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31.

UN50: Building the Future

STATEMENT
BY MR. VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
UNITED NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
AT THE GENEVA YOUTH FORUM

Geneva, 1 July 1995

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Friends,

1. I am glad to welcome you in Geneva at the Palais des Nations – the
symbol of multilateralism and international cooperation.

2. This meeting of the Geneva Youth Forum is devoted to the future of the
United Nations. Tomorrow you all here will listen at the opening to the major
address by the UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali who attaches
particular importance to the dialogue with the young people.

3. Today the UN is commemorating its 50th Anniversary. However, this
event will not be marked just with festivities. We live in a turbulent period of
global change which requires the World Organization to constantly re-examine
and readjust its activities. The UN is evaluating the experience of half a century
of its existence and is setting priorities for the future. This is not an easy task.
There is an ongoing discussion within the about how we should proceed. Nev-
ertheless, the UN has its vision of the future. It introduces the reports of the
UN Secretary-General “An Agenda for Peace” and “An Agenda for Develop-
ment”. I would like to briefly outline to you how the UN sees the future.
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