Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at Mariupol State University, in Kyiv, Ukraine
3 July 2024
[As Delivered]
My Dear Friends,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is both my privilege and delight to be here in Kiev, at Mariupol State University – which your indefatigable President, President Zelenskyy has famously described as the “invincible university”.
I am looking forward, with anticipation, to hearing more, first hand, about that from you today.
My appreciation of what it means for you to be here ,in this place, in these hallowed halls of scholarship and opportunity, rests on the awesome power and immense potential of you, the youth, in shaping the future of Ukraine, endowed and empowered as you are with an education that allows you to envision a future that is bright, progressive, just, fair, strong and secure and of course independent for your homeland.
Reflecting on my own career, I recognize the extent to which education fundamentally shaped my journey – preparing me to stand before you today in my present capacity as President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
It was within the classrooms, lecture halls, and tutorials and indeed along the corridors of animated student debates where my young mind was equipped with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to navigate our increasingly complex world.
I was privileged to have enjoyed these opportunities – just as you too are privileged – to have them, especially against the backdrop of a horrific raging war.
Education empowers individuals – but its benefits and consequences far transcend the personal, as it can uplift communities and indeed entire societies.
Consider, if you will, the institution that is the University, the beacon of scholarship and higher learning.
For hundreds of years universities have nourished the spirit of innovation, discovery, and enterprise – planting seeds that flowered into the enlightenment and laid the foundations for modern scientific advancement.
Today, universities remain centres of scientific research and innovation, progress, and academic reflection on the human condition.
Their alumni populate the halls of government, the chambers of legislatures, and the boardrooms of major corporations.
Any attack on an educational institution is, therefore, not to be misconstrued as simply an assault on its physical infrastructure.
Rather, it amounts to a brutish assault on scholarship, progress, reason, and on the broader project of human development and advancement – an attempt to extinguish the flame of young ambition.
Dear Friends,
The relentless destruction of educational infrastructure in this country over the past two years has been truly barbaric – and constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
What is even more notable however is the fact that – amidst this appalling devastation – the students and faculty of Mariupol State University have exhibited great determination and heroism.
Even after being forced to relocate from your beloved, besieged city, you have with resiliency carried with you your resolve to acquire an education and thus to preserve your culture and identity as a sovereign nation.
Your resolute determination to pursue and provide an education – even under the most perilous of circumstances – commands our deepest admiration and respect.
And while I celebrate your courage, the world should not demand such courage from you.
Scholarly pursuits should occur under the tranquility of Peace – not amidst the inferno of war.
For over two years, the Russian Federation has waged full-scale aggression against Ukraine – in clear violation of the United Nations Charter.
This aggression follows a pattern of revanchist and revisionist behaviour. For neither I nor the international community have forgotten Russia’s illegal attempts to annex Crimea and other Ukrainian territories in 2014.
Beyond the death toll in thousands, millions of innocent Ukrainian civilians have been forced from their homes – and are desperately scrambling for safety and shelter.
Civilian infrastructure across the country has been deliberately reduced to rubble – and not even schools and hospitals have been spared from the onslaught.
Again, in clear violation of basic tenets of international law.
I have seen horrendous images of how Mariupol – once a thriving, bustling city – has been transformed into a surreal dystopian landscape. Into a living hell.
You were forced to leave – but in showing great resilience you took your university with you – upholding not just the spirit of your university, but your city and community.
Dear Friends,
As President of the General Assembly – the most representative principal organ of the United Nations – I am obliged to represent all Member States impartially, bearing in mind that their views often diverge, and at times are diametrically opposed, as befitting a global parliament.
However, I unequivocally and unapologetically assert my firm stance on one singular point: the United Nations Charter and the values and principles enshrined in it must be upheld.
For that Charter is the very foundation of the multilateral system, the north star that should always guide global diplomacy.
The foresight of its founding authors continues to resonate, evident especially in the opening chapter, Article 2 (4), which mandates that “all Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”
The events of 2014 and February 2022 – along with ongoing violations – without any doubt contravene this sacred Charter.
