Spring is a time of rebirth. The grass grows green again, the cherry blossoms return, and the soil is turned to prepare the earth for harvest later in the year.

Today we turn the soil which the United Nations stands on to mark the rebirth, or renovation, of our Headquarters.

With this groundbreaking ceremony, we open a new chapter -- a historic period of construction that will last five years. Several years of negotiations and planning have prepared us for today. I thank the Member States of the United Nations, the host country -- the United States of America -- and the City of New York, for their strong support.

Over these five years, we will make our facilities safer and more modern. We will make them greener and more efficient. We will make them a model of environmental stewardship, by reducing our electrical and water usage, and by removing harmful materials that were used in the original construction.

As we conduct this work, we will never lose sight of the original purpose of our founders when they erected these buildings almost 60 years ago: promoting a safer, more peaceful and more just world.

The endeavour that begins today will help us carry out that mission for generations ahead.

The task ahead will not be a simple one. It will require us to pool all our efforts, and work hand in hand. It will bring considerable inconvenience to how we function, both in the conduct of conferences and meetings, and the way we carry out our office duties day to day. It may even require us to strengthen efforts for the security and safety of our staff and premises.

That is why it is of such symbolic importance that today, we will all break ground together -- Member States, Host Country, Secretariat, staff, and the private sector.

It is in that spirit of partnership we will foster our rebirth. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting down to work with all of you.

Thank you very much.