Director-General's remarks at the Celebration of the Chinese Language Day 2024

Chinese Language Day 2024

23 April 2024, at 12:00

Room XX, Palais des Nations

Ambassador Chen Xu,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Dear friends, 

Good morning. 

你好 [Ní hǎo]. 

Welcome to the Chinese Language Day 2024 at the Palais des Nations. 

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China and its partners for organizing this festive event celebrating the enduring legacy of the Chinese language. 

On this day, we are reminded of the richness and diversity of cultures that make up our world. Language is not merely a means of communication; it is a vessel for transmitting knowledge, a bridge between peoples, and a cornerstone of our shared humanity.

Language Days have been celebrated at the UN since 2010 to support multilingualism and cultural diversity and to promote the equal use of all six official languages throughout our Organization. 

This year's theme, "Youth Together for a Better World," resonates deeply with the core values of the United Nations and speaks to the essential role that young people play in shaping the future of our planet. The challenges our world faces are vast and complex, often interlinked — from climate change to growing inequalities, lack of trust and geopolitical divides. With the large and increasing number of young people across the globe, it is clear that it is only by engaging and working with them that the international community will be able to achieve peace, security and sustainable development for all.

The United Nations is committed to empowering young people to become active agents of change in their communities and beyond. Through the recently adopted United Nations Youth Strategy, we hope to create opportunities for young people to engage meaningfully in decision-making processes, to access quality education and employment, and to participate in peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts.

The journey towards a better world requires multilateral action and collaboration across borders and generations. The upcoming Summit of the Future in September presents a unique opportunity to launch a global intergenerational dialogue on the future of multilateralism and the multilateralism of the future.  The Declaration on Future Generations, to be annexed to the Pact for the Future, should reaffirm the global commitment to harness the power of youth to drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable world for all.

As the Chinese idiom goes, “One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade”. It provides a simple, yet insightful reminder to our shared responsibility to carefully preserve our planet for future generations. 

Ladies and gentlemen,

At the United Nations Office at Geneva, our commitment to multilingualism remains at the heart of all our operations. Mastering a language is like holding the key to accessing a nation’s culture. And our staff, who originate from more than 100 countries and speak nearly 70 languages, know it first-hand. 

Let me take this opportunity to thank the Chinese translators, editors, interpreters, language teachers and guides for their continued great work. 

Learning different languages enables us to appreciate diverse cultures, perceive the world objectively, and cultivate tolerance and mutual understanding in our daily work.

On this special occasion, let us admire the beauty and power of Chinese language and art. Let us celebrate their contributions to our global cultural heritage and get inspired for our collective work towards an inclusive, peaceful and sustainable future. 

Thank you very much.

谢谢你们 [Xìe xìe nĭmen].