Once again – in line with General Assembly resolutions – I condemn the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine and echo ongoing demands for an immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of Russian military forces from Ukrainian territory, respecting its internationally recognized borders.
These demands have been often reiterated in the United Nations General Assembly and have become familiar refrains.
Yet, their significance is even more profound inside this room – inside this brave, defiant, and war-torn nation, committed to its survival against a relentless onslaught to end its existence.
I reassure you and all the people of Ukraine that the international community – as overwhelmingly represented in the General Assembly – supports these calls.
Regrettably – while the General Assembly which I am privileged to lead is making best effort – on the other hand the Security Council, which is charged with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, has failed to prevent or resolve this conflict.
It has not adopted a single resolution – and remains hamstrung by the gratuitous overuse of the veto by the Russian Federation.
This impasse has intensified calls to reform the Security Council – to ensure it can more effectively fulfill its mandate.
This long overdue process is actively underway in the General Assembly.
Despite the Security Council’s enforced silence, the General Assembly has been proactive and decisive – adopting six strong resolutions during Emergency Special Sessions in response to the aggression.
Because the United Nations’ commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine remains unwavering.
Any lapse in this commitment would betray our organization’s founding mission to preserve global peace – a mission conceived from the embers of a world set ablaze by two cataclysmic wars.
In keeping with the spirit of that mission, our condemnations must be accompanied by substantive actions toward a just, comprehensive and lasting peace – consistent with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions.
At the General Assembly, Dmytro Kuleba, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, presented a resolution last year based on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 10-point peace formula.
This resolution – adopted by the General Assembly and resoundingly supported by the international community – provides a solid basis on the way forward and a framework for a solution.
Important progress was made last month in Switzerland with further high-level discussions.
We look forward to even more progress in the near future, including through dialogue with all parties involved.
Our efforts must not only steadfastly align with the principles of the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions, they must be inclusive.
Crucially, the young people’s voices should be included – for it is young people whose futures are most at stake.
And it is young people – like you – who will inherit the mission of finally “banishing the scourge of war” from our world.
Dear Friends,
In August, you will celebrate your Independence Day – a day whose significance resonates so much louder in these troubled times.
Your nation has incurred unimaginable losses, and inconceivable suffering.
Yet, you have also shown remarkable resilience, and awe-inspiring courage.
The United Nations and the General Assembly stand firmly with you.
This was the commitment I conveyed to President Zelenskyy (in New York) and to Foreign Minister Kuleba here.
Today, I reaffirm that same message to all of you.
As President of the General Assembly, my support for Ukraine remains as resolute as Ukraine’s own commitment to the United Nations.
Your fight to preserve your independence and territorial integrity is inextricably linked with our collective goal of upholding the principles of our Charter.
I urge Ukraine – a founding member of the United Nations – to maintain its robust engagement and partnership with the UN.
Historically, Ukraine has been a vital and constructive member of the United Nations – exemplified also in 1997 when Hennadiy Udovenko, then Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, presided over the 52nd Session of the General Assembly.
Famously known as the “reform session,” this period saw the adoption of a comprehensive program of reform proposed by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan to make the UN more responsive and effective in its work.
To this day, we rely on committed partners like Ukraine to address broader global challenges that affect us all – from implementing the SDGs and confronting the impacts of climate change including the threat of sea-level rise, to reforming the international financial architecture and revitalizing multilateralism.
These efforts are at the heart of the UN’s mission – and we will continue to depend on strong allies like Ukraine in this journey.
I count on the invaluable support and leadership of your government and you – as the future leaders of Ukraine.
Let me end by reassurance that the Ukrainian flag will continue to fly high at our UN headquarters New York – as a symbol of your enduring spirit and resilience.
Your courage will see you through these trials, and your land – so cruelly ravaged – will flourish in peace once again.
When that day comes, I trust that the students of Mariupol State University will return home – taking your indomitable spirit with you, to heal and rebuild your great city.
I look forward to your active engagement here today and to reflect together any questions and thoughts you have.
I thank you.
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