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The United Nations Country Team in Bahrain hosted a commemorative event on Tuesday to mark United Nations Day and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, bringing together government officials, the diplomatic corps, youth leaders, private-sector and civil-society representatives in a vibrant evening of reflection and recognition.
 The event highlighted the United Nations’s global legacy and its local partnerships in Bahrain, with a programme that blended art, storytelling, and youth engagement. UN Resident Coordinator Highlights Bahrain’s Role in MultilateralismIn his keynote address, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Khaled El Mekwad, emphasised the United Nations' enduring mission to promote peace, human rights, and sustainable development. 
 “The United Nations will remain committed to achieving a more just and resilient world”, said Mr El Mekwad, highlighting key initiatives such as the Pact for the Future and the UN 80 initiative in reinvigorating the global organisation and multilateralism. The Resident Coordinator also acknowledged Bahrain’s growing leadership on the global stage, including its role in establishing the International Day for Peaceful Coexistence, to be observed annually in January and the Kingdom’s election to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the 2026–2027 term.“Let us reaffirm our commitment to the values of the UN Charter—peace, justice, human rights, and sustainable development,” he said. “Only together, we are the United Nations.”
El Mekwad also highlighted the UN-Bahrain Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2025–2029), signed last December, as a milestone in the partnership between the UN and the Kingdom. The framework aligns with Bahrain’s national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on inclusivity, resilience, and economic diversity. 
Programme Highlights: Art, Short Film, and Youth RecognitionThe evening featured a video message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who reflected on the UN’s journey over eight decades and called for renewed global solidarity in the face of modern challenges such as climate change, inequality, and artificial intelligence.Guests were treated to a short film by award-winning filmmakers Sylvia M. Zakari and Sing J. Lee, which creatively brought to life the story of the United Nations and its impact across generations.
A key attraction was the launch of the UN@80 Photo Exhibition: “Shared Lives, Shared Future”, showcasing 29 human stories from different countries. The exhibition, facilitated globally by the UN Department of Global Communications with contributions from Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland, features over 200 human stories from 193 countries. The exhibition illustrates how the UN has touched lives in meaningful and sometimes unexpected ways.  Honoring Bahrain’s YouthThe event also recognised the contributions of young Bahrainis to various UN-supported programmes implemented in partnership with national institutions. Among these was a youth-focused initiative hosted this week by the Bahrain Science Center for the SDGs, which featured workshops and activities promoting innovation and sustainability.
The Resident Coordinator thanked the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the Bahrain Science Center for their support in organising youth-led events as part of the UN’s 80th anniversary celebrations.