Remarks by H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis,  

President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session

The UN Annual Prayer Service on the occasion of the opening of the 78th session of the General Assembly   

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Church of the Holy Family

******** 

Deputy-Secretary General, Amina Mohamed, 

Excellencies,  

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

Let me begin by extending my most grateful thanks to the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, and to H.E. the Most Reverend Frank J. Dewane, for their kind invitation this evening.  

We gather in this room bonded by our dedication to multilateralism and to building trust and peace – values I am wholeheartedly committed to. 

Sadly, today’s global political landscape is wrought by growing mistrust in and within our institution and by protracted geopolitical divides.  

Humanitarian crises, human rights violations and widening economic and social chasms, fuel and are are fuelled by conflicts, extreme poverty, hunger, inequality, climate change and environmental degradation. 

The clock is ticking on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals – further intensifying the urgency of our situation. 

 

Excellencies,  

This afternoon morning, I had the honour of taking my Oath of Office as President of the General Assembly for its 78th session. of the General Assembly.  

I recognise that this Office and position do not come without its challenges, and, in this capacity, I pledge to uphold the responsibilities entrusted in me to the highest standard. 

The four guiding principles of my Presidency will be: Peace, Prosperity, Progress and Sustainability.  

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,  

We have made ambitious commitments to our global population of eight billion constituents—pledges we must honour, not only for the well-being of today’s citizens but also for the generations of tomorrow. 

We must fulfil these commitments, particularly for the most vulnerable among us, who will bear the brunt of our inaction, and for the preservation of our biodiversity and ecosystems.  

This task will not be an easy feat.  

Upholding multilateralism requires that we stand as a strong, united front. 

We must engrave peace, tolerance, and dialogue as the foundational cornerstones of all our aspirations. 

Our capacity to address the interlocking crises we face will be a testament to the health of our global institutions and to our willingness to care for each other, and our planet. 

Excellencies, 

The United Nations was founded with the intention of bringing humanity together, of building bridges and fostering peace to the best of our ability. 

In our prayers tonight, let us remember that we are a human community, and that together, our strength knows no bounds.  

Let us offer our thoughts, hopes and intentions in a shared prayer, seeking wisdom, guidance and the fortitude to uphold the commitments we hold dear.  

I promise that my team and I will work tirelessly to cultivate multilateral solidarity enshrined in the spirit of togetherness, for a better future, for all.  

This is my promise to you, in my capacity as President of the General Assembly.  

I thank you. 

 

*****