SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS CONCERT BY ENNIO MORRICONE, ONE OF WORLD’S ‘MOST REMARKABLE

COMPOSERS’, SENDS MESSAGE OF HOPE TO HEROES WORLDWIDE WORKING FOR PEACE

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the concert by Ennio Morricone, in New York, 2 February:

It is a privilege indeed to be here for this concert by one of the world’s most remarkable composers.  And it is a pleasure to see so many wonderful friends of the United Nations here this evening.  Thank you all for coming.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation to Mr. Kisambira, President of the Staff Council of the United Nations, and to His Excellency Ambassador Spatafora of Italy for organizing this event.  My thanks go also to the Give Them a Hand Foundation for its generous support, and to the NGO Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

I have just arrived back from my first overseas trip as Secretary-General.  I visited nine countries in 11 days, and arrived back in New York only two hours ago.  This was one concert I was not going to miss.

Indeed, this is a historic occasion.  As you know, Maestro Morricone has delighted audiences throughout the world during the last six decades.  But he has never performed on these shores.

Tomorrow, the Maestro will make his American concert debut at Radio City Music Hall.  Because we are on international territory, tonight will be his United Nations debut.

The Maestro and his musicians have dedicated this performance to all United Nations staff.  I thank them for recognizing the valiant work carried out by our men and women around the world -- for peace, for human rights, for the environment, for the Millennium Development Goals.  Maestro Morricone, all of us working on these formidable tasks deeply appreciate this gesture of solidarity.

Your music is a good match for the United Nations.

It is full of drama.

It has been used to tell stories about people with big dreams.

It has also showed us “the good, the bad and the ugly”, to borrow the title of one of your most renowned films.

In other words, your music could serve as the soundtrack for my first few weeks in office!  So it is appropriate indeed that your debut and mine more or less coincide.

Maestro, let me congratulate you on the honorary award you will receive later this month from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  I am glad that this Oscar will take its place alongside the many other honours and recognitions you have received throughout your career.

A great artist will now perform here in the Headquarters of the United Nations to send a message of hope and to express appreciation to the heroes who work for peace around the world.  We should all be proud to be part of this event.

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For information media • not an official record