On 24 October 2025, Westhoek Vredeshoek and the United Nations Regional Information Centre will host a UN Cinema screening and debate featuring The Veto, an insightful documentary about the veto power held by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
On UN Day, 24 October, exactly 80 years after the founding of the organisation, this documentary sheds light on how the veto works and its global impact. The screening will take place in the symbolic setting of the Command Bunker in Kemmel, marking the very first UN Cinema event in West Flanders.
The reform of the UN Security Council and its veto power has been on the agenda for years. The Security Council’s current composition still reflects the world of 1945 and no longer aligns with today’s geopolitical reality. This puts pressure on both the legitimacy and effectiveness of the body, with serious consequences in the most extreme cases, such as large-scale human rights violations. However, what seemed untouchable for a long time is now being actively discussed within the UN by its Member States. Reforming the veto right is also explicitly on the table.
Panel Debate
After the screening, a panel debate will explore the reform of the United Nations, international peace and security, featuring:
- Tim Slade, video message by director of The Veto
- Anne Laure Léger, General Representative of Flanders to UNESCO, OECD and the Council of Europe
- Merel Selleslach, researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute
- Dr Dries Lesage, professor of international politics at the Ghent Institute for International and European Studies (GIES, Ghent University)
Marian Blondeel, Head of the Benelux & EU Desk at the UN Regional Information Centre, will moderate the debate.
Time & Location
When: Friday 24 October 2025, 18:00-21:30 (film starts at 18:00)
Where: Command Bunker, Lettingstraat 64, Kemmel
- The film and subtitles are in English
- Participation is free, but registration is required
- We may overbook to reduce no-shows: a ticket does not guarantee a seat, so arrive early!
- Not wheelchair accessible
This UN Cinema event is organised with the support of Leader, the commune of Heuvelland and the War Heritage Institute.
The UN in Brussels and the Australian embassy will also host a screening of The Veto by Tim Slade on 21 October at 6:30 PM CET at Cinemagaleries in Brussels. Attendance is free, and tickets can be reserved at bit.ly/46S6IRz.