 Je suis officieuse de la plinière pour célébrer la journée internationale Nelson Mandela. Je souhaite vous saluer tous chaleureusement la présence réunion. Comme je l'ai précisé dans ma lettre en date du 9 juin 2022, j'ai convoqué la séance officieuse pour célébrer la journée internationale Nelson Mandela conformément à la résolution 64-13 du 10 novembre 2009 de l'Assemblée générale dans laquelle l'Assemblée décidait de désigner le 18 juillet journée internationale Nelson Mandela qui devrait être célébrée chaque année à partir de 2010. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for joining the annual celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day honoring the life and legacy of Mandela Nelson Mandela. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the government of South Africa particularly, His Excellency Mandil Gungbele, minister in the presidency of South Africa as well as Nelson Mandela Foundation for their support organizing today's event. I would also like to thank New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his office for organizing this afternoon's community service event. Give him back to our communities, aligns with everything that Mandela stood for and we appreciate this opportunity. In the same spirit I welcome to the General Assembly Prince Harry and Megan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and thank them for their consistent advocacy around public service. Allow me to recognize the incredible contributions of the 2020 Mandela Prize Laureates. Mrs. Mariana Wadidoyan of Greece and His Excellency Morisanda Kwiate of Guinea. These esteemed individuals have chosen to live their lives in service to humanity as Madiba would have wanted and that is to be celebrated. My dear friends, we are gathered here not only to celebrate the memory of a man who devoted his entire life to the pursuit of equality and freedom for all but to follow in his footsteps and honor his legacy by emulating his lifelong service to humanity. Today we pay tribute to Madiba's legacy and recognizing how far our world has come since he began his life 140 years ago remembering the innumerable battles fought and won in the name of justice and peace. Madiba's fight against apartheid was in fact a fight for a better world in which the freedom, justice and dignity of all were respected. He called for peace, social justice, equality and human understanding throughout his life. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. Madiba said in his book Long Walk to Freedom, he fought for the rightful dignity and equality of every person and he advocated for engagement and solidarity across borders. In times of turmoil, Madiba's life teaches us to choose dignity over humiliation to speak up during injustice and to forgive rather than hate. He once said, to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Madiba's life is a testament that sustainable conflict resolution requires more than end to violence. It depends on justice and compassion. This was amply reflected in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was formed in South Africa to promote reconciliation and forgiveness among both the perpetrators and the victims of apartheid. The commission worked on the basis that in this human encounter of good and evil, the perpetrator's evil would be laid bare before the community and the dignity of the victim would prevail. My dear friends, Madiba's legacy as an outspoken and untiring advocate for democracy, freedom and equality has been and continues to be an inspiration. He saw democracy as a system based on equality and respect for human dignity, a leadership based on humility and a citizenry based on active participation. Madiba recognized early on in his presidency that no major political achievement is possible without gender equality. In 1994, at the opening of the first parliament, Madiba declared, freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. Madiba was of the view that as long as women are bound by poverty and as long as they are looked down upon, human rights will lack substance. Overseen the drafting of the South African Constitution, Madiba called for imprinting firm principles upholding the rights of women in the supreme law of the land, firm principles. It is indeed an odd to Madiba that today 46.5% of South African parliamentarians are women. Madiba a dit qu'ils sont les rocs sur lesquels le futur est construit. Il a dit que les enfants ont le droit de faire ce qu'ils veulent. Et qu'ils ne peuvent pas acheter tout ça, si ils sont donné l'espace pour rêver et vivre leurs rêves. Il a aussi dit que les jeunes peuvent utiliser la puissance de l'éducation pour changer le monde. Il a dit que les jeunes de l'éducation sont les scriptwriters de leur propre destination et qui ont été les joueurs de l'éducation et de leur propre destin. Il a founded Nelson Mandela Institute for Rural Development and Education in Eastern Cape to improve access to quality education in rural areas through teacher and leadership development, community mobilisation and through building strong and lasting public institutions. My dear friends, Madiba was also an environmentalist. His vision of the world was one where all people were able to live a fully dignified life with clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. At a personal level, he was also deeply connected to the earth. Commenting on the small patch of vegetable garden that he was allowed to grow in prison, Madiba said that the sense of being the custodian of this small patch of earth offered a small taste of freedom. The elders across cultural group of leaders that he had years later founded to forge human rights based solutions to worldwide problems had identified climate justice as one of its top priorities. At a time when we still fight in the COVID-19 pandemic, it is useful to recollect the fight against AIDS that Madiba had launched through his foundation. 4664 initiatives and the series of AIDS benefit concerts. My dear friends, from conflict to climate change, humanity is confronted with great challenges which, if left unanswered, could threaten the very planet we wish to leave to our children. At this very moment, we are witnessing a war and conflict unseen in generations, a continued global pandemic, global food security crisis, rising costs of living and rampant inequality and the ever-present danger of a climate crisis. Any one of these challenges is disconcerting. Taken together, it is likely a critical mass spreading anxiety, frustration and despair. But my friends, this is not the time for despair. No matter the challenges and obstacles, we must persevere with conviction, with determination et with hope. This is what Madiba would have wanted, what he himself fought for. Madiba once again remarked, even if the task seems impossible, do not give in to fatalism or despair. Otherwise, you will do nothing and there will be no chance of positive social change. To fully honour him today, we must channel our perseverance. We must turn to each other for comfort. We must find solace in our peers, in our sisters and brothers across the globe. We must save faith in science, in innovation, in human solidarity and we must believe that together we can overcome these challenges. Madiba said, peace is not just the absence of conflict. Peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, gender, class, caste, or any other social markers of difference. