Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

8 December 2021

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.

I am honored to join to you this evening to celebrate the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly.

I am humbled that the theme of ‘hope’, which I have chosen to guide this session, has inspired tonight’s event.

I remember – well before the start of the session – when I was asked what the theme for my Presidency would be; I was unprepared for this question, but I did not hesitate. “Hope” was the only word that spoke to me.

My friends, we have all been through very trying times these past few years. Doom and gloom dominate the news waves. COVID, climate, conflict… the three C’s that never seem to go away..

It is easy to become cynical and jaded. To become insular or isolationist. But this will not make our problems go away; this will amount to giving up.

It is in our worst times that we must dig deep and find hope. Hope that we can build a better world; hope that we, as a community, can be better and can rise above; hope that our common challenges can be overcome. That we can be resilient.

My Presidency of Hope, and the five rays of hope that guide our work this session, were deliberately selected to reflect the challenges of people and planet. To demonstrate to our global constituents that we are listening, that we care, that we are capable, and that we are cooperative.

There, we have three new ‘C’s that should guide us.

As we enter, what is hopefully, the final season of the pandemic, let us have hope that we will achieve universal vaccination, that we will meaningfully act on climate change, that we will build resilience against a future that is, by its very nature, uncertain.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Tonight, in the historic and beautiful Carnegie Hall, we will be graced by the music of Pianist Byron Wei-Xin Zhou.

Much like hope, music is inherently human. It spans every race, region, and religion. It knows no divide. It speaks to the soul.

Tonight, let us allow the music to connect us to the billions of people around the world; let it inspire us to be our better selves.

As we look to a New Year, new challenges, but also new opportunities, let us look to one of optimism, of grace, of compassion, and of hope.

I thank you.