UN Movie Society | MĀRAMA – in Celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

On 9 August 2026, on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the UN Movie Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is honoured to present a special conversation with filmmaker Taratoa Stappard, director of the MĀRAMA. MĀRAMA is a groundbreaking Māori film written and directed by Taratoa Stappard. Set in 1859, it follows a young Māori woman who arrives alone in North Yorkshire, England, only to discover that the grand manor she now inhabits holds stolen Māori treasures, dark secrets, and a horrifying truth about her own colonial heritage. As she unravels it all, she reclaims her identity, her ancestral spiritual powers, and her right to justice. MĀRAMA premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 and has since captivated festival audiences around the world. Speaking directly to the United Nations' commitment to the rights, dignity, and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples, MĀRAMA is a fitting centrepiece for the UN Movie Society’s commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples reminds us that no sustainable future is possible without justice for Indigenous Peoples – justice for their land, their languages, and their cultures – and calls on us to recognize the resilience, knowledge, and contributions of the world's Indigenous communities. MĀRAMA embodies that call: a story of a young Māori woman who reclaims her identity, her ancestral power, and her right to justice in the face of colonial violence and cultural theft. Movies hold the unique power to promote universal ideals, principles, and values so deeply enshrined by the United Nations, including peace, development, respect for human rights, cultural appreciation, the dignity of the human person, and equal rights for all. Founded at the United Nations Headquarters by Brenda Vongova, the UN Movie Society is committed to championing the goals and values of the United Nations through the universal language of motion pictures.


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Sudan, Lebanon & other topics - Daily Press Briefing (7 August 2026) | United Nations

Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. Highlights： - Sudan - Democratic Republic of the Congo - South Sudan - Lebanon - Occupied Palestinian Territory - Ukraine - Fiji/Australia - Food Price Index - International Day - Briefing - Financial Contribution SUDAN Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, spoke to the Security Council members this morning at an Arria formula meeting on education in Sudan. She said that among everything that the war in Sudan has taken, one of the most significant is the future of Sudan depriving the education of its children. Today, she said, at least eight million school-aged children remain out of school, with a disproportionate impact on millions of displaced children, especially those seeking refuge outside of Sudan. Since 2024, the United Nations has verified more than 67 attacks on schools across Sudan, while over 154 instances of military use of schools have been reported. The Deputy Secretary-General said that this year, the UN and its partners have brought more than a million Sudanese children back into some form of learning, but it is simply not enough. She said it is time to stop this war and to pull Sudan back from the brink of losing another generation of its children. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that children and women continue to bear a disproportionate share of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern province of Ituri. The outbreak is unfolding in a province where nearly one million people are displaced, around 80 percent of them women and children. According to the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), more than 300 children have died from Ebola since the outbreak began. Children make up nearly a quarter of confirmed cases, but almost a third of all deaths. The outbreak is also severely disrupting essential healthcare. In the hardest-hit areas, use of health services has dropped by more than 40 percent in recent months, as fear of infection keeps people away. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warns that this fear, combined with overstretched health services, is preventing many pregnant women from seeking care. Maternal deaths in Ituri have nearly doubled since the outbreak began, with about six women dying each week from childbirth-related complications. Ebola infection during pregnancy remains associated with almost universal fetal loss. OCHA stresses that restoring community confidence is key. Together with the Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC), UNICEF and partners have deployed 13,000 community workers, reaching more than 2.4 million people with information on Ebola prevention and early detection. They've also carried out over 500,000 household visits to counter misinformation and encourage early care-seeking. Meanwhile, WHO reports that its technical advisory group on vaccine research is recommending a clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the Ervebo vaccine, the only licensed vaccine against Ebola. WHO is working with partners to begin the trial as soon as possible. This comes as the virus continues to spread rapidly across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with total cases now surpassing 4,000, and 1,850 deaths recorded. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-08-07