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, as we prepare for this afternoon's community service event, let us recall the wise words of Madiba. It is in your hands to make a better world for all who live it. Today and every day, let us come together and honour Madiba's memory in the spirit of his legacy through service for all of humanity. I thank you. We will now begin the presentation of Nelson Mandela Prize to the 2020 Laureates. Miss Mariana Vardinoia, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and President of El Pida Hope Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and His Excellency Marisanda Cuyate, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guinea. Mrs. Mariana Vardinoia is participating virtually live through videoconferencing and I have been informed that the permanent representative of Greece to the United Nations, Her Excellency Maria Theofili will receive the prize on her behalf. I now invite the Deputy Secretary General, Her Excellency Amina Muhammad to join me in presenting the Nelson-Rohelia Mandela Prize to the 2020 Laureates. On behalf of the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Antonio Guterres to the permanent representative of Greece, Her Excellency Maria Theofili receiving it on behalf of Mrs. Mariana Vardinoia and to His Excellency Marisanda Cuyate of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guinea. I thank the Deputy Secretary General for presenting the prizes to the Laureates on behalf of the Secretary General. I congratulate Mrs. Mariana Vardion and His Excellency Marisanda Cuyate the Laureates of the United Nations 2020 Nelson-Rohelia Mandela Prize. I now invite Mrs. Mariana Vardinoia of Greece Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO President of El Pida Hope Association of Friends of Children with Cancer and Laureate of the United Nations 2020 Nelson-Rohelia Mandela Prize to make a statement via videoconferencing. Your Excellency, Mr. President of the United Nations General Assembly Your Excellency, Mr. Deputy Secretary General Excellencies In the challenging times you are living in Corvallis Espice Social Justice Health Education but also the gift of life itself unfortunately cannot be taken for granted. The fight for protecting human rights is more important than ever and symbols could dedicate in their lives in the protection of human rights like Nelson Mandela did became the shining light to guide our path. This is the reason why it is a great honor for me to join my voice with the voice of the United Nations on this symbolic day in order to pay tribute to the life, work and ideals of Nelson Mandela. I feel truly blessed that my action, life path and beliefs brought me close to this legend. I humbly receive today this distinction that bears his name and carries all the values and ideals of his life. This is for me a great honor but also a great commitment. I am feeling deeply moved and I would like to express my warmest thanks and gratitude to the United Nations for this immense honor and also warmly congratulate Dr. Marisanda Cugete. This highly significant distinction is a recognition for my fight against childhood cancer and my foundation's work for the defense of human rights in education and society. A true honor for me but also for my home country, Greece and the Greek people who have supported my work in humanitarian efforts. This award belongs to the thousands of children that became our source of strength throughout our struggle again childhood cancer for more than 30 years. Children from Greece, Balkans, Mediterranean, Africa and beyond are our everyday heroes and our pediatric oncology hospital in Athens one of the most advanced hospitals in Europe and our significant accomplishment to work our vision for the world without borders in children's health. In order to protect children's health our hospital is always ready to respond to any international call for help like we recently did for the children with cancer from Ukraine. The United Nations Development Goals as well as UNESCO's priorities for education, peace, human rights, cultural heritage and dialogue among civilizations are the cornerstones of our foundation for supporting vulnerable groups like as refugees and homeless people and also for bringing human rights education in the Greek schools to provide students with no blue examples and new opportunities. In my 35 years of action I have always tried to pay service to humanity to make a difference in other people's life like Mandela in his wise words said. National Mandela International Day 2022 is a great opportunity for the world to receive a communicable message for peace and international cooperation from the heart of the United Nations. National Mandela's timeless legacy and the global theme of National Mandela Day 2022 do what we can with what we have wherever we are remind us that even through small acts of kindness, solidarity and giving standing by the weakest members of our society we can all try to make our world a better place. National Mandela changed the human history changed the human mind and the lives of millions of people let the power of his soul, his visions and his values guide our steps owe it to the memory a great advocate for human rights but we also owe it to our children to our civilization to our fellow humans and to life itself. Thank you. I thank Mrs. Mariana Vardinoanis for her statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Morrison da Quater, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Guinea and Laureate of the United Nations Nelson Rolihala Mandela Prize to make a statement. Excellent. Your Excellency Mr. Abdullah Shahid President of the General Assembly of the United Nations Your Excellency Amina Mohammed Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Your Excellency Mr. Mandeli Gungubale Minister of the Presidency Republic of South Africa Distinguished representatives of regional groups Distinguished ambassadors Mr. Eric Adams Mayor of the city of New York Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex Dear Ms. Mariana Vardinoanis Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen Allow me first and foremost to express on my own behalf on behalf of my family and on behalf of my country the Republic of Guinea my sincere and deep gratitude to the United Nations our common organization for having awarded me the very prestigious Nelson Mandela Prize in 2020. Thank you as well for inviting me this 18th of July 2022 to receive the prize in person and to address the entire world on this day of celebration of International Nelson Mandela Day Excellencies Your Excellency President Mr. President Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen My personal adventure began one evening it was in the year 1983 I was in Touge a modest prefecture of Guinea I was a young doctor, a hospital director on full of enthusiasm I received in the emergency room two twins Hassanatou and Husseinatou They were 12 years old and they had just been circumcised mutilated and they suffered extensive bleeding which led to them losing their lives despite the efforts of all of the staff the medical staff Thus began my rebellion and my struggle against female genital mutilation because I felt the death that the death of these two innocent girls was the same as that of my own daughters it is therefore to these two twins who departed too soon to my parents to my mother Hadya Saran