11 December 2023 – ECOSOC Chamber, U.N.
Chair of Diwali Foundation USA, Mrs. Ranju Batra, Fellow Ambassadors, Distinguished Recipients of the Diwali Foundation USA’s “Diwali Stamp – The Power of One” Awards, aka “Oscars of Diplomacy,” Ladies and Gentlemen,
Kam na bane ni mauri (May you all be blessed with blooming health)!
Let me begin by commending the Diwali Foundation USA for organizing this important annual ceremony to mark the accomplishments of a number of diplomats with extraordinarily fine qualities that have made a difference to the workings of the United Nations, our world, and the countries they represent. I would also thank its Chair, Mrs. Ranju Batra, for the honour of allowing Kiribati to be a Co-Organizer of this special and unique event, and for the opportunity to address you all on this occasion.
I also wish to commend Ranju Batra not only for her great vision, but more so for being such a wonderful woman who loves doing a lot of extra work, including, in setting up her beautiful house every now and again to make it a home for UN ambassadors to relax, and interact socially and build multilateral friendship and understanding among themselves to better serve the country each of us represents in the United Nations.
I wish to acknowledge with gratitude that in my six years of serving as an ambassador of Kiribati to the United Nations, that of the many receptions and functions I have attended, only those at Ranju and Ravi Batra’s home has given me so many P.R. friends. That as a result, I have better enjoyed working with them in warmer diplomacy as a result over these many years. Ranju’s and Ravi’s big heart of kindness and hospitality has worked many wonders and magic for my work here for the benefit of the government and people of Kiribati. Thank you – especially Ranju, core of the Batra family – for being the Diwali light that shines through the dark spots of human nature.
You were the very first to be honored by 24 nations on 5th December 2016 in Trusteeship Council chamber, and recognized for your “Power of One” in successfully achieving the immortal Forever Diwali Stamp from the United States Postal Service on 5 October 2016 after your long journey. It is proper and fitting that such a legacy is passed on to all those whose hearts and souls are, I believe, made of the same elegant elements of our Creator as your good self.
I join you, and my good colleagues and friends present, along with the co-organizers and co-sponsors, over seventy nations plus the European Union, of these award ceremonies to warmly congratulate each of the distinguished awardees who have demonstrated throughout their long and faithful service for their countries and the United Nations that “light” will always prevail over “darkness,” and “goodness” over “evil” if, and only if, there is enough supply of goodness in the hearts and minds of the people who have been entrusted to lead and serve the people of this world.
Having committed themselves fully to make “light” win over “darkness” and “goodness” over “evil,” I join the Diwali Foundation USA and all my ambassadorial colleagues in endorsing the bestowing of the Power of One Award to:
His Excellency, Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations;
Her Excellency Mirsada Čolaković, Permanent Representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Security Council;
His Excellency Kim Sook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the Security Council; and
H.E. Miroslav Lajčāk, former President of the United Nations General Assembly.
On behalf of the Government and the peace-loving people of Kiribati, who live and enjoy a very happy, loving and most peaceful part of the planet earth, and whose ways of life are founded on the supremacy of human dignity, respect and responsibility, I would like to say to each of you in my Kiribati language “kam bati n rabwa n rianakon ootan ami tangira nakon te botannaomata ao te aonnaba ae mwengara ni kabane – Ke e kakabaiangkami n tai nako Atuan te Tangira ao te Raoiroi” meaning “thank you for your super bright “light of love” for humanity and the world – our common home. May the God of love and goodness bless you always!”
The more we Kiribati people see and hear about human beings suffering and dying from wars and conflicts created and fueled by people claiming to be leaders and stewards of democracy, freedom, human rights, peace and justice, the more we wish we have many replicas of your good selves around the world especially where there is so much hardship, pain and suffering caused by humans in powerful positions.
Let us commit ourselves to be on the same side as the Awardees in the ongoing life long battle within human nature between good and evil, right and wrong, kindness and cruelty, selflessness and selfishness, generosity and greed and between peace-building and warmaking. On behalf of the same, I wish you all Te Mauri, Te Raoi ao Te Tabomoa, (Blooming Health, Peace and Happiness)!
- Picture Album: The 2023 “Diwali Stamp – Power of One Awards,” aka “Oscars of Diplomacy,” Post-Awards Reception Hosted by Amb. Ruchira Kamboj at PMI
- Picture Album: 2023 “Diwali Stamp – The Power of One Awards,” aka “Oscars of Diplomacy,” Award Ceremony at ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations