UN CHIEF CALLS FOR ‘YEAR OF HEALING’ IN 2021

Tue 29 December 2020:

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a message of hope and healing for the new year to the hundreds of millions of people worldwide whose lives have been shattered by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Defining 2020 as the year of trials, tragedies and tears, the UN secretary-general appealed for cooperation in tackling global challenges in his year-end address Monday.

“Together, let’s make peace among ourselves and with nature, tackle the climate crisis, stop the spread of COVID-19 and make 2021 a year of healing,” Antonio Guterres said in a video message.

Touching on the devastating impacts of COVID-19 around the world during the year such as a rise in poverty, inequality and hunger, however, Guterres highlighted that the New Year lies ahead, which has “rays of hope.”

“But the new year lies ahead,” he says. “With it, we see rays of hope: People extending a helping hand to neighbors and strangers. Front-line workers giving their all. Scientists developing vaccines in record time. Countries making new commitments to prevent climate catastrophe.”

If people work together in unity and solidarity, rays of hope can reach all around the world in the next year, he added.

Saying that both climate change and COVID-19 are crises that can only be addressed by everyone together as part of a transition to an inclusive and sustainable future, he noted that the central ambition of the UN for the next year is to build a global coalition for carbon neutrality by 2050.

“Healing from the impact of a deadly virus. Healing broken economies and societies. Healing divisions. And starting to heal the planet. That must be our New Year’s Resolution for 2021,” Guterres added.