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South Sudan: Important questions regarding political security - UNMISS Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Anita Kiki Gbeho, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, on the situation in Sudan and South Sudan. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan, Anita Kiki Gbeho, told the Security Council that “important questions remain to be addressed regarding the political security and institutional conditions necessary for credible peaceful and inclusive elections” in South Sudan. Gbeho said “we remain deeply concerned by ongoing armed confrontations” involving the South Sudan Peoples Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in- Opposition (SPLA-IO), “particularly in Jonglei, as well as ongoing tensions in other parts of the country,” including Upper Nile, Unity, and to a lesser extent Western Bahr el Ghazal. She also expressed concerned at “the cycle of communal violence in places such as Warrap and Lakes States” where “civilians continue to pay the highest price.” Preparations for the December elections have been challenged by concerns about whether necessary conditions can be established in time. Opposition leader Dr. Riek Machar has remained in detention for close to a year. Gbeho said, “questions persist regarding political trust, civic and political space, security arrangements, financing, constituency boundaries and broader institutional preparedness.” Turning to humanitarian conditions, the Special Representative said, “despite facing enormous economic and humanitarian pressures, South Sudan has continued to keep its borders open to those fleeing the conflict in Sudan. This policy has provided protection and refuge to large numbers of vulnerable people and merits international support.” Gbeho, who is the Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), said, “we continue to advocate for dialogue, confidence-building measures and a reduction in violence. At the same time, persistent insecurity, humanitarian pressures and political tensions require constant adaptation. To remain fit for purpose, UNMISS is reviewing its structures, activities, staffing profile and operational posture, while strengthening early warning, mobility and responsiveness to emerging threats.”


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UN Movie Society | MĀRAMA – in Celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

On 9 August 2026, on the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the UN Movie Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council is honoured to present a special conversation with filmmaker Taratoa Stappard, director of the MĀRAMA. MĀRAMA is a groundbreaking Māori film written and directed by Taratoa Stappard. Set in 1859, it follows a young Māori woman who arrives alone in North Yorkshire, England, only to discover that the grand manor she now inhabits holds stolen Māori treasures, dark secrets, and a horrifying truth about her own colonial heritage. As she unravels it all, she reclaims her identity, her ancestral spiritual powers, and her right to justice. MĀRAMA premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025 and has since captivated festival audiences around the world. Speaking directly to the United Nations' commitment to the rights, dignity, and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples, MĀRAMA is a fitting centrepiece for the UN Movie Society’s commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples reminds us that no sustainable future is possible without justice for Indigenous Peoples – justice for their land, their languages, and their cultures – and calls on us to recognize the resilience, knowledge, and contributions of the world's Indigenous communities. MĀRAMA embodies that call: a story of a young Māori woman who reclaims her identity, her ancestral power, and her right to justice in the face of colonial violence and cultural theft. Movies hold the unique power to promote universal ideals, principles, and values so deeply enshrined by the United Nations, including peace, development, respect for human rights, cultural appreciation, the dignity of the human person, and equal rights for all. Founded at the United Nations Headquarters by Brenda Vongova, the UN Movie Society is committed to championing the goals and values of the United Nations through the universal language of motion pictures.


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Counter-Terrorism: ISIL remains a resilient and adaptive threat - Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Oguljeren Niyazberdiyeva, Chief of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism at the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), on Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. The Security Council was told Wednesday that the Islamic State (ISIL/Da'esh) remains a resilient and adaptive threat despite sustained counter-terrorism pressure that has degraded its central leadership, as the Council reviewed the Secretary-General's 23rd biannual strategic report on the group. Oguljeren Niyazberdiyeva, Chief of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General at the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, said Da'esh has continued to evolve even as its command structure has been disrupted. “While sustained counter-terrorism operations have disrupted Da'esh's senior leadership and reduced its ability to direct operations centrally, the group has continued to adapt. Although its structure is increasingly dispersed, Da'esh remains resilient, with its affiliates united by a shared ideology,” she said. Niyazberdiyeva said the threat remains most acute in Africa. “Today, the threat remains particularly acute in parts of Africa, notably in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, where several affiliates continue to strengthen their capabilities, expand their operational reach and adapt their tactics,” she said, adding that the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) “continues to be the most active Da'esh affiliate globally and has demonstrated an increasing capacity to acquire and employ commercial drone technology.” On Iraq, she said counter-terrorism operations had significantly weakened the group's capabilities there but cautioned that gains must be consolidated. “In Iraq, continued counter-terrorism pressure has significantly constrained Da'esh's capabilities. The challenge now is to consolidate these hard-won gains through strong and accountable institutions, effective administration of justice, rehabilitation and reintegration efforts; and measures that address the conditions that could enable the group's resurgence,” she said. She called for deeper international cooperation, warning that “no Member State can address this threat alone.” Niyazberdiyeva also flagged the group's use of emerging technology. “The growing exploitation by Da'esh and its affiliates of advances in artificial intelligence, encrypted communications, digital platforms, virtual assets and unmanned aircraft systems underscores the need to strengthen governance, oversight and international cooperation, including with the private sector,” she said. “The threat posed by Da'esh will continue to evolve. Our collective response must evolve with it,” she said.


