UNWG Children’s Walk 2017

Madame la Présidente du Cercle féminin des Nations Unies [Mme Nehad Sukayri],
Chères Membres du Cercle féminin des Nations Unies,
Chers enseignants,
Surtout chers enfants :

Welcome ! Bienvenue ! Willkommen !

Je suis très heureux d'être ici avec vous ce matin pour la Marche des enfants qui, comme la Présidente a dit, célèbre son 15ème anniversaire. Mes sincères félicitations au Cercle féminin des Nations Unies.

Votre soutien est très important pour des centaines d'enfants dans le monde qui, autrement, ne pourraient pas commencer ou poursuivre leurs études. Grâce à votre dévouement et votre engagement, les enfants défavorisés dans de nombreux pays ont la possibilité de construire leur avenir et l'avenir de leurs sociétés.

Dear children,

In some parts of the world, like here, children go to school every day. It is a normal thing for you to wake up, have breakfast, go to school, learn new things and spend a good time with your friends.

However, in too many other places, many children are not able to do that. There are still 57 million children out of school all over the world and about 100 million children who start, but cannot finish school. Always the poorest and most disadvantaged suffer most. In some places, children cannot go to school because of war. Only half of the refugee children attend primary school. In many places of the world, it is even more difficult for girls than for boys to go to school.

Look around at your friends, and imagine if some of them could not go to school anymore. Would you not think this is wrong? At the United Nations, we think that every child in the world should be able to go to school and learn. We also think it is important we all work together so that this can happen everywhere.

How can we do that? Well, you are showing one way of how to with your walk. Two years ago, all the country leaders in the world got together and agreed to a set of 17 global goals in order to make life for everyone on this planet better. These goals apply to all of us, everywhere, and touch every aspect of our lives. They recognize that even the poorest among us can do something great, and that we cannot afford to leave that person behind. Education is really important in that effort. So is eliminating poverty and hunger, caring better about our planet, and achieving equality between women and men, boys and girls. These goals are everyone’s responsibility, including yours. We all need to work together to achieve them.

Dear children,

Over the last 15 years, thousands of kids just like you have walked through the Ariana Park in order to make it possible for many less lucky children in many poor countries to go to school. This walk is a really beautiful demonstration of how joint efforts can make a big difference in the lives of thousands of children like you across the world.

Looking around this room today, I am proud to see so many of you willing to make this world better, and you make me feel confident about our future. You do not have to be the President of your country or a Prime Minister to do things that make this world a better place. Small actions in your daily lives, like what you are doing today, make a difference. You can be sure of that. Your presence here today will make positive changes in someone’s life.

Dear friends,

I would like to thank all children present here today, and of course all the teachers and colleagues whose efforts have been instrumental in making this event possible.

Let me add an invitation to you, that next Saturday, on 7 October, we are opening the doors to the Palais des Nations for everyone, like we did today for you, but this time for all of Geneva. I warmly invite you all, as well as your families and friends to join us, to learn about the work of the UN in Geneva, and to have fun here.

Good luck for your walk today ! Thank you for being here, and come back next year!
Bonne chance pour votre marche aujourd'hui !
Viel Glück für deinen Marsch heute !