On August 10, 2016 the Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi delivered the UN Secretary-General’s message to 5,000 scouts gathered in Roverway, France.
“I am pleased to send warm greetings to brother and sister Scouts gathered today at Roverway 2016 in France. Congratulations to the 5,000 young people taking part, and thank you to the organizers, volunteers and Scout leaders who made this event possible.
I hope all participants make the most of this opportunity to transcend divisions, make friends and resolve to help advance progress based on shared values.
My own days as a Scout helped to shape my character and during my tenure as Secretary-General, I have witnessed first-hand the value of committed Scouts helping others. Most recently, I met with Scouts on the island of Lesbos in Greece who are applying the values they learned through the scout movement to help Syrian refugees. It was inspiring to see the Scouts’ promise of creating a better world through service come to life in such a tangible way.
This spirit of human solidarity is urgently needed in our world. War and disaster have forced more than 65 million people to flee their homes, representing the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Poverty, hunger, human rights violations and other forms of injustice continue to take a heavy toll. The older generation of leaders has failed to secure peace and sustainable prosperity.
I count on young people to lead as innovators, peacebuilders and champions of justice. The United Nations needs your creativity, energy and ideas. We have ambitious plans to transform our world. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our roadmap for ending poverty. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change can set a new low-carbon path for the planet.
The United Nations is racing to help people caught in crisis while working to secure humanity’s long-term future. We rely on young people to succeed. Both as rights-holders and as change-makers, youth can seize the moment to shape history.
I encourage you to boldly stand for your beliefs and make your voice heard. Join forces with the United Nations, through my Youth Envoy. Be a global citizen who cares about our world. Together, we can build a new future.”
Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General
United Nations