CLOSING REMARKS OF
H.E. MR. NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS
UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS
GROUP OF FRIENDS MINISTERIAL MEETING
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND UNAOC
1 OCTOBER 2015
UN HQ CONFERENCE ROOM 2
Your Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you for your priceless contributions to our Ministerial Group of Friends Meeting. I highly value your insights, input and recommendations, which I believe are the best tool we can use to improve our programmes and activities accordingly with our shared vision.
And a particular thanks to our keynote speaker, Mr. Oh Joon, for joining us today and sharing your vision on taking action and, most importantly, for addressing the ways we can best deliver the expected outcomes on the 2030 sustainable development agenda. Mr. Oh Joon, joined us today, supporting that we can “all pursue development despite our difference.” I hope all participants will leave reinforced in this belief.
We heard a strong commitment from the membership of the UNAOC Group of Friends to promote the ideals of tolerance, respect and diversity, in line with the targets of the sustainable development agenda. I would like to add that we could secure SDG 11 and 16 and achieve peaceful and inclusive societies, if we continue to strengthen the various means of implementation in a collective manner. I have in mind local, national and international cooperation, at all institutional levels, from governmental to civil society and including the private sector.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations wisely noted we all need to raise our ambitions during the opening ceremony of the 70th UNGA. I make it the UNAOC’s commitment to pursue unity and diversity in the framework of our shared desire to see the development agenda succeed.
Thank you.
This meeting is adjourned.