I am pleased to offer my warm congratulations on the occasion of the sixtieth anniversary of the United Nations Association of Thailand.  I thank all of its members, past and present, for their advocacy and support, which has made an invaluable contribution to our work.

As we strive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and shape an agenda for the post-2015 period, we see growing evidence that lasting progress requires the engagement of a broad array of partners.  The UNAT has served to generate greater awareness and activism among the population of Thailand, particularly through educational outreach.  This has enabled the United Nations to flourish in Bangkok, home to our regional headquarters, and across the country.

By sponsoring university town halls as well as essay contests that focus on the values and goals of the United Nations, UNAT has generated critical thinking about the pressing issues facing our world.  This is helping to raise a generation of global citizens who look beyond the borders of their own country with a constructive spirit to tackle our shared problems and usher in a more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable future.

On this important milestone, I wish you all great success and look forward to an even stronger partnership between UNAT and the United Nations in the years to come.