Secretary-General’s press remarks at Qobbeh Social Development Centre, Lebanon

Dear officials, dear colleagues, Assalam Alekum to all. It is a great pleasure for me to open this Social Development Centre. I am very happy to see that the UN system, UNDP, UNICEF and UNRWA and all other organizations are working very closely with the community leaders to provide education, vocational training, sanitation support and some psychological support, and also a safe place to watch our women and children there. This is a very important place. [The centre] also provides an opportunity when people are suffering from deprivation, lack of opportunities, no education, when they are isolated or left behind. The UN, through its 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, [is pursuing the same goal]:  the main thing is to have everybody on board, nobody should be left behind. This Social Development Centre also combines good support for adolescent boys and girls who are sometimes exposed to sexual gender-based violence and we have to protect them from this kind of violence. We are also working for young people, who should be leaders of our world, our society tomorrow, [to have] opportunities, sanitation and jobs. The World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank and their presidents are here to help us support. The United Nations will continue to work with you, [with] UNICEF providing higher education and quality education, UNDP providing development programs as well as job opportunities. Again, I thank you and wish you [success] for this Social Development Centre.