Secretary-General, in Video Message to Social Good Summit, Calls

 

on Socially Conscious Entrepreneurs to ‘Rise to the Moment’

 

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki‑moon’s video message to the Social Good Summit held in New York 21-22 September:

I am delighted to greet the Social Good Summit.  This is a difficult time for the human family, marked by health threats, poverty, conflicts and human rights abuses.  The United Nations has a mandate to respond on all these fronts.  Thanks to people like you, we have greater chances of succeeding in our efforts.

Your ideas can help make 2030NOW.  That is more than a hashtag — it is a vision.  We saw the power of people at yesterday’s climate march.  I thank everyone who raised their voices with me and others around the world who care about our planet and want to set the world on a more sustainable path.

This time of turmoil is also an era of opportunity.  We can build a more peaceful and just world — but we need more people like you to join us.  I call on you to enlist more socially conscious, digitally connected entrepreneurs to our cause.

This week at the United Nations, we will bring world leaders together.  We are welcoming governments, activists, business executives and youth.  We gather in a spirit of inclusive dialogue — the same spirit that infuses the Social Good Summit.

You can help the United Nations across our agenda.  Your energies and ideas can drive the world to our shared destination:  lives of dignity and opportunity for all.  We face enormous, complex crises and challenges.  But together, we have even greater ability to rise to the moment, empower people and transform our world.

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For information media • not an official record