The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established by the Charter of the United Nations in 1945, will mark its 80th anniversary on 23 January 2026, coinciding with the first meeting of the Council held on that date in 1946.

As one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, ECOSOC was mandated to offer direction to, and provide coordination of, the economic, social, and cultural activities of the United Nations, with responsibility for advancing international economic and social cooperation and development.

The commemoration of the Council’s 80th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the historical role and legacy of ECOSOC in advancing the principles of Article 55 of the UN Charter and reaffirm its continuing relevance in addressing the interlinked global challenges of the 21st century. Crises from climate change to inequality to geopolitical tensions demand solutions that no country can achieve alone.

It is also a unique opportunity to reaffirm the importance of multilateralism and solidarity in today’s complex global environment to address the multiple and interconnected challenges while accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Successful implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs require coordinated action by Member States, the United Nations including through the ECOSOC system, and diverse stakeholders. ECOSOC’s role in advancing multilateralism for sustainable development is therefore critical to strengthening global governance.

Objective

The commemoration of ECOSOC at 80 will aim to:

• Highlight ECOSOC’s contributions and legacy to sustainable development and global governance over the past eight decades.
• Reaffirm Member States’ commitment to strengthening multilateralism and solidarity.
• Celebrate ECOSOC as a forum for inclusive engagement.
• Provide a platform for reflection on the role of ECOSOC in addressing current challenges, including inequality, climate change, financing for development, and the SDGs

More information

The description is extracted from ecosoc.un.org