Kande and to my wonderful family to the women of Guinea of Kurosawa, Africa and the world to whom I dedicate this prize The 18th of July is now written in letters of light in the history of humanity for this date commemorates a towering human figure an exceptional man who taught the entire world lessons of peace, tolerance and the love of others I am referring to Nelson Rolly Lala Mandela I remember when I was a young student in school every Saturday we would make a chant we would say free Mandela free Mandela today so today it's very emotional for me to carry the name of this amazing historic man more than ever we need Nelson Mandela we need the spirit of Mandela for we are confronted with a world that is strayed into upheaval and that has created new threats to its own existence Indeed, ladies and gentlemen there is gender inequality with its consequences namely violence against women and girls including female genital mutilation and child marriage there is an increasingly deep gap between the rich and the poor there is the destruction of the ozone layer with its drastic consequences on the climate there are wars, terrorism, hunger shortages all these continue to shake our planet we can check these scourges with the spirit of Mandela this year we are celebrating this day under the following theme do what you can with what you have wherever you are ladies and gentlemen today what I can do beyond defending the rights and children is to participate with all of my strength and with conviction through this prestigious prize to contribute to rebuilding my country, the Republic of Guinea which is recovering from a serious wound dealt to its constitutional order what I have today is my responsibility as minister of foreign affairs international cooperation african integration and guineans abroad which is conferred upon me by His Excellency Colonel Mamadi Dumboya the president of the transition head of state and commander in chief of the armies of the Republic of Guinea president distinguished guest it is in the spirit of Mandela that in Guinea the president initiated national assemblies this is a framework for cooperation an inclusive dialogue in this context he appealed to guineans to speak to one another and to forgive one another that's why here from this roof of the world I am sounding a clarion call for responsibility a call for understanding and discernment a call to sub-regional regional and international organizations and to all countries represented here to the Republic of Guinea in its fight against corruption to its fight against justice and to rebuild the state after a grave violation of its laws which led to the positive change made on the 5th of September 2021 we are an important contributor of UN peacekeeping forces have been for several years and in several countries where guinean soldiers gave their lives they pay humble tribute to their memory we are a pioneer to the decolonization of the independence of Africa we are an active member and leader of Pan-Africanism my country, the Republic of Guinea deserves respect and support above all at a time in its history where it so sorely needs such support Nelson, Roli, La La, Mandela, Mandiba I am proud to carry your name I may never do ever do as much as you but throughout my life I will strive to emulate you, Mandela Long live international cooperation Long live the United Nations Thank you I thank Dr Morrison for his statement I now give the floor to the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Excellency Amina Muhammad to make a statement on behalf of the Secretary General Excellencies the 2020 prize laureates Ladies and gentlemen I'm really pleased to be with you today and to represent the Secretary General and deliver his remarks on his behalf as we celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day and his messages Today, the world honors a giant of our time a leader of un parallel courage and towering achievement and a man of quiet dignity and deep humanity Nelson Mandela was a healer of identities and a mentor to generations He remains a moral compass and a reference to us all Madiba walked the path to freedom and dignity with steely determination and with compassion and love He showed that each and every one of us has the ability and responsibility to build a better future for all Our world today is marred by war overwhelmed by emergencies blighted by racism discrimination poverty and inequalities and threatened by climate disaster Let us find hope in Nelson Mandela's example and inspiration in his vision Today and every day let us honor Nelson Mandela's legacy by taking action by speaking out against hate and standing up for human rights by embracing our common humanity rich in diversity united in solidarity and by together making our world more just, compassionate prosperous and sustainable for all Excellencies this was the message of the Secretary General Dear friends what an amazing feeling it is after virtual commemorations over the past two years that we can be together in person to pay tribute in this aghast General Assembly Hall The very place Madiba spoke to us after his long walk to freedom On a personal note Madiba has been an inspiration for me ever since I was a young child in Nigeria trying to find my path Since then Mamagrasa and Selohatang through the Nelson Mandela Foundation keep the fire under our feet on the many issues that Nelson Mandela Madiba embodied I've taken to heart his profound lesson that we all have the ability and responsibility to take action that there is no us and them we are in this together carrying a shared responsibility to preserve our common home and stand in solidarity with one another All over the world there are people who follow in Madiba's footsteps with that same stubborn optimism that defined him I would like to acknowledge such people today that we were able and honoured to give the laureates of the 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize Miss Mariana Vardinoianes of Greece and her decades-long fight against childhood cancer and Dr. Morissana Koyatevgini for his quest to end female genital mutilation Covid restrictions have not allowed one of our colleagues to travel to New York to hear the statement of Morissana Koyate and we congratulate you both The Nelson Mandela Prize is guided by the purpose and principles of our United Nations and the promise of the ideals that were championed by Madiba We work towards his vision of peace, dignity, equality on a healthy planet every day, everywhere ensuring that we leave no one behind Our SDG advocate representing persons with disabilities or I would like to say special abilities is from South Africa and Eddie Ndopu we welcome you into these halls today as you continue to inspire us Our best tribute to Madiba is to realise the promise of the sustainable development goals to stand in solidarity against hate and to work for peace and prosperity and human rights for all on Mandela Day and every day I thank the Deputy Secretary General for her statement I now give the floor to his Excellency Mondil Gungbele Minister in the presidency of the Republic of South Africa to make a statement Your Excellency Mr Abdullah Shahid President of the General Assembly Your Excellency Mr Mena J. Mohammed Deputy Secretary General of the Republic of South Africa Mena J. Mohammed Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations the Duke and the Duchess of Success Prince Harry