Global exhibition launched in New York to mark UN's 80th anniversary

People visit a global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, Oct. 20, 2025. A global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" was launched Monday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York to mark the United Nations' 80th anniversary. The exhibition features more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting how the world's most crucial international organization impacts people's lives often in "invisible" ways. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" was launched Monday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York to mark the United Nations' 80th anniversary.

The exhibition features more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting how the world's most crucial international organization impacts people's lives often in "invisible" ways -- supporting peace and security, overseeing regulatory frameworks, providing humanitarian assistance and fostering development, facilitating international conventions on trade, and advancing human rights.

The exhibition "tells a remarkable story," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening ceremony. "A story that began 80 years ago, when the sun rose on a world scarred by war and the United Nations was born. A story of ambition and resolve, of cooperation and results. A story the women and men of the United Nations are still writing today, in communities across the world, supporting development, humanitarian assistance, peace and security, and human rights."

Guterres urged the international community to reflect on three truths: the United Nations is deeply committed to supporting the most vulnerable amid conflict and disaster through sustainable development; international norms and standards, often taken for granted, affect people's lives every day; and multilateralism makes our world a better place.

"From peace to humanitarian action to development -- none of the outcomes illustrated here would have come to pass without dialogue and cooperation among States," said the UN chief.

He stressed that raging conflicts, deepening inequality, runaway technologies, and a burning planet will not resolve themselves, and no single nation can address them alone. "We must work together -- recognizing our shared humanity, and building our shared future," Guterres added.

At the UN headquarters in New York, the exhibition highlights 24 stories. Selections of stories are also being exhibited in other venues worldwide -- 10 confirmed and another 20 tentatively planned in the coming months. An online version featuring all stories is being gradually uploaded until mid-December.

The exhibition is organized by the UN Department of Global Communications, supported by its 59 information centers, together with the Permanent Missions of Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland to the United Nations. ■

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (front) visits a global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, Oct. 20, 2025. A global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" was launched Monday at the UN headquarters in New York to mark the United Nations' 80th anniversary.

The exhibition features more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting how the world's most crucial international organization impacts people's lives often in "invisible" ways. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the opening ceremony of a global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, Oct. 20, 2025. A global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" was launched Monday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York to mark the United Nations' 80th anniversary.

The exhibition features more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting how the world's most crucial international organization impacts people's lives often in "invisible" ways. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)

People visit a global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, Oct. 20, 2025. A global exhibition titled "Shared Lives, Shared Future" was launched Monday at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York to mark the United Nations' 80th anniversary.

The exhibition features more than 200 stories from 193 countries, highlighting how the world's most crucial international organization impacts people's lives often in "invisible" ways. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo)