REMARKS BY DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG AT INAUGURATION OF SOLAR POWER STREET LAMPS DONATED BY GREEN CROSS

Following are the remarks by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, at a ceremony held today to inaugurate the solar power street LED lamps donated to UNOG by Green Cross:

"It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations today for the inauguration of the 20 solar power street LED lamps donated by Green Cross International, in conjunction with Green Cross Japan. I am glad that so many of our friends from Japan are able to be with us on this special day. We greatly appreciate that you have made the long journey to be here.

First of all, allow me to thank Green Cross for this generous and very practical gift that will benefit all those who come to the Palais des Nations to contribute to the work of the United Nations. I should like to extend a special thank you to Mr. Likhotal of Green Cross International and to Mr. Iwasake and Mr. Kawamoto of Green Cross Japan for their extraordinary donation.

The timing of this installation is very appropriate. In September, world leaders will come together in New York to assess the progress that has been achieved in implementing the commitments of the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the eight Millennium Development Goals that spring from the Declaration. One of the important goals is to ensure environmental sustainability. To realize this goal, both developed and developing countries need to adopt and implement development strategies that are more climate-friendly. Promotion of renewable energy – together with low-carbon energy sources and low-green-house gas technologies – need to be central elements of such strategies. Implementation of such sustainable development practices, including on energy supply, requires firm partnerships: among Governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector. This donation is a clear illustration of the benefits of such partnerships.

These street lamps demonstrate – in a very practical way – how renewable energy sources can become an integrated part of our energy solutions. We can all – with creativity and commitment – adapt our energy consumption patterns to include, to a greater extent, sustainable energy. Our local actions can contribute to a global impact for the benefit of many generations to come. These street lamps therefore not only contribute to a more climate-friendly energy supply here at the Palais des Nations. They will also serve as an example to others and help raise awareness – beyond the confines of these grounds – of the importance of implementing sustainable energy solutions and how it may be done effectively and elegantly. So, they will enlighten us all in many ways. And as you can see, the sun is indeed trying to cooperate with us today to give us the best possible start to this project.

On behalf of everybody at the United Nations Office at Geneva, thank you again for this generous donation, which will both illuminate and inspire us".

For use of the information media; not an official record

DG05022E