On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a global pandemic. This marked the beginning of a historic era of lockdowns, border closures, and unprecedented disruptions to global life and the economy. The pandemic infected hundreds of millions and resulted in millions of deaths worldwide. Beyond the immediate health crisis, it accelerated digital transformation in education and work, exposed deep inequalities in healthcare systems, and triggered the fastest development of vaccines in human history through mRNA technology. The pandemic reshaped global supply chains and highlighted the extreme vulnerability of our interconnected world to biological threats, leading to new international discussions on pandemic preparedness and global health security.