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Denmark/SC President on Sudan | Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations

Informal comments to the media by Christina Markus Lassen, Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of August 2026, on Sudan.


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Afghanistan: Every mew restriction pushes women further out - Press Conference | United Nations

“The danger is that when people become invisible, they risk becoming dispensable,” the UN humanitarian office’s spokesperson said Afghanistan continues to face compounding humanitarian crises, from flash floods to malnutrition and unexploded ordnance, even as funding for the response remains critically low. “Last week in Nuristan, after flash floods swept through the town, destroying homes and infrastructure, families told me they had lost loved ones, livelihoods and everything they owned. Humanitarians moved quickly, delivering shelter, food, healthcare, safe water, protection and psychosocial support to affected communities,” Olga Cherevko, OCHA spokesperson for Afghanistan, told reporters in New York. She said such disasters keep striking a population with little capacity to recover. “But when these floods hit, many people were already struggling to get by. Afghanistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate shocks. Communities barely recover from one disaster before another strikes - floods, droughts, harsh winters and earthquakes. Each shock pushes already vulnerable families deeper into poverty,” she said. Cherevko also pointed to restrictions on women and girls. “Restrictions affecting women and girls continue to shape almost every aspect of daily life. They impact education, livelihoods, access to healthcare and participation in society. With every new restriction, women are pushed even further out of public life. And the danger is that when people become invisible, they risk becoming dispensable,” she said. On nutrition, the spokesperson said malnutrition is rising sharply among children. “At the same time, we are seeing alarming levels of acute malnutrition in many parts of Afghanistan, particularly among young children. Our nutrition partners tell us that wasting among children has worsened this year in over three-quarters of the country,” she said. She added that many children are unable to reach care in time. “Too many children arrive at health facilities severely malnourished. Others never make it there because healthcare is simply too far away, or parents don't have sufficient information about available options, especially in remote provinces where difficult terrain and damaged roads make access even more challenging. Prevention is critical, but growing funding and supply gaps, along with other existing risks, are putting more lives at risk,” Cherevko said. She also cited ongoing casualties from explosive remnants of war and cross-border fighting. “Unexploded ordnance continues to kill and maim civilians, often when children are playing, farmers are trying to return to their fields, or people trying to rebuild their homes or earn a living. Hostilities also continue to take a heavy toll on civilians in the border areas. According to UNAMA, between October last year and the end of June 2026, cross-border fighting resulted in over 1,700 civilian casualties, with nearly 500 people killed,” she said. Cherevko warned the humanitarian response is severely underfunded. “The funding currently is dangerously low. We are looking at our humanitarian response plan: the requirement is around 1.71 billion, and we have only just received just over 26 per cent of the required funding. And we're already in August. So, this is something very alarming to us, especially given the fact that we are seeing a lot of these indicators worsening,” she said.


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Saving the @biodiversity that supports the planet

Biodiversity is more than beautiful nature—it is essential for earth and all species to thrive. Countries meeting on the UN Biodiversity Treaty are exploring ways to preserve this irreplaceable resource.


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Saving the @biodiversity that supports the planet

Biodiversity is more than beautiful nature—it is essential for earth and all species to thrive. Countries meeting on the UN Biodiversity Treaty are exploring ways to preserve this irreplaceable resource.