and Ms. Megan Margo United Nations Nelson Mandela Prize to the 2020 Laureates His Excellency Dr. Morsand Cuyater and also Minister of Finances of Guinea and Ms. Mariana for the UNICEF of Greece Mr. Eric Adams Distinguished Excellencies Dear Colleagues in France It is a matter of great privilege for me to address this august gathering on behalf of the Government of the Republic of South Africa and His Excellency President Surya Ramaphosa to mark the Nelson Mandela International Day in honour of the life-long work of our late beloved Global Icon and First President of our Democratic Republic Nelson J. Mandela who was also born on this historic day The South African Government shall never take for granted the landmark decision of the United Nations taken in November 2009 to officially declare 18th of July as a Mandela Day Mr. President the chosen theme for this year's Mandela Day is issued by the Nelson Mandela Foundation is about creating awareness of interactions between food, security and climate change Crucially, the selected tagline for this year's edition is do what you can with what you have wherever you are The life-long work of Nelson Mandela in service of justice causes for the benefit of humanity is a testament for the greater good with what they have in their respective societies and communities Nelson Mandela dedicated 67 years of the best years of his life to the service of others albeit in very difficult conditions including 27 years of imprisonment The unprecedented global challenges currently confronting humanity and the planet we share require that the international community acte in harmony through solidarity and common purpose as we grapple with peace and security challenges human right atrocities climate disaster COVID-19 recovery addressing food security and hunger bridging the economic and gender inequality as well as combatting the stubborn demon of Russia intolerance and discrimination we can derive courage from the power of example displayed by our beloved Mediba that we can make the impossible to be possible even though the odds may stand against us Mr President in Swahili proverb teaches us that a boat doesn't go forward if each one is rowing their way this marks 8 years before 2030 which is our 80 target for achieving the 17 sustainable development goals as we seek to restore momentum disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19 it goes without saying that if we now in different directions we would only move around in circles and not reach our intended destination on time to assess the weight of the Heculean task before us regarding the implementation of the SDGs I wish to isolate those SDGs that talk to the theme of this year's Mandela namely goal 2 on ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture and goal 13 on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts on goal 2 the number of people going hungry is on the rise of the SDGs exacerbated by skyrocketing food prices even for the most basic goods such as sugar, vegetable oils dairy products, wheat and cereals the byproduct of this crisis has been outbreaks of civil unrest conflict over scarce resources and widespread mal nutrition among children let us use our collective wisdom as the international community to address objectively these food security challenges we know the efforts of the united nation in this regard our goal 13 the consequences of climate disaster are no longer in the confines of scientific journals but are now a lived reality the extreme weather condition characterized by rising sea levels increased heat waves droughts and flood caused by climate change are devastating our planet and impact on livelihoods of people all over the world particularly the poor for the sake of the future generation we urgently need to adhere to our great international commitments to guarantee food security as well as ensure that we limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius this we can achieve if we all row in the same direction as the wisdom in the Swahili proverb edges us to do if we want meaningful results we will not be able to achieve our noble objectives without pissing the world Nelson Mandela would have urged the international community during this period to invest more in diplomacy mediation and peaceful resolution of all conflicts he would have abhorred any attempts to prolong instead of stopping conflict it is disheartening to know that in the United Nations Genocide that has reminded us the world today faces more violent conflicts than in any period in the past 7 decades and 2 billion people live in conflict-thridian areas Mr President as I conclude I wish to remind this august category that Nelson Mandela's life was synonymous with painful struggle but never lented in the face of adversity rather he understood that making the world a better place was very noble and gratifying in there most importantly Nelson Mandela accepted that committing yourself to struggle was life long obligation when he said I quote after climb being a great hill one only finds that there are many more hills to climb I thank you I thank the minister in the presidency of the Republic of South Africa for his statement I now give the floor to Mr Eric Adams from the city of New York to make a statement Thank you Mr President Deputy Secretary General Under Secretary General Excellencies Yes Today we celebrate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela I also want to congratulate Nelson Mandela Prize Laureates This day is so important because today many people all around the globe are in dark places they don't see a future for themselves their families or our planet they are serving a life sentence of despair and hopelessness I have been to the robin island prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years that small cell where he endured so much was a powerful sight while he was in jail he knew that where he was was not who he was and Nelson Mandela went on to become the president of the country that imprisoned him as he himself once said to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others the freedom of others is what we must address now the freedom to live a long and healthy life on this green and glorious earth the freedom to see all the world's children and grandchildren flourish as well as generations to come the freedom from wars conquests and brutal inequality the freedom from the racism which so many of these crimes are committed the freedom to live, work and love in our own way according to our own choice freedom from want and freedom from fear this world a world that celebrates the human spirit instead of crushing it in the name of power and impossible but no leader however gifted or inspiring can change the world alone the people must be mobilized and political institutions must respond we as leaders cannot fall back on excuses and inertia when the people demand change we must be inspired by the courage of Nelson Mandela or Mediba his given name history cannot erase the 27 years he sacrificed in the name of freedom but his example reminds us that the darkest times cannot quench our spirit or dim our hopes a mother once said to me if you find yourself in a dark place you make the determination if this dark place is a burial or a planting these dark times can and must be a planting the ongoing crises of COVID war and crime have imprisoned us in our own Robin Island prisons but these are temporary