Mr. Wu Hongbo Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs

Welcome Remarks
UN-DESA Energy Grant Award Ceremony

14 September 2015, New York

Your Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Your Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the 69th session of the General Assembly,
Dr. Patrick Ho, Secretary-General of the China Energy Fund Committee,
Distinguished High-level Steering Committee Members,
Distinguished Advisory Council Members,
Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, I would like to warmly welcome all of you to this milestone event.

Since its launch in July 2014, this Energy Grant has been embraced by thousands of people.

A total of 222 applications were received online.

After three rounds of careful review, twenty were shortlisted for consideration by the Advisory Council.

Ten were selected as finalists by the Advisory Council out of which the High-level Steering Committee recommended one winner.

In addition, one applicant was recommended for a special award; another for citation.

These results will be announced in a few minutes.

Whether you are the winner of the Grant, the recipient of the Special Award or Citation, whether you are among the finalists, you all deserve our deep gratitude.

You have demonstrated through your own initiatives and actions on the ground how you are contributing to the United Nations vision of sustainable energy, as embodied in the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative and in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Today, you are the heroes of the United Nations.

Thank you for your commitment and support.

My deep thanks go to the High-level Steering Committee and the Advisory Council, as well as to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly for your guidance.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the China Energy Fund Committee, whose funding support has made this milestone Grant possible.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the leadership of the China Energy Fund Committee.

The UN-DESA Energy Grant is an excellent example of global partnership.

Working together, we can make a difference.

Today’s award bears vivid testimony to that success.

Thank you all.

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