Secretary-General, Addressing United Nations Anniversary Event in Hiroshima, Says Everyone Must Participate to Bolster Global Cooperation for Peace, Development

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the “UN75 in Hiroshima” event, hosted by Hiroshima Prefecture today:

I am pleased to send greetings to this dialogue on “UN75 in Hiroshima”.

This year marks 75 years since the United Nations was born from the ashes of the Second World War.  It also marks three quarters of a century since the atomic incineration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki heralded the advent of terrible new weapons that pose an existential threat to humanity.

Since 1945, one of the United Nations top priorities has been the elimination of nuclear weapons.  It is clearly encapsulated in Article 26 of the Charter, which calls for minimizing the “diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources.”  The founders did not want the world’s limited resources to be spent on weapons but on development.

The seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations is an important opportunity for us to take stock and consider how the United Nations can enhance its efforts across the Organization to achieve its shared goals of peace, human rights and sustainable development.

As we learn from the past, we have to look forward and take into account new threats, such as climate change and disruption from new technologies.  This is not just a discussion for national Governments.  It needs input from everyone, including youth, civil society, local governments and the private sector.  For our anniversary, I have asked people to join the world’s biggest conversation on how we can collectively reinvigorate global cooperation for a better future for all.

In settings such as this, we want to hear from you about your hopes and fears for the future and how to create a truly networked, inclusive and effective multilateralism to better deliver on your aspirations.  The ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the many global challenges that confront us, require collective action by us all.

As an international community, we have made great strides in seeking to fulfil the promise of the United Nations Charter.  I commend Japan for its engagement across the United Nations agenda and its commitment to multilateralism.

But, we still have much to achieve.  Let us work together to create peace, prosperity, dignity and opportunity for all people on a healthy planet.  Thank you.