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Excellencies,<\/p>\n
Distinguished delegates,<\/p>\n
It is an honor to join you all for the celebration of this International Day of Nowruz.<\/p>\n
I thank the 12 Permanent Missions here in New York for coordinating this vibrant cultural tribute. Your solidarity in the organization of this event is in itself a testimony to the values of Nowruz.<\/p>\n
As a celebration to mark the first day of spring and a new year, Nowruz ushers in new beginnings and new hope.<\/p>\n
In these unprecedented times, the cultural heritage of Nowruz, based on the values of peace and solidarity, friendship, reconciliation, and embracing diversity among peoples and communities, are needed more than ever.<\/p>\n
For more than two years now, the world has suffered under the weight of a global pandemic that has tested the foundations of our societies, tested humanity itself. And as we aspire to recover sustainably, we are confronted by the perils of division and disunity.<\/p>\n
Humanity has endured a long, dark winter. Anxiety is high. We all yearn for hope, for renewal, for a promise of better days ahead.<\/p>\n
Friends,<\/p>\n
Nowruz is all about healing and rebirth of the earth. It symbolizes patience, love, and strength of forgiveness.<\/p>\n
On this new day of spring, I call upon the kindness, humility, and grace of our fellow human beings to help us usher in a period of peace and unity, a period for reconciliation, a period for new beginnings.<\/p>\n
Let us use the inspiration and the symbolic values of Nowruz to fulfill our promises to \u201cleave no one behind\u201d.<\/p>\n
And let us deliver on the promise we made during the earliest days of the pandemic: to recover better, to rebuild better, to BE BETTER.<\/p>\n
May this day not only mark the first day of spring and the renewal of nature, but also a renewal of our social, moral, ethical, and spiritual contract to one another.<\/p>\n
Friends,<\/p>\n
Nowruz is marked by joining hands to jump over fire as a way to heal rifts threatening to fracture families all over the world.<\/p>\n
In these very testing times, lets all join hands to jump over the fire of conflict, climate change and the pandemic and usher in peace for the sake of humanity.<\/p>\n
I offer my very best wishes to the families and communities around the world celebrating this happy and blessed day.<\/p>\n
And to you my dear friends, Happy Nowruz!<\/p>\n
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Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, It is an honor to join you all for the celebration of this International Day of Nowruz. I thank the 12 Permanent Missions here in New York […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"
Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p>
I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p>
Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p>
A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-261911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n