Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, the World Trade Organisation, and other international organisations in Geneva. (Photo: VNA)

Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), WTO and other international organisations in Geneva, led a delegation to a UN exhibition on 100 years of multilateralism that opened in Geneva on September 20.

The UN, founded in 1919 with the name of “League of Nations”, was the first international organisation with a view to develop cooperation among nations and to guarantee peace and security for them.

In 1920, the organisation established its seat in Geneva, and this marked the development of contemporary multilateral diplomacy. Over the past 100 years, multilateralism has evolved from the initial steps of the League to the complex and comprehensive work being done by the UN today.

To celebrate 100 years of multilateralism, UN Geneva has organised numerous activities together with member states, observers, international organisations, and other partners, including local authorities, civil societies, and the private sector. The aim was to highlight the evolution of multilateralism in various areas from the time of the League of Nations to the present day, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The exhibition shows historical documents and artifacts at the UN Library in Geneva, helping connect the public with current global issues. This is also an opportunity for the UN and its member states to promote peace through multilateralism, review lessons of the past as they look to the future together.

Since becoming an official member of the UN on September 20, 1977, Vietnam has supported and promoted multilateralism. The Vietnamese mission’s attending the exhibition showed the country’s strong commitments and efforts in upholding and strengthening multilateralism.

Over the past 45 years, from an underdeveloped country, Vietnam has become a middle-income one and a responsible partner of the global organisation, taking on many responsibilities, making substantial and effective contributions to the largest multilateral organisation on the planet, and implementing most of the Millennium Development Goals, especially those on hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, gender equality, health and education.