative photographic series that illustrates the scope of the work undertaken by international institutions in the Swiss city, on behalf of global citizens.

The lakeside exhibition at Quai Wilson is hosted by the EU Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations Office in Geneva, in partnership with the UN and the City of Geneva. It was unveiled on Monday 6 September and runs for a month.

“We have to learn the lessons of COVID, which was an unprecedented crisis which probably no one could handle perfectly,” said Ambassador Knudsen, who added that there “is no alternative” to ensuring that multilateralism “delivers results” to people in today’s interconnected world.

“We must now draw the conclusions and see what we need to do in terms of improving health systems, in terms of creating better access to health systems across the world, strengthening health systems and of course ensure that should anything similar ever happen, we will be better prepared.”

Echoing that message, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said that the challenge post-COVID was “not only about how we in a coordinated way respond to threats, but also on how we can seize better common opportunities. And that is linked to how we want to build back better…because we don't want to come back to normality, a normality (in which) COVID-19 impacted us so terribly.”

Geneva was well-placed to help achieve a more positive outcome for everyone, the UN rights chief maintained, as the city was “very well known internationally as a multilateral centre for multilateral action and promotion, respect and realisation of human rights. And of course, our Office supports that as well by setting human rights standards, but also looking worldwide how the implementation of those human rights standards are being developed and achieved.”

Among the more than 30 international organizations whose work is displayed, the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) exhibit illustrates its mission to use intellectual property (IP) as a powerful catalyst for jobs, growth and sustainable development, for each of its 193 Member States.

We need to build back better, and part of building back better means that we need to have a more inclusive, diverse system,” said WIPO Director-General, Daren Tang.

Asked about pressing global problems that required multilateral action, Mr. Tang pointed to climate change and the recent devastating floods in Europe, Asia and North America. “We really, really need to get a grip on that. If we look at what is happening in the world in the last few months, every part of the world, Germany - so near here - China, and the US. Climate change we can have all so, we really need to get to grips with that.”

The WIPO Director-General also insisted on the importance of explaining the positive, transformative value of multilateralism whose values are based on a rules and rights-based framework, to a broader public.

“We need to go out there and better connect with people and engage with people, especially young people,” he said. “They don’t know about what we do at the UN, they don’t know what we do at the UN specialised agencies. So, I think this is a good opportunity now to use social media, to change the way we talk about the UN, to change the way we talk about IP. At WIPO, we have a big push towards talking about IP that is a much more down-to-earth, relatable manner, so that people understand that IP is not something just for specialists, but something to help them use IP to guide us to market, to bring their creations and their innovations alive.”

In comments highlighting the need for greater international solidarity towards refugees and other vulnerable minorities impacted by the COVID-19 socio-economic crisis, Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements insisted that “it's very clear, the world is not okay. There are a large number of people that were already in need and now are even in greater need. You see the socio-economic impacts. You see that the most vulnerable have been impacted, perhaps even more so than they were already in need. So, here's an opportunity, one on inclusion: make sure that everyone is vaccinated; not just the citizens of a country, but also the refugees and migrants and others that find themselves in that country.”

There were precedents for this kind of collaborative approach in Jordan and Lebanon, Ms. Clements maintained, “two countries that have been huge hosts for refugee populations over many decades, by the way, not just since the Syrian crisis began a decade ago”.

They had worked together “to find solutions so that people, refugees who have stayed very close to their homes in Syria, are able to go home safely and in dignity, but also to be able to provide support to those host communities”.

Visiting the exhibition with her baby, bystander Caroline expressed the hope that multilateralism in future would be robust enough to withstand the inflammatory political rhetoric that has been a feature of the COVID crisis.

“What's important most to me is that borders remain open after the times, after last year, after the pandemic, I saw many borders close,” she said. “I saw a lot of conversations become tougher between countries, within countries. And what I worry about is that borders remain open for her to discover the world in all its beauty.”

Another visitor, Florian, said that greater resources were needed to produce positive change: “I would say we are not doing enough because there is always a problem and the lack of it is a lack of resources.”

