Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel at the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Kiev: We are united by the idea that the world can be a better place to live
24 October 2023 News
What the UN has achieved over all these years is not a given. It has been defended at the cost of enormous efforts made daily by diplomats, politicians, public figures, aid workers and volunteers around the world
Today is United Nations Day. On this date 78 years ago, the decision was taken to "save future generations from the scourge of war" and to build a new international order in which relations between states develop on the basis of the protection of human rights, the right to self-determination and the inviolability of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
For these 78 years, the most important of all principles has been the determination of states to resolve their disputes peacefully. Armed conflicts had become the manageable exception and the door had been opened to a wide range of areas of cooperation between states aimed at the socio-economic development of their societies. Today, these principles that we find in the UN Charter are under unprecedented threat, and this makes them even more necessary than ever. Russia's aggression against Ukraine for the first time, in such a brutal way, violated these principles and showed us that what the UN has achieved all these years is not a given. It has been defended at the cost of enormous efforts made every day by diplomats, politicians, public figures, aid workers and volunteers around the world. We are united by the idea that the world can be a better place to live. Many of these people I have the pleasure of working with. These are current and former diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, employees in UN specialized agencies, representatives of voluntary and community organizations and last but not least, the Bulgarian youth delegates to the UN. To these people I would like to address today and offer my gratitude for their daily efforts to promote the principles and role of the United Nations in the modern world and Bulgaria's worthy place in the Organization.
Less than a month ago I made my first participation as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria in the General Debate of the UN General Assembly. There I was a direct participant in the dynamics with which the Organization meets the challenges of the modern world. I was also part of creating opportunities for Bulgaria to promote its ideas and visions to achieve the UN goals.
And Bulgaria's voice is heard at the UN. This is evidenced by the extremely successful, first in history, Bulgarian presidency of the UN Economic and Social Council. It placed Bulgaria at the centre of the decision-making process for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Just a week ago Bulgaria was elected to the Human Rights Council with the highest number of votes - 160. This is an exceptional recognition of our country's policy to strengthen the protection of human rights and freedoms as a guarantor of the rule of law and the rule of law.
Today, the challenges facing the UN range from peacekeeping and security to managing cyberspace and artificial intelligence. These issues require innovative and workable solutions that are accessible to all and include input from the private sector, international financial institutions and civil society. One of the keys to them is giving young people more opportunities to participate in decision-making. Bulgaria is one of only 40 countries participating in the UN Youth Delegate Programme. In this way, our country ranks among the leading countries internationally that recognize youth as equal partners in decision-making processes at national and international level and ensure youth inclusion in the UN system.
The world has a future. The UN, as the world's only organisation, has a role to play in addressing the issues of the future. Bulgaria has a strong role to play in finding solutions to the challenges of the future.