Geneva Launch of the UN Handbook 2014-2015

Ambassador Ellis
Distinguished Ambassadors
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great pleasure to be part of the Geneva launch of this year’s edition of the UN Handbook published by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A warm thank you to Ambassador Ellis for hosting this launch and for bringing us all together to appreciate the incredible wealth of work that is being done by the United Nations – here in Geneva and across the world – all reflected in this publication.

Before coming here, I looked up the term “classic”. One of the definitions was: “something that is judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind”. By this – or by any standard – I think that we can safely say that the UN Handbook is a classic.

In over more than 30 years with the United Nations, I have seen many dog-eared copies in the offices of diplomats and Secretariat staff. Often it has been one of the prized possessions that made it into in the boxes in the many moves between offices and duty stations when other papers were left behind. Copies have been lent to colleagues only with reluctance for fear that they may not be returned! Here at the Palais des Nations it is one of the most sought-after reference works in our Library. And we are happy to add the new edition to our holdings.

The UN Handbook has stood the test of time. The need to capture, organize and disseminate the key information about the work of our Organization is as needed today as when the first edition was published. If not more. The volume of information available today can seem overwhelming. Finding authoritative sources to rely on is a challenge.

The UN Handbook continues to serve its purpose of guiding users and focusing their attention on the essentials. This helps towards a more meaningful engagement with the United Nations. It is particularly valuable for smaller Missions, to help them navigate the system more efficiently. And this is why the UN Handbook – and now the App! – will continue to be among the most consulted and most appreciated works on the United Nations.

I am glad to have this opportunity to thank New Zealand for continuously providing us with a UN Handbook of the highest quality, a reference work that is truly an outstanding example of its kind. A classic in every sense of the word.

Thank you very much.