REMARKS OF H. E. MR. NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER
High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
Partnership Expo aboard the Peace Boat
HLPF-ECOSOC
12 July 2018, 7 pm to 9.30 pm, Pier 90 Manhattan
Excellencies,
Dear Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Yoshioka,
I extend a warm welcome to everyone gathered on Peace Boat this evening to inaugurate a Partnership Expo on the margins of the UN High level Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), under the theme:
“Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”.
Peace Boat already knows that building knowledge and awareness is key to sustainable and resilient societies and that the local level is the first step to implement the SDGs and to reinforce ownership.
Peace Boat is sailing for the SDGs in support of the 2030 UN Agenda.
Your event here Inside the Boat is a clear demonstration of your commitment towards achieving the SDGs. At the same time, the SDGs cannot be achieved without the involvement of governments and civil society working together in partnership.
To date, Peace Boat, I understand, has visited over 80 ports in more than 100 countries. On this 98th voyage, Peace Boat made 29 stops. Peace Boat is known not only for being a campaigner for Peace but also for supporting “Treaties on the Non-Proliferation of Weapons“. I commend those efforts.
Partnership with NGOs, like the Peace Boat, is considered essential to the UN in implementing its concept of preventive peace-building action. Through these voyages, Peace Boat is building bridges between people and societies, a goal Peace Boat and UNAOC have in common.
The United Nations and the Alliance of Civilizations recognizes also the importance of the role of Youth as a key factor in achieving peace, as well as the crucial role of education as the most powerful tool we can use towards preventing violent extremism.
It is in the pursuit of this mission that the Alliance focuses on multiple initiatives simultaneously. The Alliance has four major pillars to focus on through practical projects and activities to achieve our main mission, namely Youth, Education, Media and Migration. Under my tenure I have expanded these objectives to include additional priorities, which are: Music, Art, Entertainment and Sports, with a deeper Civil Society engagement.
Last but not least, Peace Boat is harnessing new technologies to achieve the SDGs. The futurist Peace Boat’s initiative “ Ecoship project“, the world’s greenest cruise ship sailing in 2020 is a good example! A universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that people enjoy peace and prosperity is a vision, which will become a reality.
As you embark on your journey, I wish you success in forging enduring partnerships that will ensure your position as a cornerstone of civil society work.
Thank you.