China National Opera House Concert

Ambassador Wu Haitao,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is truly a pleasure to welcome you this evening to an exceptional concert by the China National Opera House. My most sincere thanks go to the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China for organizing this event, and of course, to the 175 participating musicians for bringing their talents to International Geneva.

China has generously shared its rich cultural heritage and artistic vibrancy with International Geneva through UNOG’s Cultural Activities Programme on a great number of occasions, and is a great contributor to the broader sphere of cultural diplomacy.
A leader on all issues across the United Nations agenda, China is a major player on the world scene, and has greatly contributed to the Millennium Development Goals, notably by cutting poverty and hunger in half.

Next year, the United Nations will celebrate its 70th anniversary. Together we will face challenges of ever-greater complexity, from promoting peace and disarmament, to reaching a meaningful climate agreement and to forging a new universal post-2015 development agenda.

As we strive towards our vision of a brighter future, China’s support is essential in sustaining the momentum of past achievements and in realizing future goals, throughout the world and in International Geneva.

Music has been an important part of Chinese culture since the dawn of its civilization. Throughout history, much like civilization itself, music has transformed and adapted. But despite these transformations in an increasingly globalized world, China embraces its tradition.

Tonight’s repertoire is a bridge between civilizations, featuring masterpieces from both Chinese and European classical music. It is in this union of different traditions where new and creative solutions are cultivated, empowering us to face the challenges of today. This is an occasion to not only unite in our appreciation for classical music, but to reaffirm our commitment to finding peaceful and durable solutions for a post-2015 world.

I would like to once again thank the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China for bringing this beautiful presentation of cultural diversity through music to the Palais des Nations.

Thank you and enjoy the concert.