conditions they're not life sentences my own personal story is a reflection of that I was dyslexic and denied support services as a child I was arrested as a youth and felt rejected as a person but I knew it was not the end not a burial and today I stand before you for all that I have endured on my journey to each of us must challenge the humanistic spirit of fortitude and forgiveness as we rise to the challenges of our time that Mandela like energy will allow us to turn our pain into purpose will allow us to turn those dark places into the plantings we need to assure a harvest of hope equity and peace this planting means ending global poverty through sharing our world wide wealth it means giving mother earth the love she deserves by protecting our environment it means affluent countries must share vaccines for all to help the spread of COVID-19 it means ending abuses against women and children across the globe these tasks will not be easy this is something we must focus on the path is not straight victory is not assured but hidden in the shadows of Mandela's story is our pathway for it we must be courageous enough to examine the directions we are going and commit to doing the right thing we must say to those who believe where they are is who they are that they are what things can change and that change cannot wait you are husbands, wives children and members of this great race we call the human race the work of planting must begin now with us we must make sure the harvest fees the hopes and dreams of all in the years to come and New York City is ready to work with the world to make this future a reality long live the spirit amadeba I thank the mayor of the city of New York for his statement I now invite Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex who will deliver a keynote statement Good morning everybody and thank you to the president of the General Assembly His Excellency Mr Abdullah Shahid for the introduction and thank you to the Nelson Mandela Foundation for inviting me to speak on this day of all days and thank you to Secretary General Guterres and the United Nations whose promise reflects Mandela's vision of a freer, more peaceful world for hosting us today it is an honour to join you all on Nelson Mandela International Day having spent time with many of Mandela's family members over the years I speak to you today mindful of how much the man they loved means to so many those of us not fortunate enough to know Mandela well have come to understand the man through his legacy the letters he wrote alone in his prison cell the speeches he delivered to his people and those incredible shirts that he sported we've also come to know him through the photographs of a person who affronting unimaginable cruelty and injustice almost always had a smile on his face for me there's one photo in particular that stands out on my wall and in my heart every day is an image of my mother and Mandela meeting in Cape Town in 1997 the photo was presented to me by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu whose friendship and inspiration was a treasured gift my wife and I had the honour of introducing our four month old son to him back in 2019 but when I first looked at the photo straight away what jumped out was the joy on my mother's face the playfulness cheekiness even the pure delight to be in communion with another soul so committed to serving humanity and then I looked at Mandela here was a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders asked to heal his country from the wreckage of its past and transform it for the future a man who had endured the very worst of humanity vicious racism and state sponsored brutality a man who had lost 27 years with his children and family that he would never get back 27 years yet in that photo and so many others he is still beaming still able to see the goodness in humanity still buoyant with a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone around him not because he was blind to the ugliness the injustices of the world no he saw them clearly he had lived them but because he knew we could overcome them in our own time a time of global uncertainty and division when it's all too easy to look around and feel anger or despair I've been inspired to go back to Mandela's writings for insight into how this could be how he could experience so much darkness and always managed to find the light there I found a few lines that stopped me in my tracks in a letter from prison he wrote I feel my heart pumping hope steadily to every part of my body warming my blood and pepping up my spirits I am convinced that floods of personal disaster can never drown a determined revolutionary to a freedom fighter hope is what a life belt is to a swimmer a guarantee that one will keep a float and free from danger it moved me even more when I saw the date August 1st 1970 7 years into Mandela's imprisonment not even one third of the way through in those circumstances how many of us would have lost hope and let our life belts slip away how many of us would have been broken by a system designed to do exactly that and let's be honest how many of us are in danger of losing those life belts right now how many of us feel battered helpless in the face of the seemingly endless stream of disasters and devastation I understand this has been a painful year in a painful decade we're living through a pandemic that continues to ravage communities in the corner of the globe climate change wreaking havoc on our planet with the most vulnerable suffering most of all the few weaponizing lies and disinformation at the expense of the many and from the horrific war in Ukraine to the rolling back of constitutional rights here in the United States we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom the cause of Mandela's life According to Freedom House our world has grown less free every year for more than a decade and a half as so often happens in history the consequences of decisions made by some of the most powerful people in some of the wealthiest countries are being felt even more deeply across the continent of Africa the pandemic the war and inflation Africa amide in a fuel and food crisis the likes of which we have not seen in decades worse still this comes at a time when the Horn of Africa is enduring the longest drought it's faced in close to half a century and what is happening in Africa is not an isolated event the drought there is a reflection of extreme weather we are seeing across the globe as we sit here today our world is on fire again and these historic weather events are no longer historic more and more they are part of our daily lives and this crisis will only grow worse unless our leaders lead unless the countries represented by the seats in this hallowed hall make the decisions the daring transformative decisions that our world needs to save humanity these decisions may not fit with the agendas of every political party they may invite resistance from powerful interests but the right thing to do is not up for debate and neither is the science the only question is whether we will be brave enough and wise enough to do what is necessary so yes this is a pivotal moment a moment where multiple converging crises have given way to an endless string of injustices a moment where ordinary people around the world are experiencing extraordinary pain and in this moment we have a choice to make we can grow apathetic succumb to anger or