 UN Day, observed annually on the 24th of October, was this year commemorated by the Government of St. Lucia in collaboration with the UN Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean with a flag-raising ceremony. UN Day has been celebrated since 1948 and marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. United Nations resident coordinator D.D. indicated that while the 76th anniversary is marked with a myriad of challenges, these challenges remind us that we are stronger together and that times of struggle can provide opportunities for positive change, transformation and innovation. The challenges facing all of us nowadays are immense. COVID-19 continues to adversely impact the social economic reality of Caribbean seeds and to deepen existing disparities among the most at risk population. Our world is now characterized by rising inequalities, rising poverty in some cases and a climate emergency of overwhelming growing proportions. So what kind of future do we now see? This is the question we must now ask to ourselves. While in the past month I have been doubting, they have also taught us that unity and solidarity are truly the only way forward. Prime Minister St. Lucia Hon. Philip J. Pien noted that St. Lucia has benefited from several UN projects and the island continues to play its role in fulfilling the UN's global mandate. St. Lucia has benefited from the work of many UN development agencies, such as UNICEF, FAO, UNDP and WHO, among others. Over the past four decades, these agencies have provided millions of dollars of development assistance to St. Lucia, both through direct interventions and multilateral programs. The most recent significant assistance came from the WHO Covaq facility to secure vaccines for developing countries to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. St. Lucia has always actively participated in the workings and decisions of United Nations for a permanent representative at the UN at its New York headquarters. Our very own ambassador Sir Julian Robert Hunt served as president of the 50th session of the UN General Assembly from 2003 to 2004. We are proud to proclaim that he served with distinction during his tenure. St. Lucia was an integral part of the curriculum led charge on behalf of the Small Island Developing State SIDS to secure dealing at the Paris Climate Agreement to cap global warming at 1.5 percent of pre-industrial levels by the end of this century. Other activities in commemoration of UN Day in St. Lucia include a panel discussion to be aired on the national television network on the role of the UN in response to COVID-19.