[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”3_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″ border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
5 September 2018<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.12.2″ sticky=”off” border_style=”solid” src=”https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2018\/09\/773176.jpg” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″ border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,<\/em><\/p>\n Welcome to this High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace.<\/p>\n Before we start, I want to welcome Ms. Maria Luiza Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General, as well as Dr. Rigoberta Mench\u00fa Tum, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵESCO Goodwill Ambassador.<\/p>\n I also want to acknowledge Bangladesh for its role in bringing this event to life.<\/p>\n And I want to thank all of you, for being here \u2013 and for taking a step towards a culture of peace.<\/p>\n As we open this Forum, I will make three main points.<\/p>\n First, I want to ask: what does a culture of peace actually mean?<\/p>\n And, frankly it might be different for every person in this room.<\/p>\n But I will share some elements, which have stuck with me.<\/p>\n The first is time.<\/p>\n Peace takes a lot<\/em> of time.<\/p>\n It cannot be installed. It cannot be erected, overnight. It cannot come from a workshop run by an international team of experts.<\/p>\n It must be built up \u2013 block after block, layer after layer. And this must be done, not by the hands of internationals\u2013 but by the people on the ground; the people who were there \u2013 in their countries, and in their villages – when peace was not.<\/p>\n Cultures do not come about in a day or a week. And neither does peace.<\/p>\n A second element is simplicity.<\/p>\n \u201cThe culture of peace\u201d.<\/p>\n This is a very simple phrase. It can be easily translated into different languages. And it can be understood \u2013 even without a degree in philosophy, or years of experience at the United Nations.<\/p>\n Because we all have some idea of culture.<\/p>\n It is around us, every day. It\u2019s in what we do\u2026where we go\u2026how we speak. And if peace is not a part of these everyday habits \u2013 then we simply do not have a culture of peace.<\/p>\n And, thirdly, another element is hope.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be frank: a culture of peace is not, yet, a reality.<\/p>\n Conflicts rage on, across the world. International terrorism poses as grave a threat as ever. And political and religious intolerance is rising.<\/p>\n But we have chosen not to accept this, as our fate. In fact, through this resolution \u2013 and this Forum \u2013 we are saying no.<\/p>\n We are recommitting to the very ideals of the United Nations Charter. We are showing that it is in our power, to \u201csave succeeding generations from the scourge of war\u201d. Not in some places in the world – but in all.<\/p>\n And that is a\u00a0powerful message of hope.<\/p>\n This brings me to my second point \u2013 on the United Nations Charter.<\/p>\n The document doesn\u2019t specifically mention a \u201cculture of peace\u201d.<\/p>\n But I believe it is embedded in every word.<\/p>\n And I think we are closer now \u2013 than we have ever been \u2013 to an international system, which can support and promote a culture of peace.<\/p>\n In the past, our tools and mechanisms were designed to react to conflict.<\/p>\n They jumped into action when there was an outbreak in violence, or when a peace treaty was signed.<\/p>\n Now we are opening our eyes. We are asking ourselves the question: what can we do, proactively<\/em>, to build peace, from the ground up, and to make sure it won\u2019t go anywhere, in the future?<\/p>\n So, we have moved from reactive to proactive; from response to prevention<\/em>; from concentrating on the effects of conflict to exploring the accelerators of peace.<\/p>\n And central to that has been a renewed focus on conflict prevention and peacebuilding \u2013 which are all part of a larger cycle of Sustaining Peace.<\/p>\n Not just in theory. But also, in practice.<\/p>\n And here\u2019s the thing: We are<\/em> doing this. Now.<\/p>\n We are<\/em> reforming the United Nations\u2019 peace and security pillar.<\/p>\n We are<\/em> investing more in mediation and peacebuilding capacities.<\/p>\n We are<\/em> reviewing the way our peacekeeping operations work on the ground.<\/p>\n And we are<\/em> looking at how our efforts for Sustainable Development and human rights have a direct impact on prospects for peace.<\/p>\n Last April, we all met in this hall. We listened to leaders, policy makers and activists give their take on this new approach to peace. And what we heard was very exciting.<\/p>\n Commitments to preventive diplomacy. Calls for a \u201cquantum leap\u201d in peacebuilding finance. Discussions on coherence and partnerships. And success stories from the ground.<\/p>\n So, it is<\/em> happening. In this hall. In offices nearby. And in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ country teams and peace operations all over the world.<\/p>\n We are<\/em> moving our international system towards a culture of peace.<\/p>\n But, as my third point, I want to highlight that, to get there, we need to widen our approach.<\/p>\n We cannot achieve a culture of peace from a hall like this.<\/p>\n We need to take action on the ground. And we need new approaches.<\/p>\n In some cases, that means a complete re-set.<\/p>\n For example, students all over the world are studying peace theory in university. But maybe we need to start much sooner. Maybe young children should not, only, be learning lessons in maths and history \u2013 but also in humanity and peace.<\/p>\n Also, we are seeing some exciting initiatives, which bring all three pillars of the United Nations together. For example, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s Peace and Development Advisers \u2013 who are deployed in the field. Now, we need to scale these best practices up \u2013 and bring all areas of the United Nations\u2019 work together, for a cultural shift.