The UN is not only a 70-year-old institution, it is an ideal shared by the peoples of the world that is brought to life every day, by humanitarian workers, human rights advocates and peacekeepers – and by the people they serve. I see the marking of the UN's 70th anniversary as a good moment to reflect on the past, and an important opportunity to reflect on what we can do to build a better future.
I want you to imagine the Lebanon you want in 2030. What does it look like? What do the Lebanese want to change in their little corner of the world? Actually, we the people of the UN, have a chance to meet the challenges facing the world today because getting the future we really want will depend on each one of us.
To put it simply; the world has changed. We are more interconnected and interdependent than ever. Many challenges, such as poverty, lack of economic opportunities, climate change and global security can only be addressed if we join forces. Through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030, we are aiming to provide quality education for all, better access to jobs and health care, to end injustice and eradicate extreme poverty and to sustain the essential integrity of every human being.
The ambitious SDGs will build on the gains of the past two decades during which hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of extreme poverty. We are committed to finishing the job while going further to build effective institutions, stable societies and enable lives of dignity for all.
I am looking forward to our upcoming Climate Change Conference, to be held in Paris in December, as well as the meeting on the proposed SDGs and the Financing for Development conference that will precede it, in New York and Addis Ababa respectively. These events are crucial milestones along the UN's journey towards combatting climate change and ending poverty once and for all.
I know that many of you are wondering what your future will look like and that uncertainty has become the norm. But the one thing that I am in no doubt of, is that we can and should transform the challenges we face today into opportunities for tomorrow.