Remarks by Under-Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo
Opening of the Action Day ‘A Peaceful Future for All’
New York, 21 September 2024
Distinguished guests,
Dear friends and colleagues,
Good morning, first of all, welcome to the United Nations, which today hosts our session ‘A Peaceful Future for All’.
I am delighted that you came to New York – many of you from far away – to participate in the Action Days. Your presence here shows how much you are invested in more peaceful future.
We have a truly diverse group of speakers today, ranging from former Heads of State and Government to grassroots organizers from around the world. Despite their very different backgrounds, they all have one thing in common: they have been on the frontlines of the work to bring peace to their nations, regions or communities.
I am looking forward to hearing how their different perspectives complement each other. I am certain that we all will be able to draw practical lessons on how we can jointly boost our work for peace.
Now, we are about to start with Act 1, ‘A More Equal World’. These sessions envision a world in which we recognize each other as equal partners for the future, no matter our race, sex, identity, religion or age. The eminent journalist Razia Iqbal will guide us through these discussions as moderator.
We will open with an intergenerational dialogue for peace. Young peacebuilders – like many of you in this audience – and former Presidents will discuss how to rebuild trust: Trust in the power of dialogue, trust in diplomacy to resolve conflicts, and trust in each other.
Next will be a discussion on ‘Dismantling Patriarchal Power Structures’. This is based on a simple idea: as long as gendered dynamics, power inequalities hold back half of our societies, peace will remain elusive. We will hear from people from different walks of life what these power structures mean in practice. But we will also learn how we can overcome them to create a more just, fair, equal, and inclusive future.
Colleagues,
It is serendipitous that today’s discussions fall on the International Day of Peace – a time to reflect on the tragic toll of violent conflict, and on what we can do to stop war.
With today’s event, we aim to put the accent on doing, and not talking. We want to put a spotlight on individuals who are taking action for peace. I know they will inspire us. In these difficult times, we need to celebrate those who persevere and show us, in ways big and small, that peace is possible.
And now, we will hear the voices of some of our young peacebuilding partners from around the world, and then it is my pleasure to hand over to our fantastic moderator and panel.
Thank you.