I am Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Welcome to UNearth.

I thank the office of the Mayor of The Hague for helping to bring this exhibition to the Netherlands. I express great appreciation to the Gemeentemuseum for staging it.

These historic photographs and posters show the UN’s wide-ranging role in shaping human history for the past 70 years.

We see peacekeepers on the front lines, and humanitarian workers braving disasters.

We see development experts and human rights defenders helping people in need.

As you move through the display, you will see decades pass, and black-and-white images turn to colour.  But the spirit of global solidarity never fades.

I applaud UNearth for showcasing the remarkable holdings of the United Nations so that we can raise awareness about the richness of this heritage and the need to preserve it.

I hope all viewers of this exhibition will be inspired by the achievements highlights here to do even more with the United Nations to build a better world for all.