The UN alone couldn’t be expected to solve all the world’s complex challenges, he added. “They do the best they do of it, but I think in general, it's not only a case of the United Nations. I think it's with all society worldwide. We have to do an effort. And the United Nations is only one step to move on and to go ahead for these things.”

ends

STORY: International Challenges & Cooperation – #MultilateralismMatters, Geneva

TRT: 6’03”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 17 Sept 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST

  1. Close-up of one of the panels from the #MultilateralismMatters on the shores of Lake Geneva.
  2. Medium of the exhibition.
  3. SOUNDBITE (English): Lotte Knudsen, EU Ambassador to the UN in Geneva and other international organizations in Geneva: “The issues we are talking about from climate to pandemics are what people care about today. And most people understand you can only try to tackle these global issues via cooperation. It doesn't mean there are immediate results, but you certainly cannot solve them on your own by closing your borders, or just dealing with one country at a time.”
  4. Wide of people attending the event by Lake Geneva; water fountain visible to rear.
  5. SOUNDBITE (English): Lotte Knudsen, EU Ambassador to the UN in Geneva and other international organizations in Geneva: “We have to learn the lessons of COVID, which was an unprecedented crisis which probably no one could handle perfectly. We must now draw the conclusions and see what we need to do in terms of improving health systems, in terms of creating better access to health systems across the world, strengthening health systems and of course ensure that should anything similar ever happen, we will be better prepared.”
  6. Close-up de-zoom of a panel from the exhibition.
  7. SOUNBITE (English): UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet: “So, this is not only about how we in a coordinated way respond to threats, but also on how we can seize better common opportunities. And that is linked to how we want to build back better this world, because we don't want to come back to normality, a normality that made… that COVID-19 impacted us so terribly.”
  8. Close-up, panning, of a panel from the exhibition.
  9. SOUNBITE (English): United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet: “Geneva is, well, very well known internationally as a multilateral centre for multilateral action and promotion, respect and realisation of human rights. And of course, our Office supports that as well by setting human rights standards, but also looking worldwide how the implementation of those human rights standards are being developed and achieved.”
  10. Close-up of a panel from the exhibition.
  11. SOUNDBITE (English): World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Director-General, Daren Tang: “We need to build back better, and part of building back better means that we need to have a more inclusive, diverse system. Beyond that, I think the big challenge is climate change. We really, really need to get a grip on that. If we look at what is happening in the world in the last few months, every part of the world, Germany - so near here - China, and the US. Climate change we can have all so, we really need to get to grips with that.”
  12. Close shot, zooming in, of an exhibition panel.
  13. SOUNDBITE (English): WIPO Director General, Daren Tang: “We need to go out there and better connect with people and engage with people, especially young people. They don’t know about what we do at the UN, they don’t know what we do at the UN specialised agencies. So, I think this is a good opportunity now to use social media, to change the way we talk about the UN, to change the way we talk about IP. At WIPO, we have a big push towards talking about IP that is a much more down-to-earth, relatable manner, so that people understand that IP is not something just for specialists, but something to help them use IP to guide us to market, to bring their creations and their innovations alive.”
  14. Wide shot of podium speaker, participants and water fountain to rear.
  15. Close-up, zooming in on exhibition panel.
  16. SOUNDBITE (English): Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements: “It's very clear, the world is not okay. There are a large number of people that were already in need and now are even in greater need. You see the socio-economic impacts. You see that the most vulnerable have been impacted, perhaps even more so than they were already in need. So, here's an opportunity, one on inclusion: make sure that everyone is vaccinated; not just the citizens of a country, but also the refugees and migrants and others that find themselves in that country.”
  17. Close-up, de-zoom of an exhibition panel.
  18. SOUNDBITE (English): Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Kelly Clements: “What we see in Jordan and Lebanon, two countries that have been huge hosts for refugee populations over many decades, by the way, not just since the Syrian crisis began a decade ago, is the ability to be able to come together; one, to find solutions so that people, refugees who have stayed very close to their homes in Syria, are able to go home safely and in dignity, but also to be able to provide support to those host communities.”
  19. Medium of people passing alongside the exhibition, water fountain to rear.
  20. SOUNDBITE (English): onlooker Caroline holding baby: “What's important most to me is that borders remain open after the times, after last year, after the pandemic, I saw many borders close. I saw a lot of conversations become tougher between countries, within countries. And what I worry about is that borders remain open for her to discover the world in all its beauty.”
  21. Wide shot, travelling, of the exhibition and the lake.
  22. SOUNDBITE (English): bystander Florian: “I would say we are not doing enough because there is always a problem and the lack of it is a lack of resources of it. And they do the best they do of it, but I think in general, it's not only a case of the United Nations. I think it's with all society worldwide. We have to do an effort. And the United Nations is only one step to move on and to go ahead for these things.”
  23. Wide of the women’s choir Tao Mousso that accompanied the opening ceremony.
  24. Medium of the choir’s lead singer holding microphone.
  25. Medium of an exhibition panel which reads “From Geneva To The World”.
  26. Wide shot of event.

Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.