24 October 2022
It is a great honor to greet you as the President of the General Assembly on the occasion of UN Day.
I became the head of the General Assembly in New York during a difficult period.
In recent years, we have experienced multiplying global crises, the effects of which reinforce each other.
We were introduced to the prototype of the possible crises of the Anthropocene era, and that provided very serious lessons and warnings.
The increasingly serious natural disasters also made it clear that we have no time to lose, we must move towards a path of sustainable development.
The UN therefore has two urgent, parallel tasks: managing crises and promoting transformation.
The UN can do this in its own house, but the most important thing is what the Member States themselves do at home on the basis of common knowledge.
The Organization works on practical solutions based on the results of science and the principle of solidarity.
However, in order to achieve a breakthrough, mutual trust must also be restored between the Member States.
We live in times of war, when, unfortunately, basic values are called into question in everyday life and during armed conflict. Let’s not forget the words of Dag Hammarskjöld, a former secretary-general of the Organization: “The UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.”
I am convinced that the UN, which is 77 years old this year, has done a lot, is doing a lot, and can do a lot in the future for peace and cooperation.
And what is most important: it can help the world’s eight billion citizens to have more security, enjoy their human rights freely, and live in better conditions.