Opening Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Koro Bessho
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Inaugural Event of “Peace is…”
UN Visitors Lobby, GA Building 1st Floor
11 April 2017

 

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Good evening.

Thank you for joining us tonight, and I also thank Mr. Maher Nasser, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications and Department of Public Information, for being our master of ceremonies this evening.

 

When he assumed the post of the UN Secretary General on January 1st of this year, Mr. Antonio Guterres placed peace at the top of his agenda. As a peace-loving nation and current member of the UN Security Council, Japan strongly supports the SG and his decision to make peace his first priority.

 

However, peace is not realized solely by the UN Security Council, nor the UN community by themselves. Peace can be achieved through the efforts of all the peace loving persons throughout the world, where art and culture can also play a meaningful role.

 

In December, some of you may have joined us to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Japan’s accession to the UN. For this commemoration, a Japanese plaster wall was constructed that served as a platform for attendees to engrave messages of peace in their mother languages. The memories and prayers for peace on the wall left a lasting impression on all of us. Out of this collective experience, our new initiative, “Peace is…” was born.

 

I believe in the power of art and culture. Art and culture may not solve all the world’s conflicts, but it does inspire us to both envision and strive for peace.

 

The initiative “Peace is…” will use art and culture as a medium through which anyone can connect with the UN and its objectives more easily.  To that end, throughout the initiative “Peace is…”, the Permanent Mission of Japan will collaborate with Japanese artists residing in New York, who believe in the power of art to bridge divisions and bring people together towards harmony.

 

Therefore, I am delighted to present Ms. Miki Orihara, who has been dancing for Martha Graham Dance Company for the last thirty years.  I would like to highlight that, Martha Graham, the legendary icon of American Modern Dance, is being introduced to the UN community through a Japanese dancer, Ms. Orihara tonight. I trust that while enjoying their cross-cultural performances, you will be inspired to contemplate on what peace means to you.

                                                                                  

Through the initiative “Peace is…”, which will continue on a monthly basis at the UN, I hope we can bring art and culture closer to the UN.  Also we hope to bring the city of New York closer to the UN.  In doing so, let us bring ourselves closer to one another here at the UN to create a more peaceful world.

 

Thank you.

 

END