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Security Council's Agenda August 2026 - Denmark Presidency | Press Conference | United Nations

The President of the Security Council for the month of August, Danish Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen, told journalists in New York that the Council is expected “to make progress” on the election of a new Secretary-General this month and said this was “arguably one of the most important decisions of the Council this year.” The Council held its first straw poll on the participating candidates during the month of July, and Lassen said it is expected to conduct another round of later this month. She said Council members are “very excited about it” and added that there was, “a lot of suspense and excitement” in the room. Lassen noted that Denmark was one of the Council members “who argued in favour when we were discussing the modalities of these elections for more transparency and for actually releasing the polls.” She said that after agreeing to keep the straw poll results confidential, it was “unfortunate” that results had been leaked. Turning to Ukraine, Lassen, who was briefing correspondents on the Council’s program of work for the month, said, “since we entered the Council a little more than a year or a half ago it has been one of our main concerns not surprisingly, we're in the neighbourhood.” She said, “Russian attacks on Ukraine keep getting more and more brutal and more and more important in numbers, so to say,” and pointed out that “May and June were already the highest numbers of civilian casualties so far in the conflict. And we haven't seen the final numbers for July yet, but I fear that that would be again beating that horrible record.” The Danish Ambassador said, “a just and lasting peace has to, of course, be in accordance with the basic principles of the Charter and respecting every state sovereignty and territorial integrity. So, we believe that a peace has to be comprehensive to be a lasting peace. And that would be the principle we keep we're working from. And also, the reason what we try to do this month in the Council.”


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Open the strait, with Arsenio Dominguez | UN ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser

@unitednations https://youtu.be/LsGArn7T8i8 Oil price surges have put international shipping in the spotlight in recent months. But what about the people behind the headlines? What happens to them when the news cycle moves on? With up to 90 percent of all goods globally transported by sea, the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) works to help commercial shipping and international trade ride the waves of war, piracy and geopolitics. Growing up near the Panama Canal, Arsenio Dominguez was always fascinated by mighty cargo ships sailing through on their way to distant shores. Now Secretary-General of the IMO, his role is to defend seafarers and give shipping the recognition it deserves. “Whenever you affect shipping, everybody else gets affected, even if you're not part of the conflict. This is not good for anyone. This is not good for the global population, for the global economy, for politics. We need to protect shipping more.” In this episode, Arsenio Dominguez reflects on years of back-to-back challenges for international shipping, on efforts to decarbonize, and shares why the power of positive thinking and the encouragement of his mother have always been his guiding lights.


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Critical Minerals: DRC’s vision for peace

Critical minerals are the backbone of 21st-century security and technology. In this interview, Professor Jean-Marie Kanda, Senior Advisor to the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for Mining, Energy, and Hydrocarbons, explains why critical minerals have become a global strategic issue and outlines the country's vision for a more transparent, traceable, and responsibly governed mining sector. The discussion explores how stronger international cooperation, improved governance, and effective traceability mechanisms could help ensure that critical minerals become a force for sustainable development and peace, rather than conflict.


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Syria: Beginning to emerge from years of devastation - UN Chief | United Nations

Informal comments to the media by António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, on his visit to Syria, Jordan and Cyprus.


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Election of the next Secretary-General | SC President's Media Stakeout | United Nations

Informal comments to the media by Zénon Mukongo Ngay, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of July 2026, on the election of the next Secretary-General.


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Ebola DRC: In the last 24 hours, 50 people have died of Ebola - Press Conference | United Nations

