Holy See Annual Prayer Service
– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President-elect of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, at the Holy See Annual Prayer Service
Good evening to you all – excellencies, distinguished delegates, Mr. Secretary-General, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends.
Thank you, Archbishop Auza, for inviting me to participate in this important, annual event.
Inspired by some of the words I have already heard, I think it is fitting to talk, today, about people. Because the UN is about people. Sometimes this can get lost among the procedures, and budgets, and protocols. Which is why we have chosen people to be the main theme of the upcoming General Debate. It is also a focus I intend to maintain throughout my Presidency of the General Assembly.
A people-centered approach is something we, here, have in common. Faith communities work for people everyday. They of course lend spiritual support and counsel. In many places of the world, however, they also provide essential, and even life-saving, services to people in need.
There are in fact many overlaps between the work the UN does on the ground, and the role of faith communities and organisations. This applies across the spectrum – from humanitarian work, to longer-term development initiatives in education or health. I’ve heard stories of missionaries and religious leaders giving invaluable advice and help to UN colleagues in the field. This summer, with the signing of the peace deal for the Central African Republic*, we saw the important mediation role that can be played by faith communities. Also this year, we heard a Monseigneur briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (though unfortunately he wasn’t reporting good news).
Tomorrow I will open the 72nd Session of the General Assembly. We have some daunting challenges facing us this year. We need to prevent conflicts from breaking out, and address those which have already been waged. We need to find a comprehensive, long-term way to deal with migration. We need to continue to fight for all people to be able to live a decent life, on a sustainable planet. It is important – now more than ever – to identify partners to help us in facing these challenges.
Faith communities are – and must continue to be – a valuable partner to the UN. We must learn from their experiences and knowledge. We must support each other in our work towards one common goal: to make the world a better place for all people to live in.
Thank you again for inviting me to this service. I look forward to learning from you all – today and throughout the coming year.
