use occasion to build better understanding of organization,

Secretary-General urges in message for United Nations day

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message for United Nations Day, today, 24 October:

Happy United Nations Day, everyone!  This is a day when we the UN family comes together not only as nations, but as human beings united in our quest for a better world.

As we look around us in the world today, we have cause for grave concern.  From climate change to extreme poverty, from Darfur to the Middle East, the challenges are complex and profound.  Let us use this Day to pray for strength in confronting them.

Let us also take this Day to send a special message to our colleagues who serve in field missions around the world, in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances.  They deserve our respect and our gratitude.

But let us also use this Day to celebrate.  More and more, people around the world understand that global problems demand global solutions -- and that going it alone is not a viable option.  The UN is in greater demand than ever before.  Multilateralism is back.

Let us show the world we are equal to the task.  Let us use this Day to help build a better understanding for our Organization -- what it is, what it does, and what it can do.  Let us seize it as an occasion to remember why our Organization was founded 62 years ago today.  Let us draw strength from it as we work to create a stronger UN for a better world.

Succeeding generations will judge us on the actions we take now -- on results.  On this United Nations Day, let us rededicate ourselves to achieving them.

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For information media • not an official record