Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly
New York,
October 21, 2021
Good evening.
I am delighted to join all of you in celebrating United Nations Day.
My sincere appreciation to Ambassador Cho Hyun, and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea, for their leadership on this year’s festivities.
Dear Friends,
We are gathered here today to celebrate the United Nations, its past, present, and future. This must be a moment of profound reflection.
76 years ago, amid the ruins of war, nations united to proclaim that enough was enough.
As stated in the Charter of the United Nations, Member States were “determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war…to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”
We have had many successes and as many setbacks in the years since.
But, I hope, we have learned, and we have grown. We continue to grow.
From 51 Member States to 193, the United Nations has expanded alongside the efforts towards decolonization and independence of states.
With the creation of 38 agencies, funds and programmes, the United Nations has moved deeper into implementation, ensuring that all aspects of life on this planet are covered by the blue umbrella. That humanity is united in its endeavors, from under the sea to outer space, from health to education, from peace and conflict, to human rights.
But sometimes we need to take pride in what that has not happened.
Excellencies, dear Friends, we should be proud of the UN’s biggest achievement: that for 76 years, the world has enjoyed relative peace.
Has there been conflict, war and crises? Absolutely, yes. But the scale of horrors of the First and Second World Wars have been, thankfully, avoided. And that has been achieved through dialogue of diplomacy. That is the United Nations.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The world, as we know it, has fundamentally changed in the years since the UN was founded.
Another world war is not what necessarily keeps our citizens awake at night.
They fear the changing climate.
They are anxious over a virus that has unleashed untold and unbridled misery.
They stress over the collapse of jobs and livelihoods, and widespread and growing inequality.
They agonize over social issues, such as racism and xenophobia, and discrimination in all forms, that continue to haunt humanity.
Just as the image of diplomats and world leaders agreeing to peace 76 years ago was a ray of hope to people across the world, so, too, must our efforts today be a beacon of hope for humanity.
Let us celebrate the contributions of our peacekeepers.
Let us rejoice at the sight of United Nations staff, with their blue vests, supporting immunization campaigns.
Let us recognize the United Nations personnel who are working, tirelessly, for a bluer and greener tomorrow.
Let us be ever grateful, ever thankful, to the hundreds of thousands of UN staff, personnel, consultants, and partners who are working, tirelessly, to uphold the principles of the Charter, who believe in the principles of equality, equity, sustainability and resilience.
Allow me to reflect on an anecdote I once heard from former Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon. I hope he will not mind.
He spoke of the first time he saw the blue helmets of UN peacekeepers as a young boy, and how that experience imbued in him a sense of hope – perhaps the earliest seed of multilateralism.
For every UN staffer, professional, and partner working today. For every dose of vaccine, you provide; for every energy grid you fix; for every retaining wall you build, you inspire others that a world of one humanity, cooperating for the greater good, is indeed possible.
As we celebrate the United Nations Day today, it’s very much possible that in some corner of the world, a future President of the General Assembly or a future Secretary-General, may very well be inspired by the work that the United Nations does.
Let’s work to ignite the flame of hope for a better future in every child.
Let’s work for the success of multilateralism.
Let’s make the UN flag fly high.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.
Throughout our disarmament efforts, it is my conviction that women and youth can make a meaningful contribution. Let us take special pains to ensure that women and youth, as well as civil society, are more actively engaged in this work going forward.
