19 December 2022
Madame Deputy Secretary-General,
Mr. Secretary-General,
Mr. Ambassador,
Excellencies,
Dear Friends,
First and foremost, heartfelt congratulations to the excellent work done by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language and to the very impressive exhibition that we have seen today.
إذا تحدثت إلى رجل بلغة يفهمها، ستصل إلى رأسه. إذا تحدثت إليه بلغته، ستصل إلى قلبه
(Arabic translation of Nelson Mandela’s quote: if you talk to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head. If you speak with him in his own language, it goes to his heart.)
My thanks go to the Permanent Mission of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to the Saudi Ministry of Culture and to the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language for their kind invitation to mark this wonder anniversary with you today.
We all know that language is more than a means of communication – it is a vessel of cultural expressionists, identity, and values.
As the lingua franca of close to 500 million people and the first language of 22 countries in the world – Arabic truly is a reservoir of humanity’s cultural capital.
فاللُغَةِ العَرَبِية هِيَ لُغَةِ القُرآن، والشِعرُ، والفَن، بالإضافَةِ إلى أنّها المَدخَلُ للعِلمِ والعُلوم، والفَلسَفَةِ والتّاريخ.
(Arabic translation: The Arabic language is the one of the Qura’an, the language of poetry and of song. But it is also a language of knowledge, of philosophy, and science. )
From the Silk Roads to the western shores of Africa, the bridges built by the Arabic language over centuries are a testament to its unifying power, its depth and breadth.
Now this beautiful language plays a role in our quest for global understanding, from the preservation of traditions, to strengthening of cooperation and the promotion of intercultural dialogue.
I can tell it is quite a challenge to learn Arabic of a decent level.
My university professor of Arabic told me at that time when I started: the first twenty years will be difficult but later it becomes a bit easier.
For the first part of his prophecy, I can testify.
But I can also witness that the Arabic language is the most logical one I know. It is a language, as if devised by mathematicians and scientists appreciating logical structures.
It goes without saying that Arabic is critical in this endeavour to ensure peace and sustainable development in the world.
Today, we are also celebrating what multilingualism brings to multilateralism.
The capacity to foster diversity, tolerance and harmony.
إنَّني أتَطَّلَعُ لمواصَلة العَمَل والشَراكَةِ مع الدّولِ العَرَبِيَةِ خِلالَ فَترَة رِئاسَتي للجَمعِيَةِ العامَّة.
وفي الخِتام، أتَقَدّم بالشُّكر لدعوتِكَم الكَريمَةِ لِأًشارِكَكُم في هذا الإحتِفاء بِلُغَتِكُم الجَميلةِ، وما تُقَدِّمُه لأَجِلِ العَمَلِ المُتَعَدّدِ الأَطراف.
(Arabic translation: I look forward to collaborating with all Arabic-speaking Member States throughout my Presidency, and thank you again for inviting me to celebrate all that your beautiful language brings to multilateralism.)
Shukran.
