Over the past 29 years, Rwandans have demonstrated strong resilience in overcoming the greatest tragedies and, in the process, have inspired the rest… - Ban Ki-moon

Our world is one of terrible contradictions. Plenty of food but one billion people go hungry. Lavish lifestyles for a few, but poverty for too many others. Huge advances in medicine while mothers die everyday in childbirth . . . Billions spent on weapons to kill people instead of keeping them safe.

[Conchita Wurst] She is an incredible singer and entertainer. But what made her win so meaningful was the way she turned her victory in the Song Contest into an electrifying moment of human rights education. Conchita is promoting respect for diversity. This is a core value of the United Nations Charter, along with our commitment to tolerance. She confounds people's preconceived ideas of gender and sexuality - and she appeals to them to accept her as she is. That is a powerful message. I am delighted she is using her talent and the Eurovision platform to take this message to a global audience.

When we stand together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.
Three days ago, young people from many nations stood together in the balcony of this Hall. They asked for one thing above all: change.
There is nothing we can say to the world’s children that can convince them the world needs to be the way it is.
That means we must do everything we can to close the gap between the world as it is, and the world as it should be. That is the mission of the United Nations.