UN Day Concert

– As delivered –

Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72^nd Session of the UN General Assembly, at the UN Day Concert

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to this year’s celebration of United Nations Day.

I want to thank the Permanent Mission of Slovakia for hosting us this evening. I also want to thank Deputy-Secretary-General Mohammed, Under-Secretary-General Smale and Ambassdor Mlynar for their inspiring words.

As you know, the United Nations turned 72 today. Tonight’s celebration gives us an opportunity to look at how far this Organization has come.

The United Nations has achieved a lot in nearly three quarters of a decade. UN treaties, conventions and other instruments have formed the bedrock of our international legal system. People all over the world now know that they are entitled to fundamental rights as human beings. And they have been supported in advocating for those rights to be upheld and protected.

The United Nations has often been the first to reach people in dire need of humanitarian assistance. It has led parties from the front lines of conflict to the negotiating table. And it has supported countries to build peace from the ground up.

No, we haven’t just seen achievements in the past 72 years. But we must learn from both achievements and challenges. We must use both to drive us forward, and to ensure that we have an even stronger United Nations on this day, 72 years from now.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Tonight’s event offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the future of the UN. And I find the theme of “Potential in Diversity” particularly appropriate for this setting.

The UN’s General Assembly Hall has been home to much diversity. It is used to convene 193 Member States, which represent people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and beliefs from across the world. It has also been witness to strong diversity of positions. But we should not shy away from this. Diversity is the fuel of multilateralism. Without it, we would revert to the way the world was before 1945: where rules were created on the basis of power and military might alone.

If we are to harness the potential of diversity, however, we need to fully embrace it. This means we need to engage with each other – not just in theory, but in practice. We need dialogue – not just a succession of monologues.

As we move forward, we will hear diverse – and even opposing – views, particularly in this Hall. However, this should not lead us to dismiss compromise as an impossibility. If we do that, we will all end up sticking even more rigidly to our own positions. And our diversity will turn into adversary. Instead, we must seek to influence, to learn to engage in real exchanges. We must remember that, although diversity makes our work at the United Nations more challenging, it also makes our outcomes, agreements and achievements stronger.

Which is why I’m so grateful to Slovakia for, tonight, reminding us of the potential in diversity.

This is a message we must keep in mind as we celebrate United Nations Day. It is a message I hope we see more represented, in this great hall.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

This brings me, finally, to introduce our very special guests: the Lúčnica Folklore Ballet.

This group is inspired by Slovakia’s rich traditions. It also draws from modern and diverse influences. Through the universality of music, it captures the attention of us all – regardless of our nationalities, gender, beliefs, race, or political affiliations. In this way, it really does embody the potential that lies in diversity.

As someone who has watched Lúčnica perform many times, I can assure you that this group is one-of-a-kind. You are all in for a real treat tonight!

Thank you for being here this evening. I am confident that you will leave this hall tonight entertained. And I hope you will also leave inspired – and even more prepared to embrace the potential that lies in the diversity around us.

Thank you very much and enjoy the evening!