yield to despair surrendering to the gravity of what we're up against or we can do what Mandela did every single day inside that seven by nine foot prison cell on Robin Island and every day outside of it too we can find meaning and purpose in the struggle we can wear our principles as armor heed the advice Mandela once gave his son to never give up the battle even in the darkest hour and find hope where we have the courage to seek it since I first visited Africa at 13 years old I've always found hope on the continent in fact for most of my life it has been my lifeline a place where I've found peace and healing time and time again it's where I felt closest to my mother and sought solace after she died and where I knew I had found a soulmate in my wife and it's where so much of my work is why my work is based there on a continued hardship there are people across Africa who embody Mandela's spirit and ideals building on the progress he helped make possible I see it in the communities fighting to save the Okavango Delta defying the odds to protect their home and its biodiversity from big oil companies I see it in the young girls who are forced out of school and into marriage in northern Nigeria so others may get a fuller chance to thrive tomorrow I see it in the young entrepreneurs I met in Johannesburg using their energy and creativity to launch businesses that serve their communities I see it in World Central Kitchen a partner of the Archwell Foundation and their volunteers in Ukraine and around the world fighting food insecurity one meal at a time I see it in the vulnerable children of Lesutu and Botswana orphaned by HIV striving for a better future which we support through our organisation Centibali I see it in the newest generation of activists for equality and justice who are mobilising people of all ages and races all faiths and walks of life to lace up their shoes to march and I see it in the parents I meet around the world as determined as Mandela was to give their children a better shot at a brighter future to prioritise their own and their children's mental health and wellbeing to reject old ideas and past prejudices to heal from the past and build resilience to the present and future because they know the price of inaction will be paid by the next generation in their strength and in their deeds Mandela's legacy shines as brightly as ever they are my life belt I hope they can be yours too because right now the water is rising all around us in some places quite literally so it's more important than ever that we seek a purpose greater than ourselves and get to work after all Mandela was not only a man of conscience he was a man of action he organised millions inspired billions joined hands not only with those who loved him but those who had once jailed him to build a better future for all what Mandela understood was that true legacy transcends one's own needs and the passage of time it defies the moment it's relevance never ceases legacy does not belong to the self it belongs to those it impacts that doesn't mean he was perfect no, he was something better he was human as he wrote in his autobiography I have made missteps along the way but I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill one only finds that there are many more hills to climb I have taken a moment here to rest to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me to look back on the distance I have come but I can rest only for a moment for with freedom comes responsibilities and I dare not linger for my long walk is not yet ended it has been almost a decade now since Mandela's own walk on this earth finally reached its end but what he taught us again and again is that it was never his walk alone it was all of ours it is all of ours and what a beautiful gift especially as a dad a two young children myself the message that this world is meant to be shared that the work of each generation is tied to those who came before and those who will come after us that we have an obligation to give as much if not more than we take and never shudder in the face of darkness for hope is the fuel that courage requires so on this Nelson Mandela International Day as a new generation comes of age a generation that did not witness Mandela's leadership for themselves let's commit to remembering and celebrating his life and legacy every day not just once a year let's talk with our children about what he stood for let's seek out what we have in common empower all people to reclaim our democracies in the name of Mandela's memory to illuminate the way forward because if we can summon our own courage just as he did if we can see one another's humanity just as he did a better day will truly be on the horizon thank you I thank the Duke of Sussex for his statement I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco who will speak on behalf of the African states Mr. President Madame des G Mr. Ministers Duke of Sussex ladies and gentlemen I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the African group as we gather today to observe Nelson Mandela International Day but at the outset I would like to warmly congratulate the two laureates of Mandela Nelson Mandela prizes Madame Mariana Vardinoyanis and His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea Marisoda Koyate the African group Commander Resolution 6413 of the General Assembly to honour President Mandela every 18 of July and to recognize the enormous contribution he made to human rights democracy justice and equality Mandela Day is not just a celebration of his legacy but a movement to honour his life's work by making change for the better in his life and his legacy Mr. Mandela has advocated for the inherent dignity and equality of people both within and between nations regardless of race, nationality or belief he dedicated his life to the service of humanity by defending human rights and equality tolerance coexistence living together and fighting against racism racial discrimination xenophobia and the related and tolerance today we celebrate this ideas and his vision and we call to promote them on September 2018 world leaders who gathered here at the United Nations headquarters for the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit they adopted a political declaration committed to redoubling efforts to build a just peaceful prosperous inclusive and fair world as they pay tribute to Nelson Mandela's qualities and service to humanity by also recognize the period from 2019 to 2028 as the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace as we celebrate today his legacy and remember the ideals he live for we wish to salute Mr Mandela for his leadership personal integrity humility forgiveness acknowledging as well his contribution to the struggle for democracy human rights promotion of culture of peace throughout the world in this regard we wish to extend the greetings of the African group to the government and people of South Africa and all peace loving nation around the world which had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation and continue to thrive for world of peace and quality defined by solidarity rather than differences South Africa becoming therefore a model not up only for Africa but for the whole world the values of solidarity humanitarian consideration and service to the ordinary people that Nelson Mandela practiced and contributed to throughout his life are the very foundation of the shared