Saying Sport ‘Shows Us What We Have in Common’, Secretary-General Thanks Youths

 

for Getting World Cup Event off to High-Spirited Start at United Nations

 

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the “Kick-off to the World Cup”, in New York today:

Welcome to this UN kick-off to the World Cup!

I thank the Permanent Representative of Brazil, Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands and the United Nations Department of Public Information for bringing us together.

The first game is not until Thursday, but the level of excitement is already high.  I suspect people are already adjusting their schedules in order to be in front of the television to see their teams perform.

I myself plan to watch as much as I can.  Some of you may know that I have played football from time to time, with some of the ambassadors here today.  I even broke my hand at one point.  I guess I have to stop trying to do that Pele-style bicycle kick!

Today’s gathering is an occasion to celebrate the best values of sport: teamwork, fair play and mutual respect.  Over the next month, hundreds of millions of people will be entertained and enthralled as we follow the action at venues across Brazil.  Regardless of the team we support, we will all be admiring the extraordinary feats of the world’s best players.

Sport has a unique ability to unite us, and to show us what we have in common.  There is no better testimony than today’s event.  What else can get ambassadors to shed their suits and ties and dress like this?!

To all the competing teams in Brazil, I wish you the very best.  Last year, I had the honour of kicking off the ball at a Real Madrid match.  This year, they won the Champion’s League.  I hope to bring all of your teams the same luck!

And to all the boys and girls here today, thanks for helping us to get the World Cup off to a high-spirited start.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record