6 December 2024 – Delegates Dining Room, UNHQ
Excellencies, friends and colleagues,
Diwali was celebrated a couple of weeks ago, physically. But Diwali is a daily celebration in our minds, in our thoughts, in our emotions, if we keep the spirit of Diwali alive. As correctly mentioned by His Excellency Dennis Francis, the spirit of Diwali is, of course, the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. This is a celebration that is a daily professional journey for each one of us, as representatives and ambassadors of our countries here.
I have been here for three months exactly today and the big difference I notice in the work that we do here and in the work in other bilateral capitals elsewhere, is that what we do here is little understood outside the building, is much less appreciated outside, with a general sense that we are lost in our own ivory towers and worlds and not connected with the real problems of the world. Yet nothing can be farther than the truth.
I think when Ranju took up the idea of bringing the Diwali stamp to light, literally, I think she proved the ‘Power of One’, that it is possible for one person against all odds to be able to achieve and bring to fruition a compelling idea. When the next year, Ravi decided to support it and make it into a foundation, he again proved that it is possible to recognize the ‘Power of One’, that it is possible for one person to pursue and bring to fruition a compelling idea.
Why this happens is because in India we have always believed that ‘One is All and All is One’, because we are all one. It is possible for one person to represent the whole humanity, to visualize the goodness, and the well-being for humanity in their actions.
When we say “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, the whole world is one family, it is not a mere slogan, but it is the universal reality and truth.
Here we represent, of course, our own countries, but we also represent humanity. When you try to prevent conflict, when you promote development, when you promote international cooperation and collaboration, what we do is represent this concept of ‘One for All and All for One’.
I think this award, in bringing and recognizing the work of former colleagues, brings to light, the contribution that one PR of one country has made for the benefit of humanity, because what you do here has reverberations and connections that we scarcely imagine when we go with the idea.
This is a timely annual celebration, and in a world beset with polycrisis, this is also a timely reminder that we cannot let negativity overpower the positive thought and intention that we bring to our professional work. It’s a daily struggle that we all go through, but thanks to people like Ranju and Ravi and the awards that have been instituted, we at least have an annual reminder that what we do has implications far beyond the chambers of this building, that what we do matters, that multilateralism matters, not just to the UN and employees and delegates that are represented here, but to common citizens everywhere in the world and indeed to the whole of humanity.
Thank you, Ranju and Ravi for instituting these awards. To the distinguished awardees who will be receiving the awards today, we salute and appreciate your contributions.
I am sure that other colleagues, too, will have their illustrious work recognized in the years to come, and I want to thank once again the foundation for its work and wish the founders, Ranju and Ravi, all the best as you take this forward.
Thank you very much for your presence today and I look forward to welcoming you later at the Permanent Mission of India in the evening.
Thank you.