Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr Dennis Francis,
Concert in Honour of PGA organized by UNITAR
[Delivered by H.E. Mr. Collen Vixen Kelapile, Chef De Cabinet]
Your Excellencies,
Members of the Governing Board and Management of Carnegie Hall,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is indeed a great honour and privilege for me to deliver this statement, on behalf of the President of the General Assembly – His Excellency Dennis Francis – who having come off a 14 hour flight only hours ago, very much regrets his inability to be here this evening, in manifestation of his deep appreciation for the long-standing and valued collaboration that exists between Carnegie Hall and the General Assembly of the United Nations.
The Statement reads as follows:
I am honored and at the same time, humbled, that in this illustrious sanctuary devoted to the upliftment of the human spirit through the arts, the theme of my Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly – peace, progress, prosperity, and sustainability – is being recognized and indeed celebrated.
In that regard, allow me to extend my grateful thanks to the Permanent Missions of Costa Rica, Ecuador, Monaco, Singapore and Oman for generously supporting this event, as well as United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR, a much valued partner of the Office of the President of the General Assembly, for organizing it.
Excellencies,
We all know that music – the universal language of humankind – transcends borders, overcomes divides and appeals to the human spirit. In doing so, it brings disparate people and communities together, all the while celebrating our world’s rich diversity and heritage.
Indeed, where our words fail, music speaks.
Concerts like this one provide the welcome opportunity for the UN to reflect its key values and principles in seeking to build a better world, where all people live in harmony and respect for each other, while adhering to appropriate standards of human dignity. In sharing our dynamic world culture and artistry with the wider community, the UN hopes to build understanding for and appreciation of the rich and diverse tapestry that is world culture, which enriches our lives, even in difficult times, and helps to promote peaceful co-existence.
In that regard, I am also specially delighted that the featured artist for tonight’s production is Dr. Slinger Francisco, world famously known by the sobriquet, “the Mighty Sparrow’, an acknowledged icon and cultural Ambassador of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s premier art forms, calypso music. “Sparrow” as we warmly refer to him, is a national treasure and has practiced his art for over 50 years.
I should like to thank him most sincerely for his unique contribution to making tonight’s concert so very special, in a personal way.
Finally, I should like to express my deep appreciation to the dedicated management of Carnegie Hall for the enduring strength of their collaboration with the United Nations, and most especially, for making this production possible. Congratulations!! I shall certainly be there in spirit.
I thank you