Press Conference by Julien Harneis, UN Senior Ebola Coordinator, and Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), on the Ebola response on the ground. They both briefed reporters virtually from Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo. “In the last 24 hours, 50 people have died of Ebola in Congo,” Julien Harneis said. He said the number of cases is growing exponentially, doubling every 20 days, and that this growth is far faster than the growth in the response, widening the gap between the two. “So, in support of the government, I'm calling that we step up, across the response, the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, member states,” Harneis told reporters. “We need to massively step up our response, be it in terms of supplies, specialized supplies like personal protective equipment, staff, specialized medical staff, and logistics as well.” He called on member states to keep borders open so that staff can travel into Congo to respond and so that supplies can move in quickly and freely, and so that colleagues can return home when they come out. Harneis said the epidemic is worsening an already difficult humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, with a deteriorating food security situation and medical services degraded by the outbreak. Skau told the briefing the situation requires much greater attention, calling it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded. He said 1,000 people have died in the past two months, compared with eight months for 1,000 deaths during the West Africa outbreak - a fourfold increase in the pace of deaths. “You may think that it's just about treating the identified patients, but now this requires, from all the experience, we have a broader set of tools, and that includes food,” Skau said. He said patients cannot be isolated without also being provided food, health workers cannot work around the clock in dangerous environments unless they are fed, and entire communities under lockdown also need to be fed. Skau said WFP has served some 160,000 hot meals so far and delivered food parcels to some 20,000 affected families who have been closed off. “You cannot force people to choose between hunger and health,” he said. He said some 10 million people - comparable to the population of Sweden, his home country - are acutely food insecure in eastern DRC, with 3 million of those in IPC Phase 4 emergency levels of food insecurity, one step from famine. Skau said the region lacks basic health care, with about a thousand health care centers closed in the past couple of years due to funding shortfalls, and some 400,000 children malnourished. He said cholera has also been spreading in recent months, on top of the Ebola outbreak. Harneis said about 60 per cent of recorded deaths are occurring in the community, which he said is concerning because viral load is highest just after death. He said many of those caring for the dead in the community - daughters, wives, mothers - are young women, driving transmission within communities, and that many children under five are dying of Ebola.


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UN Chief in Cyprus - Press Conference | United Nations

Press Conference by António Guterres UN Secretary General following his meeting with Leaders Cyprus. On Wednesday, 29 July 2026, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, hosted the Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhüman, at his Good Offices Mission inside the UN Protected Area. TRANSCRIPT: Good afternoon to all of you, distinguished members of the media. I want to begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the warm welcome I have received from all Cypriots during my first visit here. Cyprus is an island of remarkable history, rich culture, and enduring resilience. It is also a place where the beauty and potential of the present co-exist with the scars of a painful past. During my visit, I have seen both. But, above all, I have witnessed a deep desire among Cypriots to build a more peaceful and shared future. As Secretary-General, from the earliest days of my mandate, acting in line with the United Nations parameters, I have sought, through my good offices, to assist Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in their efforts to reach a comprehensive, sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue. The United Nations has consistently worked toward this objective. We met in Geneva and in Crans Montana in 2017, in Berlin in 2019, in Geneva in 2021, and again in New York and Geneva in 2024 and 2025. In this context, it was my duty to come to Cyprus to express my full solidarity with the people of Cyprus in their quest for a solution. This is the moment when all efforts must be made to rebuild trust. To that end, it is essential to redouble efforts to define and implement confidence-building measures that can make a difference in the daily lives of all Cypriots. I appeal to the two leaders to intensify these efforts. My Personal Envoy, Ms. Maria Angela Holguin, has been working with the parties – building on past UN efforts – and what she has heard directly from Cypriots themselves. Throughout this visit, I have also had the opportunity to hear from many Cypriots. Their message was clear. They want progress. They want to see their leaders make compromises and to walk that last mile towards a settlement of the Cyprus issue. They want a future in which this island is defined not by division, but by cooperation, opportunity, and peace. That was also the spirit of my frank and constructive discussions with the two leaders, both separately and together. Both Mr. Erhürman and Mr. Christodoulides assured me of their determination to continue to work in earnest with my Personal Envoy. Based on our discussions on the way forward, I decided that I would convene another 5+1 meeting, after adequate preparations on confidence building, methodology and substance, taking into account the convergences already achieved. We will work in consultation with the two sides and the guarantors, to create the conditions for the meeting’s success. In relation to the situation on the ground, I would like to emphasize the need to respect the mandated authority of the UN peacekeeping operation in Cyprus – UNFICYP – both in the buffer zone and the UN-delineated ceasefire lines. For more than six decades, UNFICYP has helped maintain calm and stability in a sensitive environment. Its continued effectiveness depends on the cooperation of all sides. I was impressed by the work of the Committee on Missing Persons and the remarkable bi-communal efforts to respond to the anxiety of the families of all missing persons. I was equally impressed by the work of the bicommunal Technical Committees, that are bridging the gap between the political track and everyday citizens, and finding practical solutions. And I had the opportunity to engage constructively with members of the civil society. The international communityalso has an important role to play on the Cyprus issue. In particular, I count on the continued support of the three guarantors – Greece, Türkiye, and the United Kingdom. Finally, I wish to once again recognize the significant contributions of the staff of UNFICYP and my Mission of Good Offices. They are all playing critical roles in advancing peace and stability and the prospects of a peaceful solution. I was pleased to convey my gratitude to them in person during my stay here. The United Nations cannot impose peace. But let me be very clear: the United Nations remains fully committed to supporting the people of Cyprus in this crucial moment for the island and the wider region. Thank you.


