Opening Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Koro Bessho
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Second Event of “Peace is…”
12 May 2017

 

 

Excellencies,                   

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Thank you all for joining us today, I would also like to thank Ms. Margaret Novicki, Director for Strategic Communication for the Department of Public Information, for being our master of ceremonies for the second event of Peace is…Homenaje, which is Spanish for “homage.”  I will leave it to our guest and performer, Mr. Shiro “el Arriero” Otake, to explain later why Peace　is…Homenaje for him.

 

For now, I would like to touch on my experience in Colombia, where I visited on a UN Security Council mission last week.

 

UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres has placed peace at the top of his agenda.  At the same time, we all know achieving peace can be a long and arduous process.  I was fortunate enough to observe first-hand the ongoing peace process in Colombia, together with my colleagues from the Security Council.

In Colombia, the tremendous efforts that were made by all stakeholders were plain for us to see.  We welcome that through their unwavering efforts; a peace agreement was reached, liberating Latin America from its last on-going conflict. It is now our responsibility to help sustain this peace process.

 

I personally believe in the power of art and culture, as one of many tools, which can help us to bring people together and promote mutual understanding.  Art and culture on their own may not solve the world’s conflicts, but they can inspire us to envision, and strive for, peace.

 

Our “Peace is…” initiative uses art and culture as a medium through which we can better connect with the UN and its objectives.  Throughout the initiative, 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.

Today, I am delighted to present Mr. Shiro “el Arriero” Otake, who once studied under the guitarist Atahualpa Yupanqui, an icon of Argentinian folk music.  I am excited to be able to enjoy Shiro’s interpretations of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and Atahualpa Yupanqui, as well as those inspired by the poet Garcia Lorca.  

The fact that a Japanese guitarist living in New York for 30 years will sing about Hiroshima in Spanish is an expression of UN’s multiculturalism.  I hope that while enjoying this cross-cultural performance, you will be inspired to contemplate what peace means to you.  While I am myself not a good example of multilingualism in the United Nations, I will try to say a few words in Spanish. I hope Spanish speakers, including Ambassador Moritan of Argentina, will understand what I am saying.

 

                                                                                  

A través de la iniciativa “peace is (la paz es…)”, deseo traer el arte y la cultura más cerca a las Naciones Unidas (ONU). Al mismo tiempo, quisiera llevar la ciudad de Nueva York más  cerca a la ONU.  Mediante estas actividades, espero que podamos unirnos más, para poder trabajar juntos hacia un mundo más pacífico.  

(Through the monthly “Peace is…” initiative, , I hope we can bring art and culture closer to the UN, while simultaneously bringing New York City closer to the UN. In doing so, let us also bring ourselves closer to one another here at the UN to help create a more peaceful world.)

 

Muchas gracias, Thank you.