WORLD THAT DOES NOT OFFER FAIR CHANCE TO ALL ‘WILL BE NEITHER PROSPEROUS, NOR PEACEFUL’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL TO 29TH PIO MANZU CONFERENCE

WORLD THAT DOES NOT OFFER FAIR CHANCE TO ALL ‘WILL BE NEITHER PROSPEROUS,

NOR PEACEFUL’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL TO 29^TH PIO MANZU CONFERENCE

Following is the message by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the twenty-ninth Pio Manzù international conference in Rimini, Italy, delivered on 19 October by Giandomenico Picco, Special Adviser and Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Dialogue among Civilizations:

It gives me great pleasure to send my greetings to all who have gathered for this annual conference.  Allow me also to extend my appreciation for the posthumous award you have given to Sergio Vieira de Mello.  It comes at a time when we are still grieving for him and our other colleagues who died in Iraq, and wrestling with the wider implications of the bombing.

Sergio was an outstanding servant of humanity, who exemplified the highest ideals of the United Nations.  As we carry on his work, we will continue to be inspired by his compassion, his courage and his profound commitment to relieving the sufferings of his fellow men and women, defending their human rights, and upholding the principles of the United Nations.

The theme of your conference –- The Economics of the Noble Path -- is highly relevant to the work of the United Nations for a more prosperous and equitable world.  Sustainable economic growth, and the ability of all countries to participate meaningfully in the global economy, are crucial if we are to solve the environmental and social challenges we face.  Yet too many people in developing countries are still excluded from globalization.  Too many people who want to trade their way out of poverty continue to face obstacles that tilt the playing field against them.  And too many countries continue to pursue unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, treat the environment as an isolated category and resist efforts to fully integrate environmental considerations into economic policy-making.

A world that does not offer a fair chance to all, and a world threatened by climate change and widespread environmental degradation, will be neither prosperous nor peaceful.  Conferences such as yours can help point the way toward a more balanced global economic order.  Thank you for your efforts to do your part to implement the Millennium Declaration, and please accept my best wishes for a productive session.

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