Remarks by
the High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser
at the IFFD Briefing (UNHQ)
Delivered by
Hanifa Mezoui, Senior Advisor on Humanitarian Affairs and Civil Society
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Conference room 7 – General Assembly Building – United Nations, New York
Dear Ms. Marina Robben, President of IFFD,
Dear Ms. Renata Kaczmarska,
Distinguished Speakers,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Colleagues and Friends: it is a great pleasure for me to participate in the IFFD Briefing on The Role of Families in the Future we want, at the United Nations Headquarters.
The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser conveys his profound regrets on being unable to participate personally to this Briefing session.
I will deliver a message on his behalf:
Statement by his Excellency Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser United Nations High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations
First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the International Federation for Family Development for selecting me as one of the recipients of the 2015 Family Awards Ceremony. I am greatly honored to receive this award, which highlights past and ongoing efforts in advocating family-oriented policies worldwide.
The dedication of my life to public good, and in particular to family through international diplomacy, was an essential part of my work while President of the Sixty-Sixth Session of the United Nations General Assembly and remains highly significant, as I serve as the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations.
Allow me to highlight that the themes that you have chosen for your briefing are unquestionably timely and vital, for the world is currently and actively preparing for the celebration of the end of the Millennium Development goals and for the launching, next September, of the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda.
When agreeing on the next areas of actions that will define the primary setting of the world’s policies to fight hunger, poverty; to advance quality education, and to secure the rights of women, children, and of all those who need a voice to speak out their essential needs, the essence of family has to be taken into consideration. The experience of the MDGs has highlighted that its achievement greatly depended on families. How better could we grasp The Future We Want, as defined by the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development, than by giving the voice to families in order to create the most adequate blueprint for tomorrow’s sustainable development goals.
In my position of High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, I witness, first-hand, the consequences of culturally and religiously driven conflicts upon families. From refugee camps – where basic human needs such as water and food security are not provided – to war zones – where access to decent healthcare, quality education and decent work are not secured for families – families are at risk.
These conflicts threaten the sustainable development of families and therefore the overall of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
In this particular understanding, it is critical to realize that no one country is fully protected against the aforementioned threats, and that only multilateral and concertive efforts to understand and to advance family-oriented policies and actions, will allow to leverage the weight off of the shoulders of families. In that regards, global organizations such the United Nations and the International Federation for Family Development, play a primordial role through resolutions and grassroots actions worldwide.
When serving at the UN General Assembly, I was able to introduce two resolutions, which I believe are connected: The Global Day of Parents and the International Happiness Day. Family holds a primary place in my life, for my wife, Muna, and my son, Aziz, play an incredible role in my happiness and in my development as a person.
Therefore, it appeared natural for me to honor parents throughout the world by offering them the opportunity to be appreciated for the sacrifices and lifelong commitments they give to their children, and therefore, to building society.
The well being of families flourishes from happiness, but also from a strong culture of peace. In addition to my efforts to secure the unit of family and happiness, I continuously work towards a more widespread Culture of Peace. We all know that peace secures the rights of families and allows its members to serenely live together in sustainable communities through the principles of freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, and respect.
Hence, targeting families remain meaningful because there cannot be true peace unless each and every individual forming a family is at peace.
Thank you