80th Anniversary of the UN: Diplomatic Week in New York with Austria's President

PeopleDiplomats ♦ Published: September 22, 2025; 22:58 ♦ (Vindobona)

This week, New York is the center of international diplomacy, where around 150 heads of state and government are meeting for the United Nations (UN) General Debate. This year's assembly is dominated by the 80th anniversary of the UN and the urgent call for reform. Austria is represented by President Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, and Meinl-Reisinger.

Austria is represented by President Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, and Meinl-Reisinger (f.l.t.r.). / Picture: © Österreichische Präsidentschaftskanzlei / Peter Lechner/HBF

The focus is on the organization's 80th anniversary, an urgent need for reform, and global crises, above all the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict. The United Nations is under considerable pressure, particularly due to financial constraints and a critical stance from the US under the presidency of Donald Trump.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has launched the…