Political Divisions Cannot Be Allowed to Undermine Indispensable United Nations

 

Work, Secretary-General Stresses at Global Leadership Awards Event

 

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the United Nations Association/United Nations Foundation Global Leadership Awards dinner on 8 November in New York:

Thank you for your warm welcome.  I look forward to this occasion every year.  For me, it is always a special pleasure to be among such good friends of the United Nations.

Tonight, we celebrate global leadership: Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a champion for multilateralism and all of our work, from women’s and children’s health to sustainable energy to peace and security around the world; Asma Jahangir; Rex Tillerson; our own Susanna Malcorra; Linkin Park.

I am proud to be the first Secretary-General in United Nations history to have had a Facebook town hall meeting with Linkin Park.  But I must admit I wasn’t always so hip.  Some years ago, my daughter said: “I really like Linkin Park.”  I said: “Linkin Park?  Is he Korean?”

I am sure you agree; those we honour this evening are true champions of the global good.  Let me also say, however, the tributes do not stop with tonight’s award winners; I would also like to shine the spotlight on you — starting with the UN Foundation and the United Nations Association.

Ted Turner, Tim Wirth, I want to thank you and your entire team for your fantastic work.  You make an enormous difference every day, and we are deeply grateful.  And Mr. Turner — Ted — you have set the gold standard for leadership.  I love your motto: “Lead, follow or get out of the way.”  You have led, and it is an inspiration.

This has been an extraordinary year.  In so many ways, we have entered a new and different world.  Last week, I participated at the G-20 Summit meeting in Cannes.  As we see all around us every day, the old economic order is changing almost faster than we can keep up.

Before that, I was in Libya.  There, I assured the country’s new leadership that the United Nations would help them along the road to democracy and a better future.  We will be with them every step of the way.

These are just two of the immense challenges before us.  As I see, never since its creation has the United Nations been so needed.  Never have the possibilities of shaping a better world been so large.  And never has it been so clear that we can only do it together — through partnerships, the broadest possible partnerships.

That’s what you are building every day in your work.  By telling the UN story throughout the country; by reminding taxpayers of the value, vitality and enduring relevance of the UN; by making the case that the world needs United States leadership — at the United Nations and elsewhere.

We all understand why I raise this issue.  At the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and potentially elsewhere, that partnership is being tested.  For the United States, any reduction in support for the United Nations translates directly to a loss of influence.  And for the United Nations, any loss of funding translates directly to a loss for those who can least afford it — the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, most of them women and children.

I am confident that, together, we will find practical, common-sense solutions.  We cannot let narrow political divisions undermine the indispensable work of the United Nations for all of the world’s people.

To this evening’s award winners, once again my sincere congratulations, and again, my deepest thanks to all of you for supporting the United Nations.

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For information media • not an official record