Secretary-General, in Message for jUNe Day, Lauds Efforts to Combat Poverty, Foster Peace, Build Better World for All

Following is the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Carole Wamuyu Wainaina, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management, on the occasion of jUNe Day, in Westport, Connecticut, United States, today:

I send my warmest greetings to all the participants in this year’s jUNe Day celebration and thank our kind hosts for your hard work and generosity in this, the year in which we mark the fiftieth anniversary of jUNe Day and the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.  I am especially grateful to Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed for his enthusiasm and dedication to developing lasting relationships between the United Nations, the diplomatic community and our loyal friends in Westport.

The United Nations can look back on a proud record of working with others to dismantle colonialism, triumph over apartheid, keep the peace in troubled places, tackle hunger and safeguard human rights.  Every day, the United Nations feeds the hungry, shelters refugees and vaccinates children against deadly diseases.  When disaster strikes, our relief workers are there to deliver humanitarian assistance.  The United Nations was founded to prevent another world war and it has succeeded in that core mission.  At the same time, there have been setbacks along the way and we are keenly aware of the distance still to travel in fully realizing the vision set out in the Charter.

This very special anniversary falls in a year of momentous decisions that need to be taken on our common future.  Member States are shaping what we hope will be an inspiring new sustainable development agenda and are moving towards a meaningful agreement on climate change in Paris in December.  We are the first generation that can erase poverty from the Earth and the last that can act to avoid the worst impacts of a warming world.  I continue to press Member States and partners across the world to keep ambitions high.

The International Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County and the people of Westport continue to be our great friends and allies.  I thank all of you for your commitment to the United Nations and for everything you do to bring UN ideals to life.  I wish you a memorable jUNe Day and I look forward to working with you in the period ahead in our shared efforts to build a better world for all.