“We all must be bold enough to change. The world is not waiting. Neither should we.” As conflict, inequality, and geopolitical divides test the foundations of global cooperation, the Secretary-General’s words remind us that this year calls for determined leadership and renewed commitment to solving our shared problems — together. In the final annual priorities speech of his tenure as UN chief, he urged the world to chart a different course: adhere to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, pursue peace and justice, and work together to build unity. As Guterres put it, this choice summons “the best efforts of everyone” — from the halls of power to the communities we call home. “Let’s never give up. The stakes could not be higher, and the time could not be shorter.”