Director-General's remarks at the Concert on the occasion of United Nations Day 2026

UN Day Concert 2026
Saturday, 24 October 2026, at 7.30 p.m.
Victoria Hall, Rue du Général-Dufour 14, 1204 Genève

Monsieur l’Ambassadeur [M. Gürber],
Madame la Présidente [de la Fondation de l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Mme de Senarclens],
Excellences,
Mesdames et Messieurs,

C’est un grand plaisir et un honneur de vous retrouver ce soir au Victoria Hall pour célébrer la Journée des Nations Unies.

Je remercie chaleureusement l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande ainsi que l’orchestre et le chœur de la Haute école de musique de Genève pour ce rendez-vous musical. Ma gratitude va également à la Confédération, au Canton et à la Ville de Genève : cette tradition témoigne du soutien constant de notre pays hôte à l’action des Nations Unies.

Le concert de ce soir rend hommage à Ludwig van Beethoven, à l’approche du bicentenaire de sa disparition. Aujourd’hui encore, son œuvre continue d’incarner des idéaux d’espoir, de liberté et de dignité humaine. Dans sa Neuvième Symphonie, dont le point culminant est l’Ode à la joie, Beethoven célèbre l’unité de l’humanité au-delà de ses différences. Ces valeurs sont aussi au cœur de la mission des Nations Unies.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

As we mark the 81st anniversary of the United Nations, we are reminded that humanity’s greatest challenges can only be addressed through international cooperation, dialogue and collective action.

That conviction remains as relevant today as it was in 1945. Yet the world is changing rapidly. Conflicts persist, inequalities deepen, climate change intensify, and technological change is reshaping our societies.

This is why the United Nations must continue to evolve. The UN80 Initiative seeks to make the Organization more effective, representative and responsive.

Geneva has an important role to play. As a leading centre of multilateral diplomacy, it is a source of innovation and constructive engagement. I thank the diplomatic community here for its active engagement in shaping the future of international cooperation.

This effort is guided by the Pact for the Future, which reaffirmed Member States’ commitment to future generations and to a more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world.

That commitment is reflected in tonight’s concert, where accomplished musicians and emerging talents play side by side.

In a few moments, we will hear Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, performed by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the orchestra and choir of the Haute école de musique de Genève, under the direction of Maestro Ton Koopman. Through this music, you remind us that the challenges of our time require solidarity across generations, and that young people are essential partners in building the future.

Thank you. Merci beaucoup.