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16 September 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Mr. Secretary-General,<\/p>\n Ambassador and Madame Kimihiro,<\/p>\n Under-Secretary-General Fleming,<\/p>\n Distinguished Guests,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am honoured to join you today to commemorate the 41st<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary of the International Day of\u00a0Peace<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I would like to extend my warm thanks to Ambassador Kimihiro and the Permanent Mission of Japan for championing this time-honoured tradition.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We need this solidarity today to ensure our work here is relevant and impactful.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As we gather, global\u00a0peace<\/span>\u00a0is in grave danger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More refugees and displaced persons are fleeing violence today than at\u00a0any<\/u><\/i>\u00a0time since the creation of the United Nations.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are more armed conflicts than any other time since the end of World War II.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The consequences of the war in Ukraine are global, felt far beyond the region.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is a reminder that\u00a0peace<\/span>\u00a0can always be threatened, and no nation can take it for granted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The theme \u2013 as the Secretary-General mentioned of this year\u2019s International Day \u2013 \u201cEnd Racism. Build\u00a0Peace<\/span>\u201d . It compels us to remember that racism is still deeply entrenched in our world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Racism is a threat, within and among countries.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Education and science are critical to tearing down the blinding stereotypes behind racism.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In turn, diverse ideas inspire creativity and drive innovation. This diversity is the source of our strength.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us harness this strength to work together \u2013 in partnership \u2013 to end racism and discrimination \u2013 in all its forms, once and for all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let\u2019s commit to ending violence and discrimination against women and girls, which often is interlinked with and aggravated by racism. Let\u2019s actively promote their equal and meaningful participation in decision-making, conflict prevention and resolutions.<\/p>\n It is in this spirit that the Assembly\u2019s High-Level Meeting to mark the 30th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities will be held on the 21st<\/sup>\u00a0of September.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This Meeting offers us the opportunity to recommit to the practice of tolerance, inclusion and respect for all.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is my expectation that our work during the Assembly\u2019s 77th<\/sup>\u00a0session will be rooted in solidarity. It will seek sustainability. And it will consider that what science has to offer to help in shaping a more\u00a0peace<\/span>ful world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dear friends,<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We stand here today on the shoulders of brave women and men who dared to stand up for\u00a0peace<\/span>\u00a0and equality.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These hard-won gains are worthy of remembrance. As the drafters of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights so eloquently professed \u201cAll human beings are born free and equal\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n May the ringing of this\u00a0bell<\/span>\u00a0stand for the freedom and equality of everyone, everywhere.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 16 September 2022 Excellencies, Mr. Secretary-General, Ambassador and Madame Kimihiro, Under-Secretary-General Fleming, Distinguished Guests, I am honoured to join you today to commemorate the 41st\u00a0anniversary of the International Day […]<\/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":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-164685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-statements","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n