World Leaders Gather in New York to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations

The United Nations logo adorns a window at U.N. headquarters in New York City

[People News] President Donald Trump will attend the opening ceremony of the United Nations General Assembly next Tuesday (September 23), when leaders and representatives from more than 190 countries will gather in New York for this annual event.

According to Voice of America, the U.S. State Department said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will accompany the president from September 22 to 25 on this highly anticipated trip to “advance U.S. priorities” during the UN General Assembly.

A statement released by the State Department on Friday said: “The Secretary of State will travel with President Trump to the United Nations to promote American values, including peace, sovereignty, and freedom.”

“Secretary Rubio will meet with foreign ministers of major countries to discuss issues such as shared security interests, conflict resolution, and promoting reciprocal cooperation.”

“In addition, the Secretary will use the opportunity of this week’s high-level meetings to discuss the necessity of the United Nations returning to its roots, reorienting its original mission, and making it an effective tool for promoting peace, rather than a bloated bureaucracy that undermines national sovereignty and pushes destructive ideologies such as ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI).”

The United Nations General Assembly will open on Monday, with two important events taking place the day before the formal meetings begin.

The first event is the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, under the theme: “Together for Peace, Development, and Human Rights for Eighty Years—Carrying Forward the Past and Opening a New Chapter.”

UN officials and other world leaders will review the United Nations’ work over the past eighty years and explore future directions in a one-hour meeting.

The second event is a one-day meeting co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, focusing on the Palestinian issue and advocating the “two-state solution” of Palestine and Israel coexisting. The United States opposes this meeting and has vowed that it “will continue to lead real-world efforts to end the (Israeli-Palestinian) war and achieve lasting peace.”

UN General Assembly member states voted last week in support of the “two-state solution,” but the United States and nine other countries voted against the resolution. The resolution has already proven to be a focal point of deepening divisions among the world’s major powers.

Several countries, including France and the United Kingdom, have stated that they will recognize the State of Palestine during the General Assembly. The United States and Israel oppose this move, saying it is a reward for the Hamas terrorist group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack killed more than 1,200 people and resulted in 251 being kidnapped, many of whom remain held in Gaza to this day.

Palestinian representatives will not attend this UN General Assembly meeting because the United States refused to issue visas to the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. cited “national security interests and the need to hold the PLO and the Palestinian Authority accountable for failing to meet commitments and undermining prospects for peace” as the reason.

In a statement on August 29, the U.S. State Department said: “Before the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) can be considered peace partners, they must consistently condemn terrorism—including the October 7 massacre—and stop inciting terrorism in education. This is required by U.S. law and was also the PLO’s commitment.”

The United States urged the Palestinian Authority to stop bypassing negotiations through the so-called “international lawfare campaign,” which includes appeals to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, as well as seeking unilateral recognition of a hypothetical Palestinian state.

The August 29 statement read: “Both of these measures have effectively led to Hamas refusing to release hostages and caused the breakdown of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.”

The conflict in Ukraine will be a major focus for many world leaders. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is heading to the United Nations to seek support to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent Moscow at the UN meetings.

President Trump said on Thursday that nearly 8,000 people were killed in the Russia-Ukraine war last week. He also stated his commitment to promoting peace between the warring parties.

Syrian Transitional Government President Ahmed al-Sharaa will make a rare appearance at the United Nations. He will be the first Syrian leader in decades to address the General Assembly.

The speeches of world leaders and bilateral activities during the General Assembly will begin on Tuesday. According to tradition, the representative of Brazil will be the first to take the podium, followed by the representative of the host country, the United States. △