<\/p>\n And we must remember: culture includes\u2013 not just some \u2013 but everyone<\/em>.<\/p>\n So, gender equality is crucial. Every time a woman is denied her voice, her rights, or her place in society \u2013 we are taking a step away from a culture of peace. Also, if young people continue to be excluded from our decisions and processes, we won\u2019t get very far.<\/p>\n So, we need everyone involved. From heads of states and top United Nations officials, to the people who work, for the United Nations, academic institutions or NGOs on the ground.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial _builder_version=”3.12.2″ author=”MIROSLAV LAJ\u010c\u00c1K” portrait_url=”http:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2017\/08\/PGA72-small.jpg” border_style=”solid” job_title=”President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly” quote_icon_background_color=”#f5f5f5″ background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n Peace should not be a theory.\u00a0<\/span>It should not be a principle, or an aim, or an outcome.\u00a0<\/span>It should not have a budget or a timeline.\u00a0<\/span>Instead, peace should be something that we can touch, see, feel and experience \u2013 on a daily basis.\u00a0<\/span>It should be in the air around us or the ground we walk on.\u00a0<\/span>It should, in essence, be a culture.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″ border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n Excellencies, <\/em><\/p>\n The late Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, delivered a Nobel Lecture, in 2001. During it, he said, \u201cPeace must be made real and tangible in the daily existence of every individual in need\u201d.<\/p>\n That is a simple message. But it is an important one.<\/p>\n Peace should not be a theory.<\/p>\n It should not be a principle, or an aim, or an outcome.<\/p>\n It should not have a budget or a timeline.<\/p>\n Instead, peace should be something that we can touch, see, feel and experience \u2013 on a daily basis.<\/p>\n It should be in the air around us or the ground we walk on.<\/p>\n It should, in essence, be a culture.<\/p>\n And one that is here to stay.<\/p>\n Thank you. <\/em><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj\u010d\u00e1k, President of the 72nd Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, at\u00a0High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":202,"featured_media":165470,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" [et_pb_section bb_built=\"1\"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"3.12.2\" border_style=\"solid\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_size=\"initial\"]<\/p> 5 September 2018<\/span><\/p><\/div> [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image _builder_version=\"3.12.2\" sticky=\"off\" border_style=\"solid\" src=\"http:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2017\/11\/DPKaVq0W0AAdmbT.jpg\" \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"3.12.2\" border_style=\"solid\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_size=\"initial\"]<\/p> \u00a0<\/p> Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,<\/em><\/p> Welcome to this High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace.<\/p> Before we start, I want to welcome Ms. Maria Luiza Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General, as well as Dr. Rigoberta Mench\u00fa Tum, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵESCO Goodwill Ambassador.<\/p> I also want to acknowledge Bangladesh for its role in bringing this event to life.<\/p> And I want to thank all of you, for being here \u2013 and for taking a step towards a culture of peace.<\/p> As we open this Forum, I will make three main points.<\/p> First, I want to ask: what does a culture of peace actually mean?<\/p> And, frankly it might be different for every person in this room.<\/p> But I will share some elements, which have stuck with me.<\/p> The first is time.<\/p> Peace takes a lot<\/em> of time.<\/p> It cannot be installed. It cannot be erected, overnight. It cannot come from a workshop run by an international team of experts.<\/p> It must be built up \u2013 block after block, layer after layer. And this must be done, not by the hands of internationals\u2013 but by the people on the ground; the people who were there \u2013 in their countries, and in their villages - when peace was not.<\/p> Cultures do not come about in a day or a week. And neither does peace.<\/p> A second element is simplicity.<\/p> \u201cThe culture of peace\u201d.<\/p> This is a very simple phrase. It can be easily translated into different languages. And it can be understood \u2013 even without a degree in philosophy, or years of experience at the United Nations.<\/p> Because we all have some idea of culture.<\/p> It is around us, every day. It\u2019s in what we do\u2026where we go\u2026how we speak. And if peace is not a part of these everyday habits \u2013 then we simply do not have a culture of peace.<\/p> And, thirdly, another element is hope.<\/p> Let\u2019s be frank: a culture of peace is not, yet, a reality.<\/p> Conflicts rage on, across the world. International terrorism poses as grave a threat as ever. And political and religious intolerance is rising.<\/p> But we have chosen not to accept this, as our fate. In fact, through this resolution \u2013 and this Forum \u2013 we are saying no.<\/p> We are recommitting to the very ideals of the United Nations Charter. We are showing that it is in our power, to \u201csave succeeding generations from the scourge of war\u201d. Not in some places in the world - but in all.<\/p> And that is a\u00a0powerful message of hope.<\/p> This brings me to my second point \u2013 on the United Nations Charter.<\/p> The document doesn\u2019t specifically mention a \u201cculture of peace\u201d.<\/p> But I believe it is embedded in every word.