It is a pleasure to greet the innovators from around the world who are participating in this global “hackathon”.  Thank you for joining hands to help address the pressing challenges facing the human family.

As the United Nations this year marks its 70th anniversary, we know there is still a great distance to go in realizing the vision set out in our founding Charter.  At the same time, we can look back on a proven record of fostering peace, alleviating hunger and poverty, safeguarding human rights and providing relief in the aftermath of disasters.

Today, the United Nations is mobilizing countries to resolve conflicts and other immediate crises while striving to secure our long-term future by forging a universal agreement on climate change and adopting a new vision for development, including a set of sustainable development goals.

Your voices and talents will be crucial in realizing our shared objectives.  You are the first generation of young people who are younger than the Internet.  Global connectivity is part of your own programming, and I take heart from your commitment to global citizenship.

I thank the World Federation of UN Associations for being such a strong ally.  Please accept my best wishes for a successful hackathon.