Among the "Challenges facing the UN" are: First, tremendous impacts of the end of the cold war and globalization are forcing the UN and global civil society to seriously consider issues such as proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, rapidly deteriorating environment, global spread of epidemics such as AIDS and SARS, and accelerating expansion of drug trafficking, and to take effective measures for solving these issues. Second, more recently, the UN, as an intergovernmental organization that has been serving the sovereign states, has come to face extremely difficult situations that might likely impinge upon the traditional sovereignty of its Member States. Third, "only one superpower" (the USA) accounting for roughly one-third of the world GDP and military expenditures has contributed to serious frictions with UN-led multilateralism, exemplified by the US unilateralism implemented during and after the war against Iraq.

The "Possibilities for the UN" include: First, the UN has been developing cooperative relations with various actors (such as NGOs, corporations, local governments, and others) in solving many issues. In this connection, the report of the high-level panel on threats, challenges and change stresses the importance of harmonious actions between the UN and civil society organizations. Second, growing regionalism in many parts of the world, which seems to take place in response to rapidly developing globalization, makes it still easier for the UN to collaborate with regional regimes and mechanisms. Third, the US, which has had difficult relations with the UN and EU countries, has, with the second term of the Bush administration, begun to pursue more cooperative attitude and policy towards the international community.

Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the UN, has repeatedly stressed that no global issues can be solved unless the legitimacy built in the UN and the leadership of the US are combined. The international community should make utmost efforts to enhance the "possibilities of the UN," and seriously address the "challenges facing the UN" so that it can play a key role in realizing a just and fair global public order as a principal architect. The international community should push forward with UN reforms and achieve its stated goals as a coordinator of various actors as well as a promoter of multilateralism in order to enhance the legitimacy held only by the UN.

Considering these points, we will review the history of the UN of the past 60 years, reflect upon the issues of multilateralism, and examine the operational activities in the field. Finally, we hope to discuss, among the scholars, practitioners, and participants of the seminar, both from Japan and abroad, how the UN could perform its invaluable roles in global governance in the twenty-first century.