<\/p> And I think we are closer now \u2013 than we have ever been \u2013 to an international system, which can support and promote a culture of peace.<\/p> In the past, our tools and mechanisms were designed to react to conflict.<\/p> They jumped into action when there was an outbreak in violence, or when a peace treaty was signed.<\/p> Now we are opening our eyes. We are asking ourselves the question: what can we do, proactively<\/em>, to build peace, from the ground up, and to make sure it won\u2019t go anywhere, in the future?<\/p> So, we have moved from reactive to proactive; from response to prevention<\/em>; from concentrating on the effects of conflict to exploring the accelerators of peace.<\/p> And central to that has been a renewed focus on conflict prevention and peacebuilding \u2013 which are all part of a larger cycle of Sustaining Peace.<\/p> Not just in theory. But also, in practice.<\/p> And here\u2019s the thing: We are<\/em> doing this. Now.<\/p> We are<\/em> reforming the United Nations\u2019 peace and security pillar.<\/p> We are<\/em> investing more in mediation and peacebuilding capacities.<\/p> We are<\/em> reviewing the way our peacekeeping operations work on the ground.<\/p> And we are<\/em> looking at how our efforts for Sustainable Development and human rights have a direct impact on prospects for peace.<\/p> Last April, we all met in this hall. We listened to leaders, policy makers and activists give their take on this new approach to peace. And what we heard was very exciting.<\/p> Commitments to preventive diplomacy. Calls for a \u201cquantum leap\u201d in peacebuilding finance. Discussions on coherence and partnerships. And success stories from the ground.<\/p> So, it is<\/em> happening. In this hall. In offices nearby. And in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ country teams and peace operations all over the world.<\/p> We are<\/em> moving our international system towards a culture of peace.<\/p> But, as my third point, I want to highlight that, to get there, we need to widen our approach.<\/p> We cannot achieve a culture of peace from a hall like this.<\/p> We need to take action on the ground. And we need new approaches.<\/p> In some cases, that means a complete re-set.<\/p> For example, students all over the world are studying peace theory in university. But maybe we need to start much sooner. Maybe young children should not, only, be learning lessons in maths and history \u2013 but also in humanity and peace.<\/p> Also, we are seeing some exciting initiatives, which bring all three pillars of the United Nations together. For example, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ\u2019s Peace and Development Advisers \u2013 who are deployed in the field. Now, we need to scale these best practices up \u2013 and bring all areas of the United Nations\u2019 work together, for a cultural shift.<\/p> And we must remember: culture includes\u2013 not just some \u2013 but everyone<\/em>.<\/p> So, gender equality is crucial. Every time a woman is denied her voice, her rights, or her place in society \u2013 we are taking a step away from a culture of peace. Also, if young people continue to be excluded from our decisions and processes, we won\u2019t get very far.<\/p> So, we need everyone involved. From heads of states and top United Nations officials, to the people who work, for the United Nations, academic institutions or NGOs on the ground.<\/p> [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial _builder_version=\"3.12.2\" author=\"MIROSLAV LAJ\u010c\u00c1K\" portrait_url=\"http:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/72\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/51\/2017\/08\/PGA72-small.jpg\" border_style=\"solid\" job_title=\"President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly\" quote_icon_background_color=\"#f5f5f5\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_size=\"initial\"]<\/p> Peace should not be a theory.\u00a0<\/span>It should not be a principle, or an aim, or an outcome.\u00a0<\/span>It should not have a budget or a timeline.\u00a0<\/span>Instead, peace should be something that we can touch, see, feel and experience \u2013 on a daily basis.\u00a0<\/span>It should be in the air around us or the ground we walk on.\u00a0<\/span>It should, in essence, be a culture.<\/span><\/p> \u00a0<\/p> [\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"3.12.2\" border_style=\"solid\" background_position=\"top_left\" background_repeat=\"repeat\" background_size=\"initial\"]<\/p> Excellencies, <\/em><\/p> The late Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, delivered a Nobel Lecture, in 2001. During it, he said, \u201cPeace must be made real and tangible in the daily existence of every individual in need\u201d.<\/p> That is a simple message. But it is an important one.<\/p> Peace should not be a theory.<\/p> It should not be a principle, or an aim, or an outcome.<\/p> It should not have a budget or a timeline.<\/p> Instead, peace should be something that we can touch, see, feel and experience \u2013 on a daily basis.<\/p> It should be in the air around us or the ground we walk on.<\/p> It should, in essence, be a culture.<\/p> And one that is here to stay.<\/p> Thank you. <\/em><\/p> [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[69,65,53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-165466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-newsandupdates","category-statements","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n– As delivered –<\/em><\/h4>\n
Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj\u010d\u00e1k, President of the 72nd<\/sup> Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, at\u00a0High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace<\/strong><\/h2>\n
High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace<\/strong><\/h1>
- As delivered -<\/em><\/h4>
Statement by H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj\u010d\u00e1k, President of the 72nd<\/sup> Session of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, at\u00a0High-Level Forum on a Culture of Peace<\/strong><\/h2>