On June 7, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) held its XXth General Assembly, bringing together UNPO members from around the world for the annual online gathering that marked a pivotal moment in the organization’s evolution.
Since the last General Assembly in May 2024 in Munich, UNPO has experienced a transformative year, strengthening internal systems, supporting members’ advocacy efforts, and building new partnerships around the world. The General Assembly meets once a year, alternating between in-person and online formats. This year’s meeting, held online on 7 June 2025, brought members together to reflect on progress and shape the way forward.
May 2024 to May 2025 in brief :
Global Advocacy and concrete wins
UNPO participated in over 20 major international forums, including the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Geneva P
eace Week, and RightsCon in Taiwan. The organization’s presence extended across continents, with conferences and workshops in Vienna, Geneva, Brussels, New York, Cape Town, Paris, Oxford, and beyond, bringing members’ concerns directly to international audiences. This global engagement was complemented by strategic relationship-building. The Secretariat strengthened ties with over 20 diplomatic missions and deepened partnerships with academic institutions including the Universities of Oxford, Toronto, and Ottawa.
With the submission of 19 shadow reports to international institutions such as the UN, UNPO’s efforts supported the voices of different UNPO communities, but also brought significant and concrete advocacy victories. These ranged from the release of arbitrarily detained activists in Iran and Ethiopia to increase international recognition for the rights of communities like the Hmong, Western Togoland, Khmer-Krom, and the Naga. 
Capacity Building and Expanding Digital Reach
UNPO hosted 9 training sessions and webinars throughout the year, including advocacy workshops for Middle Eastern communities, a youth-led study session supported by the Council of Europe, and practical sessions on digital security, UN mechanisms, and Nonviolent Social Action.
UNPO significantly expanded its communications impact by launching a new website and intranet platform, creating the UNPO Academy, and increasing visibility across all major platforms. The results were remarkable: the website alone received over 2 million impressions from users in more than 150 countries.
Social media growth was equally impressive. On Facebook, UNPO reached over 93,000 people, with more than 650% more interactions than the previous year. LinkedIn posts reached over 16,800 users, gaining more than 800 new followers. In total, the organization shared over 115 updates on X (formerly Twitter), 85 posts on Instagram, and 76 press releases through its website, keeping members’ voices in the spotlight.
Re-imagining the Future and Expanding the Circle of Solidarity
“We did not simply rebuild; we re-imagined what the UNPO can be,” said Secretary General Mercè Monje Cano. “And in doing so, we made it clear: the UNPO is not only a platform for the unrepresented, it is a leading actor in shaping a more just and inclusive world order.”
In May 2025, UNPO launched its Peoples’ Friends initiative, a framework that expands the organization’s network of solidarity beyond its core membership. This invitation-based program represents UNPO’s strategic response to rising global authoritarianism, shrinking civic space, and increasing threats to democratic governance.
The initiative welcomes unrepresented or excluded nations and peoples, diaspora networks, former UNPO members, and aligned civil society organizations to join the broader movement for justice and self-determination. While Peoples’ Friends do not hold voting rights or access to the same benefits as full members, they actively participate in joint campaigns, advocacy efforts, UN and EU initiatives, regional roundtables, and select policy briefings.
This flexible structure allows diverse communities to contribute to UNPO’s mission while respecting their unique circumstances and needs. “The Peoples’ Friends initiative strengthens our ability to act as a global solidarity platform, mobilizing collective efforts while maintaining a structure suited to the realities of each community,” explained Secretary-General Monje Cano. “It affirms our dual identity: both a membership-driven organization and a global platform of solidarity.”
The initiative operates alongside UNPO’s new Strategic Allies program, which engages like-minded institutions including NGOs, think tanks, and academic centers in collaborative research, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing activities. Together, these frameworks position UNPO as a dynamic hub for cross-regional cooperation and inclusive resistance to injustice.
Looking Forward
As UNPO moves into its next chapter, the organization stands uniquely positioned to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world. Through principled resistance, collective action, and the enduring power of solidarity, UNPO continues to demonstrate that even the most unheard voices can reshape the global conversation about justice, dignity, and human rights.
