Moscow Celebrates UN’s 80th Anniversary at MGIMO: Sergey Cheremin Addresses UN Model Conference Participants
Moscow, April 15, 2025
The Moscow International Model United Nations (MIMUN) named after Vitaly Churkin held its ceremonial session at MGIMO University, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. Organized under the coordination of the Russian Association for UN Support at the request of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the event brought together over 1,000 participants from 70 countries.
Sergey Cheremin, Minister of the Government of Moscow and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations delivered a keynote address highlighting Moscow’s role in the UN global agenda and urban development.
“Moscow is a city that not only upholds the principles of the UN Charter but consistently implements them in practice—from digitalization and ecology to sustainable urban development and accessible education. We firmly believe that a sustainable world begins with sustainable cities. Strong cities form the foundation of strong global partnerships,” stated Sergey Cheremin.
He emphasized that the Russian capital actively participates in UN initiatives and its agencies, including the UN-Habitat Assembly, the World Urban Forum, climate conferences (COP), and UN ESCAP events. In 2024, Moscow presented its first Voluntary Local Review (VLR) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), achieving a UMF City Index score of 90.82—one of the highest among global megacities, as measured by UN-Habitat methodology.
Following the plenary session, the inaugural meeting of the UN-80 Committee took place, outlining plans for the anniversary celebrations: international youth forums, academic conferences, special publications, and educational projects aimed at promoting awareness of the UN’s work in Russia.
The UN-80 Committee was established to coordinate events marking the UN’s 80th anniversary and to highlight the organization’s contribution to global peace, international cooperation, and the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals.