INTERNATIONAL DAY OF NON-VIOLENCE
– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, at the International Day of Non-Violence
Thank you very much.
Good morning Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I want to thank the Permanent Mission of India for organizing today’s event.
It gives us an opportunity to focus on non-violence. And on the way it can change how we live.
Mahatma Gandhi was born on this day, 148 years ago. He dedicated his life to using non-violence for change. Even nearly 70 years after his death, he is a source of inspiration.
Today there are many people across the world using non-violence to better their communities, countries or the wider world.
- They are peacefully defending those who have had their rights and dignity violated.
- They are using non-violent ways to gain access to the services and opportunities needed for a decent life.
- They are trying to lead others away from conflict and violence, towards compromise and peace.
- And they are using their voices to argue on behalf of a planet that can’t speak for itself.
Much of this work is being done by brave and dedicated individuals. The United nations must support them, both through advocacy, and through its direct work on the ground.
The principle of non-violence is also at work on a larger scale. It is a core principle of many non-governmental organizations, political groups, regional organizations, and even local and national government actors.
Importantly, we must remember that the United Nations is the biggest global actor, and promoter, of non-violence. We might phrase things differently here. We talk of the three pillars, dealing with human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security. Collectively, however, we are all working for the same things. Every day, the United Nations is using non-violent means to strive for peace and a decent life for all, on a sustainable planet.
Unfortunately, we are not yet living in the world that Gandhi dreamed of. Many actors still use violence as their tool of choice. Every day there is new evidence of the destruction and human suffering, which result from this choice.
Intolerance and hate speech are features of our world. International human rights and humanitarian law are constantly violated. Conflicts, violent extremism, and terrorism don’t show any signs of decreasing. Even the planet is suffering from a violence of sorts, due to the harmful impact of human activities.
The message of non-violence is therefore needed more today than ever.
Importantly, we must remember that the United Nations is the biggest global actor, and promoter, of non-violence.
And this brings me back, to the inspiration I referred to briefly at the beginning of my speech.
Initially, Mahatma Gandhi was simply one person, carrying out individual acts. These individual acts, however, led thousands to follow. And this shows us the real difference between violence and non-violence. One inspires fear. The other inspires positive action. This action is what is needed for transformative change.
As a global leader in non-violence, the United Nations needs to do more to promote this principle, and to inspire others to do so too.
First, this will mean stepping up our efforts in conflict prevention.
Mediation is one of the most effective tools of non-violence. It can turn parties away from conflict, towards compromise. This means it can avert violence – which only leads to loss – and promote non-violence, resulting in benefits on all sides.
At the General Debate last week, I heard Member States call loudly for a stronger United Nations – especially for the UN’s mediation and conflict prevention capacities. They also called for more support to local, national or regional actors using non-violent ways to stop or prevent conflicts. Secretary-General Guterres has placed prevention at the core of his mandate. This issue will be a main focus throughout the 72nd Session.
Second, the United Nations should do more to promote the use of non-violence across all three pillars of its work.
To succeed in doing so, people from all countries, and all walks of life, must be more closely engaged with the United Nations. Strong partnerships can help to spread a message of non-violence that will be heard. This must involve religious leaders, community activists and, importantly, young people.
More effort must also be made to harness new communication and outreach tools. If one message of violence is posted on Facebook, two messages of peace must appear in response. The United Nations can act as platform from which these campaigns and activities can be mobilized.
And third, we need to do more to respond to global challenges, as they emerge. This means ensuring that the UN is evolving as fast as the world around it. The longer it takes to respond to a major development or crisis, the higher the chance of violence being seen as the only answer.
We have entered an era of UN reform. Member States will have different concerns and priorities to address as we move forward. However, we should remember our common aim: A United Nations that is fit for purpose, which can offer non-violence solutions to global challenges.
Excellencies,
I want to conclude with some pragmatism. Violence can be tempting. It brings fast results. It can topple governments, or change social orders, in a short space of time.
However, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “nothing enduring can be built on violence”. So, whether we call it Sustainable Development, transformative change or, simply, a better world to live in – none of this can happen through violence.
The United Nations must act as a constant reminder of this. It must not only work through non-violence – but it must inspire others to do so too.
And I want to thank India, again, for providing some inspiration to us, here today, as we work to ensure this happens.
Thank you very much.
