Celebrating the United Nations Day
Today, October 24, as we celebrate the United Nations Day, humanity takes a solemn pause amidst the turmoil of nations. Eight decades after the signing of the founding Charter, the world's voice still resonates through these initial, simple yet immense words: "We, the peoples of the United Nations." This collective "we" is threatened by identity-based withdrawals, yet it remains the most beautiful political invention of the 20th century — a promise of reason in a world of excess.
Tunisia's Commitment to the United Nations
Tunisia has long placed its trust in this institution, which, despite its fragilities, remains the last diplomatic refuge against the impulses of force and isolation. In New York, a Tunisian mosaic, once offered by Bourguiba, still adorns the United Nations headquarters: a work of art and a symbol of a fruitful dialogue between civilizations. It reminds us that our country, small in geography but great in thought, has always inscribed its destiny within the fabric of free nations.
A Long-Standing Partnership
Throughout the decades, Tunisia has continued to engage with the UN system, nourishing it with its moderation, sense of compromise, and faith in multilateral cooperation. Today, it remains a strategic hub for UN agencies — UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, UN Women... — which work, alongside the state and civil society, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Concrete Programs and Actions
This living partnership translates into concrete programs: fighting poverty, empowering women, green transition, social inclusion, and resilience in the face of climate risks. The UN's action in Tunisia is thus a daily translation of international solidarity, but also a reminder that multilateralism is not an abstract idea — it is an outstretched hand, a school of patience, a method for humanizing globalization.
A Call to Collective Courage
In his message this year, the UN Secretary-General reminds us that "the time is not for timidity or withdrawal." This is a call to collective courage. For if conflicts intensify and the climate becomes more erratic, there is no other way out than through dialogue and cooperation.
The Tunisian Lesson
And perhaps this is where the Tunisian lesson lies: believing, despite everything, in the given word. Believing that between chaos and peace, there is still a possible mosaic — that of united, free, and dignified peoples.
