13 MAY 2014
Trusteeship Council – UNHQ
Your Excellency, Norachit Sinhaseni, Ambassador and high Representative, Kingdom of Thailand,
Excellencies,
Honored Colleagues,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honored to be there today to represent H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General, at this event celebrating the International Day of Vesak. At the outset, I would like to remind you of the value the UN attaches to the celebration of the UN International Days and in particular to this one as officially reflected in the UN’s GA Resolution (54/115 of 2000). Since then, this day, which is the most sacred in the Buddhist Calendar, has been annually commemorated at the UN.
I trust that today’s programme will be an inspiring event for all of us.
As the High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), I would like first to highlight the affinity between Buddha’s message and the UNAOC’s principles enhancing and fostering stability, prosperity and peaceful coexistence.
On such a day, together with our Buddhist friends, we celebrate Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and His Passing Away. His message of non-violence, understanding, compassion and peace has an important role in today’s setting, touched by ongoing violence and conflicts. It is also a message respected by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
The mission of the UNAOC is to be understood as a soft power tool to dissolve tension rooted in cultural differences and for building understanding between communities and nations. We develop programs which encourage respect for cultural diversity and inter religious dialogue which address issues as fear, intolerance and xenophobia.
UNAOC is offering a new perspective of hope and peace for security and development when cultural diversity and all Faiths have been respected. With the four current pillars of the Alliance: Education, Youth, Media and Migration, we develop programs which encourage respect for cultural diversity, and which address issues such as fear, intolerance and xenophobia. The activities of the Alliance keep on evolving and covering new sectors such as sustainable development, sport, art and entertainment, counter terrorism and mediation. They play a potential role in resolving conflict and encouraging tolerance.
Thank you for being here today for this special VESAK DAY as members of the human family, regardless of our race, religion, ethnicity, cultural or nationality, we stand on social harmony and religious identities. From that exclusive position, let us work together for a world at peace.
Today, we will hear uplifting stories of people striving together for the common good, even in the face of armed conflict or natural disaster. We will hear voices of wisdom from our great faith traditions calling us to a world of peace, justice and environmental sustainability.
It is my distinctive honor now to read the message of the Secretary General.
Video available at http://webtv.un.org/watch/john-ashe-day-of-vesak-2014/3564213920001/