On the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Westhoek Vredeshoek and the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) hosted the very first UN Cinema screening and debate in West Flanders. The event, held in the historic Command Bunker in Kemmel, featured the documentary The Veto, which examines the use and impact of the veto power held by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
A panel discussion on UN reform, international peace and security, and the role of international cooperation followed the screening.
“Multilateralism is not a choice; it is our life insurance. The United Nations plays a vital role in addressing challenges before they escalate into global crises. To build a stronger UN for all, we must unite and rise above national interests. We need to choose courage over comfort,” said Anne-Laure Léger, General Representative of Flanders to UNESCO, OECD and the Council of Europe, during the debate.
She was joined by Dr Dries Lesage, Professor of International Politics at Ghent University and Merel Selleslach, Researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute. Marian Blondeel, Head of the Benelux & EU Desk at UNRIC, moderated the discussion.
Call for a resilient international system
Researcher Merel Selleslach stressed the importance of maintaining and strengthening international cooperation “in today’s changing geopolitical context of rising tensions and growing defence budgets. A purely military approach is insufficient to face global challenges such as climate change or emerging technologies,” she continued.
“For a small and open country like Belgium, investing in international cooperation, diplomacy, and development cooperation remains essential. A resilient international system based on the rule of law ultimately benefits our own peace, security, and prosperity.”
No alternative to the UN
With his participation, Dr Dries Lesage offered a frank assessment of the UN’s limitations, while underscoring its continued necessity.
“The UN Security Council often fails in its mission. Some of its permanent members have themselves been aggressors or accomplices,” the Ghent University professor said, while stressing that “UN agencies such as the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF continue to assist tens of millions of people in difficult and dangerous conditions. There is no alternative to the UN.”
He added that, in the current context, “the more people and politicians affirm that international law, human rights and the UN matter, the stronger these values will become. Sadly, the opposite is also true.”
Marking UN Day and 80 years of the UN Charter
The event took place on UN Day, 24 October, marking 80 years since the UN Charter entered into force. As discussions in Kemmel showed, reforming the UN and strengthening multilateralism remain central to addressing today’s global challenges.
Around 40 people attended the first UN Cinema event held in this part of Belgium, only a few kilometres from the French border. The audience appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with the United Nations and its work.
Ms Légér highlighted the UN’s enduring role as a space for dialogue. “The United Nations is a unique organisation, where all 193 member states have a seat at the table. It is a tangible space, be it in New York, Paris, Geneva, or Nairobi, where diplomats from every corner of the world meet. Beyond its critical work and that of its agencies, the UN remains a platform where dialogue is always possible, even between countries in conflict. Diplomats engage not only in formal negotiations but also in informal exchanges, over coffee, for example, ensuring that ties are never completely severed and pathways for dialogue always remain accessible.”
She concluded that “this is how countless talks about peace have begun and advanced. There is simply no better system today. As Madeleine Albright once said: ‘If the UN did not exist, we would invent it.’”