Remarks by H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, President of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, on occasion of the celebration of International Day of Nowruz
21 March 2017
Secretary-General
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Nowruz Mubarak!
It is a great pleasure to be here for International Nowruz Day, and to celebrate the arrival of spring with you all. What a wonderful day this has become in the annual UN calendar.
Today, we join hundreds of millions of people around the world to mark the ancient tradition of Nowruz; to reflect on the year that has passed; and to renew our commitment to peace, goodwill between neighbours, solidarity between cultures, and respect for our natural environment.
It is powerful message of particular relevance for all of us here at the United Nations, where each day we strive to build the bonds of cultural understanding, strengthen unity between nations, and commit to collective action to secure a sustainable future for us all.
Indeed, with the international community’s determination to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and to address the great challenges of our time, including ending extreme poverty, sustaining peace, advancing gender equality, combating climate change, and protecting our natural environment, this spirit of global solidarity takes on renewed significance for us all.
On this Spring Equinox, let us all therefore be inspired by the spirit of Nowruz to renew our communal commitment to continue the journey we have begun towards a more just, sustainable and peaceful world.
I wish you all the best for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. I thank you.