Message from
H.E. MR. HARRI HOLKERI
President of the General Assembly
On the occasion of
the Finnish Food Festival luncheon
5 December 2000
Let me welcome you all warmly to this luncheon marking the start of the Finnish
Food Festival in the United Nations. During the next two weeks, you will find
Finnish delicacies served in the dining room, prepared by a team of chefs from
Helsinki's finest restaurants. Good food can unite people, and in that regard
the United Nations is no exception.
When I was a child and didn't want to eat something, my grandmother used a Finnish
proverb, which roughly translated means "You can't lift up your heels merely
with potatoes". And as you can see from the menu of the food festival, there
is a lot more to food in Finland than just potatoes. We combine the finest ingredients
with Scandinavian flair and Finnish high-tech gastronomy.
One of my favorite foods is fish. Perhaps this is because my both names are
names of fishes. Harri is the Finnish word for grayling. Holkeri, on the other
hand, is the name of a man-eating shark found in the Arctic Ocean. I've never
eaten this particular fish. But I've certainly eaten lots of other typically
Finnish fish: Baltic herring, lavaret, trout and salmon. Over the years, I've
discovered there are hundreds of ways to spoil fish through cooking it the wrong
way. I can, however, guarantee you that the team of chefs here from Finland
will not spoil fish.
Today's main course, venison, is another typically Finnish dish. Let me in this
connection guarantee you that despite our rather heavy consumption of venison
this afternoon, Santa Claus - who, by the way, lives in Finland - will be able
to find transportation in three weeks' time. I have been personally involved
to ensure that Rudolf is safe and sound and at Santa's disposal. Being the President
of the General Assembly does indeed make a difference!
Finally, let me thank all of you for you support and cooperation over the past
three months. This main part of the 55th - or Millennium - session of the General
Assembly will soon be over. The session has been productive and marked by good
spirits. In that sense, we have been able to maintain the momentum and atmosphere
of the Millennium Summit. I am confident that we can continue in the same spirit
next year, as the work of the General Assembly continues.