Shakespeare at the United Nations uses Bard to spotlight climate, peace and human rights

On April 23, 2025, the UN Movie Society presented the second annual "Shakespeare at the United Nations," a program of monologues, readings and a short film that framed Shakespearean texts around the climate crisis, peace and human-rights themes as part of the U.N.'s English Language Day observance. The event brought artists and institutions from the United Kingdom and beyond to the U.N. headquarters in New York.

The program's organizers said the event aimed to show how Shakespeare's exploration of the human condition resonates with the U.N.'s work. A UN Movie Society representative opened by asking attendees to “Imagine the hallowed halls of the United Nations echoing with the timeless words of Shakespeare,” and said the program would present excerpts in several languages and “ignite a conversation about how Shakespeare's profound exploration of the human condition speaks directly to the UN's core values.”

Michelle Terry,…