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25 October 2007 – The
Department of Foreign Affairs hosted the Philippine celebration of the 62nd
founding anniversary of the United Nations on 24 October 2007 at the DFA
building. Present during the event were members of the diplomatic corps,
DFA officers and staff, UN officials and staff, and other distinguished
guests.
In his remarks during
the reception, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo affirmed the
Philippines’ commitment to the principles which built, and continue to
build, the institution entrusted to deliver peace and prosperity the world
over.
In line with this year’s UN Day Theme “Stand
Up, Speak Out Against Poverty and For the Millennium Development Goals”,
Secretary Romulo noted the considerable progress made by the Philippines,
halfway through the 2015 target, in addressing poverty alleviation
particularly in nutrition, gender equality, decrease in the number of
child mortality cases, and the fight against deadly diseases. “While
there is a reason to celebrate, ‘halfway through the targets’ means ‘a lot
more needs to be done,’” the Secretary emphasized. The Secretary thanked
the UN System in the Philippines for its assistance in the country’s key
socioeconomic development projects in the achievement of its goals.
Secretary Romulo also
stressed the importance of global migration and called for continued
dialogue to better understand the effects of migration. To this end, the
Philippines will host the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development
in keeping with the country’s commitment to help its migrants and those of
other nations.
The Secretary also
reaffirmed the country’s belief in the role of the United Nations in world
affairs, as he ended his message with a call to action in light of the
organization’s 62nd founding anniversary.
The event also saw the
unveiling of the commemorative stamps on the Millennium Development Goals
for this year.
Also at the reception,
UN Resident Coordinator for the Philippines Nileema Noble read the UN Day
Message of Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, which highlights the UN’s
resolve to be steadfast in its mission and redouble its efforts to reach
the Millennium Development Goals. UN Secretary General Ban noted that the
world is changing in the United Nations' favor, as more people and
governments understand that multilateralism is the only path in their
interdependent and globalizing world.
“We must transform the UN itself. We must
adapt to meet new needs, and ensure the highest standards of ethics,
integrity and accountability, so as to demonstrate that we are fully
answerable to all Member States and to the people around the world," the
Secretary General’s message read and added, "we will be judged in the
future on the actions we take today on results. On this United Nations
Day, let us rededicate ourselves to achieving them.” END
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