values of our African continent the Mandela spirit has inspired the African leaders for the adoption of the 2063 agenda of the African Union the future we want for Africa and in this agenda seeks to learn from the lessons of the past build on the progress now underway and strategically explore all possible opportunities available to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation the 2030 agenda for sustainable development also commit us to leaving no one behind the implementation of these agendas require a collective effort by all of us as they have been inspired by spirit of the fight of Mr. Nelson Mandela therefore the African group calls on all leaders around the world to be guided by Madiba's dream for non-race peaceful world where all people have equal opportunities to build a common and prosperous future for all despite our diversity and differences of race color religion belief and level of development the message behind Nelson Mandela International Day is simple each individual and as it have been just said by Prince Duke of Wessex every day not only one day a year every day everybody every individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better Nelson Mandela himself said and they quote it is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it and of course the life as well as a legacy of Mr. Mandela our universal and timeless message for the humanity our humanity therefore let us work hand in hand closely together with the aim to make Mandela's dream reality I thank you very much I thank the distinguished representative of Morocco I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Palau who will speak on behalf of the Asia Pacific States Mr. President Mr. Deputy Secretary General Excellencies the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Mr. President Thank you Mr. President for convening this informal meeting to observe the annual Nelson Mandela International Day I have the great honor and privilege to deliver this statement on behalf of the Asia Pacific Group Colleagues, today we gather to pay tribute to a legendary individual President Mandela was driven by an unshakable belief in the equity and equality of all people and his determination to overthrow the system of apartheid in South Africa despite serving 27 years in prison he went on to become South Africa's first democratically elected president his legacy is one of persistence and of hope and of the strength and resilience of the human spirit today we come together to honor his work and reflect on the lessons of his life that one person through humility, forgiveness, compassion and the promotion of peace can change the world for the better while his struggle was particular to South Africa at its onset it came to embody the universal aspirations of people around the world their hopes for a better life and the possibility of moral transformation in human relationships through sacrifice, un wavering leadership and perhaps most of all through moral example President Mandela demonstrated that it is possible to heal divisions through a firm commitment to equity peaceful dialogue with respect to the law what Nelson Mandela fought for is as relevant today as it was then today, societies are becoming more polarized hate speech and misinformation are confusing the truth questioning science and undermining democratic institutions widening inequality political unrest natural disasters and climate change coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic has rolled back gains in the global fight against poverty it is more crucial than ever for us to work together in solidarity to overcome current and emerging challenges Mr. President it was in service of this long walk to freedom, justice and equality that Nelson Mandela devoted his life to reiterate the quote Madiba once said it is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it let us continue to build on his legacy and renew our commitment to multilateralism the UN Charter international law and the universal declaration of human rights I thank you Mr. President I thank the distinguished representative of Palau I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saint Lucia who will speak on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean states Mr. President Deputy Secretary General Excellencies Honored guests I have the honor to speak on behalf of the group of Latin American and Caribbean states as we commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day as we honor this consummate world leader who epitomized wisdom strength determination and inspiration we can also evaluate our own service to humanity as we walk in his tall shadow as the international community and he seeks solutions to the many challenges we face Mandela's principal leadership at the national regional and indeed global levels continue to inspire us all despite his global profile he remain grounded in the imperatives of daily existence and the pursuit of betterment for all he express frequently especially in his writings these immortal words serve as a cognant reminder that the decisions we take sometimes all too casually have far reaching implications in the lives of others and indeed our entire planet in that light Mandela, if he were here might well ask of us all why have we not yet built a world in which we can all live to our fullest potential he posed such a question in this very hall let us use the lessons taught by Mediba as inspiration the ideals of freedom human dignity une equality for all embedded in Mandela's legacy are of vital importance for the work of the united nations in the common endeavor of building a better world we recognize the global influence of Nelson Mandela and his active contribution to the promotion of multilateralism and peace the value of tolerance dialogue and mutual understanding the end of foreign occupation and the right to self-determination the vital role of development international cooperation international cooperation and solidarity the fight against racism racial discrimination xenophobia and all forms of related intolerance gender equality the empowerment of women and the rights of children among many others we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the political declaration adopted at the Nelson Mandela summit in 2018 and to observe the period 2019 to 2028 as the Nelson Mandela decade of peace Mr President as we look to our own agenda Mandela's inspiration can be reoccurring motivation if we would only recall the fundamental principles which anchor his life he offers us a world of wisdom for our part we hail from a region designated as a zone of peace we believe a peaceful society is indispensable for all to thrive we are and must be the architects of peace we must all play our part Mr President on Nelson Mandela national day we are inspired by his example we reaffirm the purposes and principles of the charter and the irreplaceable role of the united nations to tackle present and future global challenges on this day we pay homage and express our appreciation for the life of a true global leader global citizens who to this day continues to inspire us all he was a true statesman who embodied democratic ideals for freedom, equality peace, social justice integrity and reconciliation let us continue to draw from the lessons of his life in service to humanity all that he fought for all that he stood for remains very much relevant today particularly