70 years of UN: Past achievements and pledges for future

Looking back at both humanity’s achievements but also the remaining challenges in advancing peace, human rights and human dignity, were at the heart of the 70th anniversary of United Nations in Montenegro.

Montenegro remains fully committed to responsible membership within the United Nations.

Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro

President Filip Vujanović, who was the host of the ceremony organised in the Old Royal Capital Cetinje, underlined Montenegro's pledge to further contribute to the UN mission, stressing out excellent cooperation with the UN agencies operating in the country.

The ceremony was great opportunity, not only to recapitulate past 70 years of UN’s work, but also to look ahead towards future challenges articulated through the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which was adopted on recent UN General Assembly. The plan, which represents the vision of better future, is based on 17 Sustainable Development Goals identified by both UN member states and people around the world – more than 8 million of them. 

The UN Resident Coordinator Fiona McCluney highlighted Montenegro’s contribution to the consultative process ‘the World we Want’ and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. 

Montenegro had a very active role in shaping up the new development agenda, through its work in the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals as well as through mobilising more than 2% of its population in designing the vision of sustainable development in 2030.

Fiona McCluney, UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro

President Vujanović underlined that Montenegro is aligning its National Strategy for Sustainable Development with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

McCluney also referred to Montenegro’s agile role in promotion of the internal UN Reform called “Delivering as One”, as well as in the Human Rights Council and the executive board of a number of Agencies. “In addition, representatives of national institutions and UN family agreed on the goals they will jointly strive to in the course of the next programming period up to 2021,” said McCluney, referring to the strong partnership between Montenegro and the UN.

The ceremony was also opportunity for awarding three students for the best essays on the topic “70 years of United Nations” within the contest organised jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration and Faculty of Political Science at the University of Montenegro. Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Igor Lukšić handed over the awards.

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