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Gaza: Situation improved somewhat, but progress is far too slow - UNSCO Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. “During my recent visit, I witnessed immense hardship amid continued displacement, overcrowded living conditions, widespread destruction, and near-daily casualties caused by ongoing Israeli military operations,” the UN's Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said. “The situation in Gaza has improved somewhat – but progress is far too slow,” he said. “Recent weeks have seen some welcome progress in clearing solid waste from key areas and coordinating the entry of desperately needed sanitation equipment and supplies.” “These are relevant steps, but they remain highly insufficient in the face of the immense needs on the ground,” he continued. Citing the latest Integrated Phase Classification report, Alakbarov noted improvements in food security and nutrition in Gaza but cautioned that “the situation remains highly fragile, and most families across the Strip are still relying on humanitarian assistance as their only lifeline.”


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AI and Human Development: Remarks by UN Deputy Secretary-General | United Nations

The United Nations brought together AI thought leaders in Mexico City on 23–24 July for the second convening in a global dialogue series examining how one of humanity’s most transformative technologies is reshaping human progress. Convened under the leadership of United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, the gathering is organized by the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP), in collaboration with the Government of Mexico and builds on the inaugural convening held in Cairo in June 2026.


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Israel on the Middle East - Media Stakeout | United Nations

Informal comments to the media by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on the situation in the Middle East.


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Use AI responsibly for a better world, with Tshilidzi Marwala | UNU Rector | Awake at Night

Growing up in rural South Africa, Tshilidzi Marwala first learned about engineering from his grandmother’s handmade clay pots. Now rector of the United Nations University, the Under-Secretary-General is a vocal advocate of using artificial intelligence (AI) for good. “I would not trust AI. You are not supposed to trust AI. You are supposed to use it, always doubt it, always verify what it tells you, cross validate, so that you can be able to use it responsibly.” Education has been a driving force throughout Tshilidzi Marwala’s life, alongside the seismic transitions he has witnessed in his native country and around the world. “We [returned to South Africa just after the end of apartheid] and then we realized that freedom is beautiful… Democracy is a beautiful concept, but it's a very difficult journey. It's not an overnight thing.” With a doctorate in neural networks among his many academic achievements, the UNU rector is familiar with the architecture behind the current rapid developments in AI. In this episode, he reflects on the intersection of political freedom, education and technology, and shares why digital literacy is among the most important skills of our age. [00:00] Introduction [00:33] Growing up in apartheid-era Venda [04:15] Lessons from his grandmother [13:11] From rural life to the National Science Olympiad [18:44] New cultural exposure and freedoms [23:07] South Africa’s democratic transition [24:47] Cambridge and discovering AI [29:43] Future of accessible education through AI [33:17] AI for development and public good [35:50] What keeps Tshilidzi awake at night [39:47] Technology versus human behavior [41:30] Leading the United Nations University [42:46] Life in Tokyo, family, and music [45:03] Closing remarks Listen to more Awake at Night episodes [link to AAN YouTube playlist] #podcast #UnitedNations #AwakeAtNight #UNU #AI #ArtificialIntelligence About Awake at Night Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.


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