in our work here at the united nations collectively we must believe that we can build better societies for each of us is charged with the responsibility of making a difference in this world the legacy of Nelson Mandela will continue to inspire generations across this globe knowing that it is important to do what we can with what we have where we are thank you I thank the distinguished representative of St Lucia I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Finland who will speak on behalf of the western european and other states Mr President Madame Deputy Secretary General Honorable Ministers Duke and Duchess of Sussex Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the western european and other states group on the occasion of the Nelson Mandela International Day the purpose of this day is to honour Mr Mandela's life and legacy with the aim to change the world for the better this year's theme for the International Day is do what you can with what you have wherever you are this is reflective of the work of the united nations which has a wide presence globally working across all its three pillars from peace and security to human rights and development Nelson Mandela taught us the importance of working together to improve the lives of all he taught us to stop spreading hate and instead spread understanding and tolerance working through the united nations we have the opportunity and the ability to unify the peoples and governments of the world on this goal for humanity we as nations who are united together with all other stakeholders and individuals have the tools to drive positive change in the world in practical terms every one of us can make a difference sometimes it means to be into someone else's shoes sometimes it means standing up for yourself or for someone else against injustices for countries it also means promoting human rights working on peace mediation and providing education among other things Excellences our collective vision for the world in 2030 has been set out in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development significant progress on these goals cannot be achieved without addressing the structural and systemic impediments to their fulfillment climate change the COVID-19 pandemic cyber crime terrorism conflicts humanitarian crisis and other global disasters affect us all our collective action is needed no country is able to address these challenges alone Mr Mandela's work an extensive contribution on promotion of freedom justice democracy human rights gender and racial equality as well as conflict prevention and reconciliation continue to inspire us to work towards sustainable and resilient societies where everyone is included and can live a life in dignity and peace the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragilities and structural inequalities in our social, economic and regulatory systems it has affected the lives of millions around the world the destructive impact of the pandemic has exposed existing disparities and damaged vulnerable communities in multiple ways our response and action in the aftermath of the pandemic must be inclusive so that no one is left behind here again our common efforts international cooperation plays an essential role the further along we are in implementing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development the better we can respond to varying challenges ahead of us in the future furthermore we need partners in order to leave no one behind the United Nations provides a unique platform to form global partnerships between different actors and stakeholders member states UN system civil society national human rights institutions private sector scientific institutions and academia all have a role to play these actors should take place on all levels of societies together we are stronger dear friends I will finish with the words of Nelson Mandela what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived it is what difference we have made to the lives of others end of quote in celebration of Mr Mandela's legacy let's honor his work by committing to these words and strive to make a positive impact on people's everyday life around the world I wish everyone a happy Nelson Mandela day thank you I thank the distinguished representative of Finland I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the host country the United States thank you Mr President excellencies honored guests the United States is honored to help celebrate the life during legacy of Nelson Mandela his impact in this country has been profound has spanned generations and has served as a guidepost for action today's complicated world demands that we take forward president Mandela's vision with the same commitment and energy that he exhibited during his life because racism inequality and a justice are a threat to us all congratulations to today's laureates of the Nelson Mandela prize and the vision you've shown in advancing his example thank you so much for inspiring us in May 2005 at Amherst college president Mandela stated we are all threatened by entrenched inequality and divisions we all must prove equal to a better possibility in the United States we still have our work to do we've taken up this call both at home and abroad on his first day in office president Biden signed an executive order directing a government wide effort to develop targeted plans to advance equity in April of this year more than 90 federal agencies released their first ever equity action plans laying out strategies and commitments to address systemic barriers to equity in the United States the United States has recently appointed its first special representative for racial equity and justice to advance the rights of persons belonging to marginalized communities and to combat systemic racism discrimination and xenophobia around the world last October president Biden established the White House Gender Policy Council to ensure that gender equity and equality are at the forefront of America's domestic and foreign policy and the United States works vigorously to support the robust engagement of civil society on issues related to equity justice accessibility and inclusivity despite our promising efforts there's more to do we must comprehensively tackle the complex challenges of this moment including the impacts of COVID-19 climate change food insecurity health disparities emerging technologies and economic dislocation on marginalized populations and those left behind we must also work to restore trust in global institutions strengthen democracy worldwide and accelerate our work to combat racism, inequality and all forms of intolerance and we must do this with great urgency as Nelson Mandela stated our ideals and compassion must be matched by our actions by unifying our efforts and centring equity and justice and our global affairs we can do what we can with what we have wherever we are in pursuit of a more just and equal world thank you very much I thank the distinguished representative of the United States before concluding and as announced in my letter dated 12 July I would like to invite members to participate in the traditional Nelson Mandela International Day Public Service activity which will take place from 1 to 3.30 p.m. today in the Thomas Jefferson Park in East Harlem the informal meeting of the plenary on the observance of the annual Nelson Mandela International Day is now concluded the meeting is adjourned