Celebrating the 67th United Nations Foundation Day

The UN headquarters in New York

The United Nations, an international cooperation agency that was established to safeguard the rights and needs of people around the world,is celebrating its 67th Foundation Day today. It is an agency where many languages are spoken, where many cultures are evident and where customs and traditions observed by its international staff are different and unique – differences that converge to realize common goals for all the citizens of the world. Despite its members coming from different backgrounds and speaking different mother tongues, they do understand one another. The United Nations has six official languages, which are English, Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic and Mandarin Chinese.

October 24^th is known all over the world as United Nations Day. It is loosely considered as an American holiday and a day for donning colorful costumes for the parade of nations. But beyond the festivities, United Nations Day is an important holiday that celebrates the diversity of cultures, religions and customs all over the world. It also commemorates the founding of an international body that looks out for the marginalized people, works to stop abuse and human trafficking, as well as foster peace and cooperation among nations.

The United Nations General Assembly established October 24 as a UN holiday in 1948. This was the same day that the United Nations Charter was adopted in 1945. The entire celebration runs from October 20 to October 24 and the main purpose is to uphold the main goals of the United Nations -  international economic development, security, social progress, human rights and world peace.

The city of Copenhagen and the climate change

"Copenhagen (is) the world's last chance to stop climate change before it passes the point of no return." Stavros Dimas, Minister for the Environment for the European Union.

This year's United Nation's Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen represents a unique opportunity for the world to make a stop, analyze what's really going on with the planet and make important and drastic decisions on how rich and developing countries have to continue their growing path with a strong reduction of their CO2 emissions in order to stop the destruction of the planet earth.

Copenhagen, the Danish capital and the city that was catalogued in 2008 as the first one of the Top 20 Most Livable Cities Chart of Monocle magazine, is the host of this unprecedented event that is taking place since December 7th and until December 18th, with the assistance of many chiefs of state and of the representatives of 192 countries that are gathered together to analyze the solutions to the climate change and to try to negotiate an agreement that can replace the Kyoto Protocol.

One of the biggest challenges of this enormous event is to be able to bring together the nations, no matter how big or rich, and to agree on a new CO2 reduction goal for 2020, which, for obvious reasons, is not easy to define because the reduction numbers have different consequences for rich countries such as the United States, for developing countries such as China and Brazil, and, to a lesser extent, for poor countries such as some African nations.

Among the 192 countries that are assisting the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference 2009, there are more than 100 that support more strict goals of CO2 reduction for the year 2020. As an example, Brazil has proposed to reduce emissions between 36% and 39%, which has led other countries to propose new objectives in this United Nations encounter.

The whole world is waiting to listen to what the United States of America and its president, Barack Obama, have to say about the role of this powerful nation on the stoppage of Global Warming. As a rich country and as one of the countries that produce the most emissions, and that consume so many natural resources, the US has an enormous responsibility and the power to change the course of this serious problematic that afflicts the world.

Leaving the numbers behind, it is important to say that it is essential that every nation gets involved in a problematic that has to do with everyone on earth. No one has fewer responsibilities when it comes to global warming and climate change. Every country has to contribute as much as possible and the rich and powerful nations have to acknowledge their leading role and give example of responsibility and leadership.

Before December 18^th every nation should have in their best interests the success of this international encounter that will have permanent repercussions for the planet earth, for the lives of millions of people, for future generations, for the animals, for nature, for the future of man. ^[

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