Delegates Dinning Room, United Nations
December 6, 2024
Chair of Diwali Foundation USA, Mrs. Ranju Batra, Fellow Ambassadors, Distinguished Recipients of the Diwali Foundation USA Power of One Awards, 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 select number of diplomats who have represented their countries so well while at the same time contributing significantly to the betterment of the world through their extraordinarily rare qualities which align so well with the founding principles of the Mission of the USA Diwali Foundation: Support the United Nations Charter to form a more perfect world.
I would also to thank its Chair, Mrs. Ranju Batra, for granting the Permanent Mission of Kiribati the honor of co-organizing this event and addressing you all on this auspicious occasion.
As Chair of the USA Diwali Foundation, you have played a vital role in hosting numerous social events for UN ambassadors providing them the opportunity to interact socially to build friendship and understanding among themselves and the countries they represent. I know that this is a very powerful way of building bridges of understanding, cooperation and collaboration.
I must admit that my job as a diplomat has been very effective because of the personal connections established during such functions. Thank you Ranju for being the Diwali light that shines through the dark spots of human nature. You were the very first to receive the Power of One Award and it is only proper and fitting that such a legacy is passed on to all those whose hearts and souls shine from that same Diwali light.
I join you and my good colleagues and friends cosponsoring this ceremony to congratulate each and all of the distinguished awardees who have demonstrated throughout their long and faithful service for their countries and the United Nations that light shall always prevail over darknessand that goodness, justice and peace shall always prevail over injustice and violence.
Having committed themselves fully to make light win over darkness and goodness over oppression, I join the Diwali Foundation USA and all my ambassadorial colleagues in endorsing the bestowing of the Power of One Award to:
His Excellency, Juan Ramon de La Fuente, Foreign Minister, and Frm PR of Mexico to UNSC;
His Excellency, Ferit Hoxha, Frm PR of Albania to UNSC;
His Excellency, Tarek Ladab, Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the UNSC; and
H.E. Olof Skoog, Frm PR of Sweden to the UNSC and Head of Delegation of EU to the UN.
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kiribati I would like to say to each of you in my Kiribati language “kam bati n rabwa ao kam na kabwaia” meaning “thank you and may you be blessed.
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”
