United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of growing threats to global peace and democracy in a video address to the Helsinki 50 conference hosted by Finland on Friday (August 1, 2025).
He considered ongoing wars, the collapse of trust between nations, and the spread of misinformation to be among the main factors causing dangerous deviations in the global order.
Referring to the current state of the world, Guterres stated that human rights are under attack and democratic space is shrinking; false narratives continue to fuel fear and division in societies.
He also pointed to the continuing war in Europe, adding that trust between countries is eroding and we are witnessing a dangerous departure from the commitments that have preserved generations of peace.
In this speech, the UN Secretary-General emphasized the enduring importance of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, which in 1975 helped reduce Cold War tensions between East and West.
