Building Peaceful World Means Following Lead of Young People, Secretary-General Tells Youth Observing International Day
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Youth Observance of the International Day of Peace, observed on 21 September, in New York today:
This is the room of the Economic and Social Council, which means the room where we discuss some of the most dramatic problems that especially developing countries are facing today to this perfect storm that they suffer. It was COVID, it was the inequality, the distribution of resources. It’s now the consequences of the war in Ukraine.
And so, this is the room where we try to come together to support developing countries and it is for me a great pleasure to see this room filled with young people that I am sure will be able to create a world much more fair, much less unequal than the world in which we now live. So, thank you very much for coming.
And today is a special day. It marks the upcoming International Day of Peace. One of the most meaningful aspects of my job as Secretary-General is meeting with young people, but more important than that, listening to young people.
Your limitless hope ignites my own hope that the better world we fight for every day at the United Nations is possible. That peace, tolerance and justice are not just distant dreams. They are achievable realities if we all work as one.
This is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began that we have been able to meet in person to mark the upcoming International Day of Peace. And we do so at a time when peace has never seemed so far away.
We live in a world of conflicts and mistrust. Climate change and biodiversity loss. And a lingering pandemic. A global financial system is putting the needs of rich countries over the needs of developing countries. We have a global financial system that was designed by rich countries for the benefit of rich countries. And unfortunately, this has now proven right.
Developing countries are suffering much more and we need to be aware of these injustice in this world to correct it and you will inherit a very unjust world and you will need transform it.
Discrimination and violence continue to afflict women and girls, as well as young people — especially the most vulnerable. And as this year’s theme reminds us, the poison of racism continues to infect people’s hearts and minds in every corner of the world.
Online, in the streets and in neighbourhoods everywhere, the voices of hate, intolerance and intimidation are growing. The pandemic has made this far worse, with rising instances of discrimination against people because of their race, ethnicity, religion or culture.
This is absolutely unacceptable. We must stop this assault on basic human rights. Ending racism and discrimination and building a more peaceful world means following the lead of young people like all of you gathered here today.
You are the strongest and loudest voices calling for change. You are crying out for tolerance and the end to racism. You are demanding that world leaders wage peace instead of war.
Peace is how we treat our environment. And peace is how we treat one another. Not only the future, but [what] belongs to you. So as the world comes to the United Nations in the coming weeks, I pledge to amplify your ideas and concerns.
It is my generation’s responsibility, a generation that has failed in climate change, in equality around the world, in the preservation of human rights especially for the most vulnerable people. So, it is this generation that has failed so largely, responsibility to support your generation, and to work with you to leave you the world you deserve.
That’s why we are here today — not only to talk, but also to listen and to encourage each one of us to continue our efforts to end racism and to build peace. Your ideas are very important. Working side by side with all of you to end racism and build a more peaceful and tolerant world together is our obligation, and it is our interest. Thank you.