United in the pursuit of lasting peace
- simoneworthing
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
General Lyndon Buckingham, Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, Commissioner Jane Paone and Lieut-Colonel Nick Coke represented The Salvation Army at a service of thanksgiving for the 80th anniversary of the inaugural meeting of the United Nations General Assembly held at Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, London, on 17 January 2026.
The Buckinghams are The Salvation Army’s world leaders, Commissioner Paone is the Secretary for International Ecumenical Relations and Lieut-Colonel Coke is Secretary for Communications for the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory.
The anniversary date was significant, falling on the eve of the commencement of the ‘Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’.
“The day epitomised the growing awareness of each participant’s own responsibility in the part they must play in rekindling the spirit of peace, hope and unity that sprang from the first UN General Assembly in 1946,” the General wrote on his Facebook page.
“The Salvation Army is proud to be a part of this, through our mission to improve the lives of others through the service of God and through the close working relationship between our own The Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission and the United Nations.
A quiet deliberate act of service
For context, in 1946 the UN General Assembly was the first international conference to be broadcast globally.
In the war-torn city of London, the Methodist Superintendent Revd Dr W.E. Sangster and his congregation gave up their building to the representatives of the 51 UN member states making up the UN General Assembly, so that they could courageously work towards peace: it was a quiet, deliberate act of service.
An act of remembrance
The 80th anniversary brought together the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, alongside ministers, diplomats, civic leaders, faith leaders, students and members of the public.
The singing of ’All My Hope on God is Founded’ opened the service, before the Reverend Tony Miles, Superintendent Minister of Methodist Central Hall, gave words of welcome and an introduction.
Following a video presentation, prayers and a choir anthem, there was an act of remembrance for all those killed in the service of the UN. Archbishop of Canterbury designate, the Rt Reverend and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE, read words of hope and comfort from Isaiah 61:1-9, 11: “The spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”
Reflection and hope
The overarching theme was one of reflection but with hope for the future, which was embodied by a speech by Lord Hannay of Chiswick, Britain’s Permanent Representative to the UN between 1990 and 1995, who encouraged those gathered not to give way to despair.
This was echoed in the readings from Romans 12:9-13, 15-18 and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12), and in the sermon from recently retired Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who highlighted how, 80 years ago, seeds of a fresh global framework had been sown with a shared hope for enduring peace. He also placed special importance on the setting representing a place of sanctuary: “Here, in this Methodist sanctuary – a beacon of the gospel’s call to justice and mercy – they [those gathered] dared to envision something greater.”
However, his sermon also brought us back to the present day, giving thanks to the UN defenders of peace but also questioning how we should overcome the challenges of war, climate and living in a digital age, as well as asking the question: “How do we rekindle the spirit that once found expression in this hall?”
He emphasised the importance of the gospel as the place where the work of peace begins in the heart of every person, through showing mutual respect and hospitality to strangers, and how the UN can play a key role in fostering dialogue and offering humanitarian support.
Sharing St Paul’s words from Romans 12:16, “Do not claim to be wiser than you are,” (NRSV), he called us to action, stating that there is still a need for dialogue and renewal of international institutions to bring about lasting peace and compassion for the poorest.
Today’s challenges and the younger generation
Today, the UN comprises 193 member states and represents a huge diversity of faiths and cultures. The challenges faced are increasingly complex, but the desire for a world of security and freedom for the ordinary ‘man’ on the street has not changed since the inaugural speech of the then British Prime Minister Clement Attlee back in 1946.
Following the service, an afternoon session of speakers and panel discussions focused on what the UN currently means to people and what it will look like in the future, in terms of how it needs to adapt and change to fight these challenges while being relevant to a younger generation.
Speakers ranged from Annalena Baerbock, the current President of the UN General Assembly, through to the British physicist Professor Brian Cox, who spoke passionately about the need for the consideration of space exploration. There were also spotlights on different sectors of society, including refugees and UN peacekeepers.
Hope for the future
The day epitomised the growing awareness of each participant’s own responsibility in the part they must play in rekindling the spirit of peace, hope and unity that sprang from the first UN General Assembly in 1946.
The Salvation Army is proud to be a part of this, through our mission to improve the lives of others through the service of God and through the close working relationship between our own International Justice Commission (ISJC) and the UN.
The General’s own Global Call to Action echoes the statements of this day, of going back to our roots in order to move forward with clarity, unity and, above all, hope.
This story first appeared on The Salvation Army’s international website.
