UN to launch 75th anniversary year with global dialogue

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the United Nations will launch its 75th anniversary year in January 2020 with a global dialogue engaging people around the world on their vision for the future and how to achieve it.

The U.N. chief made the announcement on United Nations Day, the anniversary of the U.N. Charter's entry into force in 1945.

"The secretary-general doesn't want the 75th to be a party," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. "He wants it to be a commemoration and an intellectual discussion and dialogue about the U.N. listening."

Fabrizio Hochschild, the U.N. chief's special adviser on anniversary preparations, said the U.N. wants to hear especially from young people and critics.

He said the views and ideas will be presented to world leaders at a meeting on Sept. 21, 2020.