Director-General's remarks at the ECOLINT General Assembly of the Students’ League of Nations

ECOLINT General Assembly of the Students’ League of Nations

Thursday, 27 November 2025, at 9.30 a.m.
Tempus, Palais des Nations

Dear students, 
Dear teachers,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you once again to the Palais des Nations for the General Assembly of the Ecolint Students’ League of Nations. It is always a joy to see this room filled with young people from the three campuses of the International School of Geneva, gathered to debate global issues with curiosity, dedication and a strong sense of purpose.

For many years, the United Nations Office at Geneva has been honoured to host this annual Assembly, and I am delighted that we continue this tradition once again in 2025. This year marks a special moment for all of us. As Ecolint celebrates over 100 years of fostering respect, understanding, and global citizenship, the United Nations also marks its 80th anniversary. Born from the ashes of World War II, the UN Charter of 1945 remains a cornerstone of international cooperation. It enshrines the principles of peace, equality, and shared responsibility, laying the foundation for a world order built on international law and friendly relations among states.

Over the past 80 years, the UN has helped improve the lives of millions of people, advancing human rights, eradicating diseases, reducing poverty, and expanding access to education. Without the UN, the world would have faced more wars, conflicts, and humanitarian disasters. UN institutions have vaccinated or supported vaccination campaigns that protect half the world’s children, advanced gender equality, and provided frameworks for peace and security, to name just a few achievements.

The founding vision of the UN - to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to protect human rights, and to build a better world - is as relevant today as it was in 1945. Yes, our world has changed dramatically since then. We are facing turbulent times: rising geopolitical tensions, the accelerating impacts of climate change, growing humanitarian needs, widening inequalities, an unprecedented crisis of trust, and much more.

The multilateral system, with the UN at its core, is being tested, and we must adapt it to a new era. While the core values of peace, equality and collective responsibility remain, we must make global cooperation more inclusive, more representative, and more effective.

Last year, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future, the most wide-ranging international agreement in many years, designed to modernize global governance for the challenges of tomorrow. It aims to strengthen peace and security, accelerate sustainable development, protect human rights, govern the digital space responsibly, and amplify the voice of young people and future generations.

And this year the Secretary-General of the United Nations launched UN80, a reform initiative to mark the organization’s anniversary by charting a path toward a more agile and effective United Nations. As the Secretary-General has said: “We cannot create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents”.

Geneva plays a central role in this transformation. It is not only a diplomatic hub - it is a living laboratory of multilateralism and the operational heart of the UN system. Home to nearly 40 UN entities, representations from almost all Member States, and hundreds of Non-Governmental Organizations, Geneva offers a unique environment where global decisions are debated, shaped, and implemented, sometimes in this very room.

From humanitarian action to digital cooperation, from trade to health, Geneva brings together a diverse range of actors with one common goal: solving global challenges through collective action.

And over the next two days, you, too, will have the opportunity to experience the power of collective action, of negotiation, and of cooperation. I note with interest the range of topics you will debate, from the relocation of children in conflict to the proliferation of artificial intelligence in autonomous weapon systems, and from the use of social media by young people to the criminalization of ecocide. The debates and ideas you will exchange during this event will provide a glimpse into the future of diplomacy.

The participation of young people in global governance is essential, now and in the years to come. Your voices, ideas, and dedication will shape the next chapter of multilateralism. The challenges before us demand innovative and inclusive solutions, and the United Nations must be a space where young people, civil society, academia, and the private sector contribute alongside Member States.

Dear students,

Your Assembly today and tomorrow is more than a simulation. It is a practical exercise in listening, negotiating, bridging differences and seeking common ground. These are the qualities the world urgently needs more of. At the end of these two days, I encourage you to carry forward this spirit of cooperation.

Because when I look at this room, I see more than students. I see future diplomats, scientists, entrepreneurs, advocates, and community leaders. I see young people capable of shaping a fairer, more sustainable and more peaceful world.

I hope this experience will inspire you to think critically, to raise your voice, to defend those in need, and to welcome open dialogue across cultures and divides. The Palais des Nations has seen many leaders pass through its doors. Today, it welcomes you, not only as students, but as the leaders of tomorrow.

I wish you constructive debates, meaningful exchanges, and a memorable experience.

Thank you.