Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres has raised raised concerns over the value of human dignity and freedom.
The Secretary-General told international community that there is a need to raise the alarm because the world “we need peace”.
He spoke to the audience at the prestigious award championing multilateralism in Europe, at the Royal Monastery of Yuste, in Extremadura.
António Guterres delivered a wide-ranging speech in Spain after receiving the Carlos V European Award, on Tuesday.
The UN chief said that the “UN and the European Union, were created in the name of peace amid the ashes of World War Two.”
He added that there is need to “reaffirm those values” highlighting that the values enshrined in the UN’s founding Charter in 1945, have never been so under threat as it is today.
“Peace remains our North Star and our most precious goal. Yet the struggle for peace may seem at times like a Sisyphean task. We live in a world today in which peace is elusive and fragile.”
On violence, the UN boss cited Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a plain violation of the UN charter stating that it is becoming rampant.
“Wars and humanitarian crises are spreading, sometimes before our very eyes, but often far from the spotlight. They are more complex, and interconnected, and their impact is growing by the day.”
While also reacting to the situation in Sudan, the UN Secretary-General lamented the level of damages done by sudden explosion of violence across the country.
His submission was that “peace can often fall apart ‘dramatically overnight’ and should never be underestimated or taken for granted.”
Working for peace
“We must work to make peace and to keep it, every day, tirelessly”, he added.
“In a world that is tearing itself apart, we must heal divisions, prevent escalation and listen to grievances,” António Guterres said.
He urged that women needs to play full leadership role in diplomacy where they will work around issues of negotiation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration.
