Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the 蘑菇视频 General Assembly
19 November 2018
8th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations on “#Commit2Dialogue: Partnerships for Prevention and Sustaining Peace”
H.E. Mr. Nassir?Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
H.E. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
H.E. Mr. Mevlüt ?avu?o?lu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey
H.E. Mr. Fernando Martin Valenzuela Marzo, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Spain
Distinguished guests,
I would like to thank the Alliance of Civilizations for their efforts to promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue and tolerance, diversity and the culture of peace.
I would also like to acknowledge the great leadership of Spain, Turkey and Qatar in this initiative.
We are currently facing a complex global juncture marked by multiple crisis ranging from poverty and inequality to the devasting effects of climate change or forced migration or the deepening of several conflicts in the world, terrorism, intolerance and hate.
To face this scenario of great complexity, we need a strong collective action and global agreements; and to build those agreements, dialogue is the most powerful mean.
A dialogue that respects diversity and that is based on tolerance and empathy and that acknowledges that, despite religious or cultural differences, we are united by our human condition.
Since its creation, the Alliance of Civilizations has promoted dialogue and has become an important platform to bring together nations, cultures and religions.
Therefore, I believe that we should not only preserve this space, but that we should also strengthen it and expand it.
Excellencies,
I am pleased to see that many of the priorities that I have established during my Presidency converge with the pillars of the activities of the Alliance of Civilizations and I would like to briefly focus in some of them.
The first topic I would like to address is the mobilization of political willingness and political action.
This Global Forum is an example of an effective minga, of the collective action of Governments, the United Nations, civil society, religious organizations, the media and the private sector to promote more peaceful societies based on the values of cooperation, solidarity and the celebration of diversity.
As representative of the most representative and democratic multilateral forum, the General Assembly of the United Nations, I reiterate my commitment to facilitate dialogue and global action to prevent violence and conflicts and reach collective agreements for the benefit of humanity and the planet.
The second topic I would like to address is focusing on youth.
Young people are architects and agents of change.
Including young people in development policies and in peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities is fundamental to prevent conflicts or to achieve sustainable and lasting solutions.
I have had the opportunity to work in teams in which the various visions and skills of young people have been decisive to find innovative and creative solutions.
One of my seven priorities is, in fact, young people, peace and security.
I am also convinced that, in the General Assembly, the parliament of humanity, we can move forward decisively in topics that affect young people, such as their political participation, decent work, gender equality and the empowerment of women, human rights and the important role that they can play in the achievement of more peaceful societies.
As representative of the most representative and democratic multilateral forum, the General Assembly of the United Nations, I reiterate my commitment to facilitate dialogue and global action to prevent violence and conflicts and reach collective agreements for the benefit of humanity and the planet.
The third topic that I would like to mention is migration.
The history of humanity has been built through migration. Even though the phenomenon of migration has always existed, today it presents more challenges and it also requires more global responses and agreements.
Next December, we will adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, which is the first international cooperation framework that encompasses all aspects of migration from a comprehensive and balance vision.
This Compact will enable cooperation between States, learn from their experiences and best practices and address the root causes of this phenomenon, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that migration benefits everyone and that the decision to migrate is an option and not a necessity.
I believe that the Alliance of Civilizations can contribute to promote dialogue and a better understanding and without prejudice of migration.
Excellencies,
Finally, as representative of 193 States who have different histories, cultures, languages and models of development, but who share the aspiration of coexisting in peace and developing in a sustainable manner, I will be closely following the debates during these two days.
I am sure that these debates will contribute to create innovative solutions to prevent conflicts, maintain peace and promote reconciliation, acknowledging that diversity is the greatest source of wealth that humanity has.
In the words of Italian writer and philosopher Humberto Eco: “The beauty of the universe consists not only of unity in variety, but also of variety in unity”. This is what defends and promotes this great Alliance of Civilizations in favor of a more humane and peaceful world.
Thank you.