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New York,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n 17 November 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Good afternoon, my dear friends.<\/p>\n It is always a pleasure to meet with members of the civil society.<\/p>\n It is even more gratifying to welcome you all back into the General Assembly Hall.<\/p>\n For close to two years, we have lived under the shadow of the global pandemic.<\/p>\n For close to two years, the halls and corridors of the UN were deprived of the voices of civil society representatives.<\/p>\n On behalf of the General Assembly, I am glad to welcome you back with open arms.<\/p>\n Your presence here today speaks volumes and sends a powerful signal to the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n My friends,<\/p>\n CSOs are fundamental in building a rights-based world.<\/p>\n You give voice to the disorganized, voiceless segments of society.\u00a0<\/p>\n You raise awareness of social issues, advocate for change and empower communities.<\/p>\n I am glad that the membership is now slowly adjusting to a \u2018new normal\u2019 in their interactions within the halls of the United Nations. I strong believe that civil society should be afforded that same opportunity.<\/p>\n In fact, I believe that a \u2018new normal\u2019 should also call for a new multilateralism: one not just limited to interactions between states, but one in in which civil society plays a more prominent role in recovering better from the pandemic, and in shaping our common future.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dear Friends,<\/p>\n The pandemic, for one, exposed entrenched inequalities across the world, whether it was widespread discrimination, lack of access to basic services, vulnerability of frontline workers, or increasing domestic violence.<\/p>\n Throughout the pandemic, you have, and continue to play a remarkable role by providing the necessary guidance on the protection and promotion of human rights.<\/p>\n You were monitoring and tracking compliance, urging governments to fulfil their human rights obligations, and providing services.<\/p>\n In many cases CSOs were among the first responders in crisis situations.<\/p>\n At the end of this crisis, there can be no return to business as usual.<\/p>\n The question of whether recovery will lead to more inclusive, just, sustainable, and democratic societies, depends largely on the participation of civil society organizations in this process.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dear Friends,<\/p>\n I have always believed in the promise of the United Nations.<\/p>\n As a long-term parliamentarian in the Maldives, it is an honor for me to preside over this global parliament dedicated to the betterment of our people and our planet.<\/p>\n This is not a task to be done in isolation.<\/p>\n This parliament of humanity must bring together all people, from all walks of life, from every region, and from all backgrounds.<\/p>\n It is your<\/em> rights, your <\/em>security, your<\/em> well-being, that this institution is tasked with preserving.<\/p>\n It is our responsibility, as stewards of the United Nations General Assembly, to ensure that you have a say in what happens here, and where this organization is going.<\/p>\n Fairness demands that your engagement is sought, and your views are taken on board.<\/p>\n Trust that through my term, in this Presidency of Hope, I will do everything in my power to ensure that civil society is strongly represented in the General Assembly Hall.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Dear friends,<\/p>\n As President of the United Nations General Assembly for this 76th<\/sup> session, I have chosen the theme of \u2018hope\u2019 and have selected five priorities to help usher in a more responsive and inclusive multilateral system. \u00a0<\/p>\n These priorities include recovering from COVID-19, rebuilding sustainably, responding to the needs of the planet, respecting the rights of all, and revitalizing the United Nations.<\/p>\n On each of these we must be focused on the needs of all<\/em> our communities.<\/p>\n And civil society is the vital bridge linking those communities with their governments and global leaders.<\/p>\n We depend on you to gives us guidance and to inform us.<\/p>\n This has been my position since before the Presidency had even begun.<\/p>\n During the interactive dialogue, which was held in this hall, while I was campaigning for Office of the President, Member States were eager to hear my plans for engaging with civil society. I had committed then to securing the voice of civil society in the General Assembly.<\/p>\n Since that time, I have, worked step by step that commitment.<\/p>\n I have instructed my team to ensure that meetings with CSOs are a regular occurrence throughout all my travel programs. I met with CSO representatives during my travels so far to UAE, the Maldives, Serbia, and Scotland for COP26. At COP, I not only had the pleasure of meeting with youth-led CSOs, but spent my final hours touring the CSO-led \u2018Green Zone\u2019.<\/p>\n We have also included CSOs in all our meetings here at the General Assembly, in line with the relevant modalities.<\/p>\n Where I have had the discretion, such as the High-Level Dialogue on Delivering Climate Action, we have incorporated a special program component where voices of CSOs were given spotlight.<\/p>\n And this brings us to today.<\/p>\n I believe that there are about 400 of you registered and hundreds or perhaps thousands more watching at home.<\/p>\n This makes me proud\u2026 and gives me hope.<\/p>\n Trust when I say that I am not done yet!<\/p>\n At the request of both CSOs and Member States, I have been advocating with the Secretary-General to fulfil my hope that CSOs will be able to fully access the UN as soon as possible.<\/p>\n I am pleased to announce that, with effect from 3 January 2022, the annual and temporary UN grounds passes of civil society organizations with consultative status with the ECOSOC and \/ or formally associated with the DGC will be renewed<\/p>\n This sets us on a path to returning to the full involvement of civil society in the work of the General Assembly.<\/p>\n A path that affords civil society the platform they rightfully require to share their needs and priorities.<\/p>\n A path that brings voices from around the world to the United Nations.\u00a0<\/p>\n A path that enriches the global dialogue and puts us in a better position to address the complex challenges of the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n In that spirit, I look forward to hearing your views, and to a very productive discussion today.<\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” prev_background_color=”#000000″ inner_width=”auto” inner_max_width=”none”][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ custom_padding__hover=”|||” custom_padding=”|||”][et_pb_testimonial _builder_version=”4.9.7″ quote_icon_background_color=”#f5f5f5″ box_shadow_horizontal_image_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_image_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_image_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_image_tablet=”0px” text_shadow_horizontal_length=”text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_shadow_vertical_length=”text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_shadow_blur_strength=”text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” body_link_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”body_link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ body_link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” body_link_text_shadow_vertical_length=”body_link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ body_link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” body_link_text_shadow_blur_strength=”body_link_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ 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body_quote_text_shadow_vertical_length=”body_quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ body_quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” body_quote_text_shadow_blur_strength=”body_quote_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ body_quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” author_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”author_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ author_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” author_text_shadow_vertical_length=”author_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ author_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” author_text_shadow_blur_strength=”author_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ author_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” position_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”position_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ position_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” position_text_shadow_vertical_length=”position_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ position_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” position_text_shadow_blur_strength=”position_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ position_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” company_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”company_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ company_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” company_text_shadow_vertical_length=”company_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ company_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” company_text_shadow_blur_strength=”company_text_shadow_style,%91object Object%93″ company_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ author=”Abdulla Shahid” job_title=”President of the UN General Assembly” portrait_url=”https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/76\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/101\/2021\/09\/aQNubGha_400x400.jpg”]<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks of H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid – Town Hall Meeting with Civil Society Organizations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-252683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n