Over the last two years, journalistic stories and charitable causes have been translated into VR films to raise awareness. In particular, the United Nations Virtual Reality initiative has been using the medium as an advocacy tool for vulnerable communities across the world. And now with the recent launch of a mobile app that introduces a "take action" button for the viewers to engage with the social issues...

Last week's United Nations General Assembly made headlines for a new plan to double the number of refugees allowed into its member nations and to expand aid. But while politicians were making bold speeches about a proposal that may or may not be enforced, the first ever United Nations Creative Director was quietly introducing delegates to the new media technology that is changing how the 71-year-old institution makes decisions.

The United Nations Global Pulse initiative on Friday announced a partnership with Twitter that will provide the United Nations with access to the platform's data tools to support efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in September last year. [...] UN Global Pulse is an innovation initiative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that harnesses data science and analytics for sustainable development and humanitarian action.

Skills, jobs, freedom of expression and more culture and history ' these are the responses that must be nurtured in the face of violent extremism that is threatening our shared humanity, stated UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova at an event organized by Albania, Jordan and the Holy See in the margins of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, on 20 September 2016.'

The Global Center for Sport Diplomacy, [...] is focused on using sports to connect people and empower them with confidence, health and wellness, and visibility. "For women and girls in particular, sport can build confidence, and for those with disabilities it can do that and more," Mushett said.

Justin Trudeau will address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, delivering his maiden speech as Canadian prime minister at the high-level diplomatic forum that had an acrimonious relationship with this country's previous government.[...] "With Trudeau, they're trying to re-engage," [...] "They're saying Canada is back in the world."

World leaders meeting at the United Nations starting on Monday will try to make progress on two intractable problems at the top of the global agenda — the biggest refugee crisis since World War II and the Syrian conflict now in its sixth year, which has claimed over 300,000 lives.

On Sept. 15, film star and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio unveiled Global Fishing Watch for the public at the US State Department’s Our Ocean 2016 conference. [...] The goal? Get the public engaged in illegal fishing, which makes up 35 percent of the global wild marine catch, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.