Secretary-General, in Video Message, Asks Youth to Take ‘Driver’s Seat’, Steering Sustainable Development Goals into Reality, Ending Hunger by 2030

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the Mobilizing Generation Zero Hunger event, in New York today:

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Honoured colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to send greetings to this event on Mobilizing Generation Zero Hunger.  You meet at a critical moment.  The world has come together to launch an ambitious set of Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ushering in lives of dignity for all.  This bold new vision commits us to ending hunger, everywhere, by 2030.  Millions of young people participated actively in drafting this new agenda.

Now, I ask you to take the driver’s seat as we move to make this vision a reality.  You are the largest generation of youth in history.  You are the farmers who will sustainably feed 9 billion people by 2050.  You are the entrepreneurs who will give the world the innovations needed to ensure food is not lost before it reaches the table.  You are the advocates whose questioning will push society and government to change how we produce and consume our food.

Those of us from the older generation must do our part, but we must give you the space to take the lead, to create opportunities, especially for young women, and for young people in rural areas.

In 2012, I issued my Zero Hunger Challenge to end hunger in a generation.  I have seen this challenge taken up by Governments and their partners across the world.  Youth have been at the forefront in communicating the message that it can be done.  We can end hunger.  Thank you.