Director-General's remarks at the UNOG-ONUArt Culture for Peace and Human Rights Concert 2025

“Culture for Peace and Human Rights Concert 2025”
Saturday, 13 December 2025 at 5.30 p.m.
Assembly Hall, Palais des Nations
 

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you all this evening to the Culture for Peace and Human Rights Concert, here in the magnificent Assembly Hall. This is the twelfth edition of this annual concert. Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the ONUART Foundation and its president, Mr. José Luis Bonet, for again bringing this wonderful celebration of music, peace and human rights to the heart of multilateralism here at the Palais des Nations.

This evening, we come together not only to enjoy an artistic performance, but also to reaffirm a shared conviction: that human rights are the foundation of peace, dignity and justice. They are the anchor of our common world, guiding our efforts to build societies that are more inclusive, more equitable, and more resilient.

We are all aware of the challenges facing the world today. Tensions are rising in many places, people are experiencing the effects of economic and social uncertainty, and technological and environmental changes are reshaping our daily lives. In such moments, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Yet it is precisely in times like these that human rights offer us direction. They remind us that every person deserves dignity, fairness, and the chance to thrive.

In this context, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights continues to guide the United Nations in turning our shared values into action. From the ongoing work under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to more recent initiatives such as the Pact for the Future and UN80, the Declaration gives us a common roadmap. It reminds us that every project, every policy, and every mission is ultimately about people—their lives, their hopes, and their dignity. It is this human dimension that keeps the Declaration alive, inspiring the UN and all of us to work together for a world that is more just, more compassionate, and more united.

This evening’s concert invites us to pause and reconnect with these values. Culture has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, to spark empathy, and to open conversations that words alone sometimes cannot. Through music, we can experience a sense of unity that transcends borders, languages, and differences. It reminds us that despite our diverse histories and perspectives, we share the same hopes for peace, respect, and understanding.

Tonight, as we listen to the artists who will honour us with their talent, I invite you to let the music carry you—to let it remind you of what connects us, and of what we can achieve when we act with openness and solidarity. These moments of shared experience are important. They renew our motivation to work for a world where human rights are not just ideals, but everyday realities.

Let us continue, each in our own way, to support dialogue, to defend dignity, and to make space for cooperation. These are the foundations on which peace is built.

I wish you all a wonderful and inspiring evening.

Thank you.