From Apollo to Artemis: Reflections on the UN’s next chapter

Image by NASA.

As part of the UN’s learning and training ecosystem, we sometimes receive groups of students at our UNSSC campus in Bonn to make the UN system a little more permeable and contribute to the wider mission of supporting multilateralism. A few weeks ago, one such group of international students came to hear about UNSSC and the United Nations (UN) system at large. Their main enquiries pivoted around two main interests: “How can I get into the UN and what competencies are required?” and “How does the UN assist locally during a crisis?”. I asked them to clarify their interest in working with the UN and to specify which UN appealed to them. As expected, they looked back at me as if saying “what do you mean ‘which UN’”?  

Shifting the lens: The third UN 

In recent years, the notion that a “third” UN exists has appeared. It refers to the ecosystem of actors that are closely associated with the organization and shape its work but are not formally part of it. It lives alongside the classical “two UN’s”: the one composed of Member States – where the overall direction is defined, and the one of the UN secretariats, agencies, funds and programmes that accompany and advise Member States to implement the commitments and decisions. 

The third UN acts through high level panels, special representatives, civil society participants at global forums and consultations, as well as experts, consultants and committed citizens who engage with the organization locally, nationally and internationally. New ideas often originate in those spaces of dialogue, reflection, advocacy and research, where experiences and findings are shared, and new thoughts formulated. 

Building a multilateral system for people and planet 

We started the conversation with a ‘tour de table’ to collect the first words coming to mind when thinking about the UN. The results were mixed, combining positive ideas related to making a concrete difference for people locally with not so positive words like ‘bureaucratic’, ‘ineffective’, etc.  

After reviewing the opening  of the UN Charter: “We the peoples of the United Nations…” (and not “We the governments” or “We the employees of the UN entities”) and reflecting on its first sentences – which commit the global community to act collectively to prevent war and solve pressing issues of humanity – the students agreed it remains relevant 80 years later. The issues we face today are still pressing, and the need for collective solutions is as clear as ever. So, what has led to the widespread perception that the UN is not delivering?   

The structural bottlenecks are obviously many and have much to do with how the “first” and “second” UNs are set up, as well as with how much space there is for the “third” UN to come into play. As we ideate solutions, it is key to reimagine what the future of the UN can look like.  

This conversation is not only about a UN that delivers for its 193 Member States (as opposed to the 50 countries that came together to create it back in 1945), but also about a UN that delivers and provides spaces of engagement for all societal actors beyond government representatives. As we approach the 2030 deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and during the biggest legitimacy crisis of the UN system, a space has opened to rethink what needs to come next.

From Apollo to Artemis 

In 1968, the world’s Apollo moment happened: the astronaut William Anders took a picture of the Earth peeking out from beyond the lunar surface as the first crewed spacecraft flew around the moon. This “Earthrise” symbolized what humans are capable of: it celebrated technological advancement and highlighted human fragility. Looking at “the blue marble” from space showed how unique and precious it is and how utterly insignificant the boundaries and subdivisions that humans have created are amid the oceans and lands that are governed by one set of natural phenomena. 

Just recently, on 6 April 2026, the world relived a similar moment through the Artemis mission, which gifted us an “Earthset” picture from the far side of the moon.  

This milestone reminds us that the common project we began 80 years ago – to achieve wellbeing for all within our planet’s limits – remains as relevant as ever, especially as this goal has faded from focus for many. What’s next? 

In 2027, heads of state will convene to assess progress since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015 and begin discussions on a new framework for peace and development beyond 2030, when the current agenda concludes. These discussions will inform ongoing conversations about how the UN should adapt to future global priorities. The UN80 conversation centers on reforming the “second UN”. Beyond the needed changes, we should also focus on revitalizing and better connect all three UNs, reviewing overall governance mechanisms and offering greater opportunities for all stakeholders to participate in shaping global collective efforts. 

This conversation is picking up speed. Initiatives, such as the “Article 109 Coalition” that explores ways to review and update the Charter and rethink the UN system of the future, provide a platform to reimage global governance. 

While the future is uncertain, it is clear that we must reconsider what is required to achieve wellbeing and dignity for all within the limits of our planet. The core aspiration of the UN Charter remains relevant: 80 years after its creation, the ambition to overcome our lowest instincts and our deepest egotisms remains as vital for our collective survival as it ever was. We need to engage as many actors as possible in a reflection on a renewed vision of a good life for all people, as part of the ecosystem on our planet. Wanting to achieve a better world for all is not naïve; it is our only option. 

A renewed UN will not solve all our problems, but it can provide a better space for governments and other actors in society to ideate ways of addressing the challenges at hand whether locally, nationally or internationally. UN secretariats and entities support this process by facilitating joint reflection, experimentation, piloting, sharing, learning, norm setting, and monitoring progress toward shared goals. As the second UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld said: “The UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.” 

The UN at 100 

2026 is the year when a new Secretary General will start their work with their team. They must strengthen cohesion among UN entities and collaborate with member states to improve engagement with societal actors, expanding opportunities for knowledge sharing and co-creation.  

Coming back to the students’ question about working for the UN and supporting people locally, my answer went like this: “Ask yourselves what really motivates you to make a difference and get active where you can. Start at the local level to understand how change happens and how to mobilize support for a particular cause. Support the effort to recreate a positive narrative about the need to act together in the name of the common good. Maybe this work will take you to a UN system entity, or it will allow you to find your calling in another part of the UN system. What counts is that you dedicate your energy and intelligence to solving the issues humankind is facing – in line with the ambition of the UN Charter”.  

To engage in effective, boundaryless collaboration, we need individuals with agency who think independently and resist divisive, extractive narratives rooted in scarcity. We need people committed to equitable, rights-based problem-solving who recognize challenges clearly, value diverse perspectives, and demonstrate leadership by enabling others to contribute solutions. 

The next framework guiding the UN’s work could possibly last until the organization's 100th birthday in 2045. Despite significant changes since its founding, our core challenge remains: to live together as a global community. Let us work together to co-create a renewed space for countries and people to address humanity’s most pressing issues.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of UNSSC.