Opening Statement UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Antje Grawe, on the Occasion of UN Day in Kyrgyzstan

Excellency First Deputy Minister Asein Isaev,

Distinguished Ministers and Representatives of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic,

Honorable Members of the Jogorku Kenesh,

Ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps and development partners,

Dear representatives of civil society, the private sector, academia and media,

Dear UN family,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Is is an enormous pleasure - and a great honor - to welcome you all, on behalf of the entire UN family in Kyrgyzstan, to this magnificent National Historical Museum to celebrate United Nations Day 2024. Today, we honor not only the 79th anniversary of the UN but also its enduring values, its work for our shared future, and the ways it impacts every corner of the globe, including here in Kyrgyzstan. 

We deliberately chose the National Historical Museum in Bishkek as the venue for this year's UN Day celebration. This museum, like the UN, is a reminder of where we have been and a guidepost for where we are going. Just as the museum preserves the history, culture, and identity of the Kyrgyz people, the UN seeks to preserve and promote the shared history and future of humanity.  I wish to extend my huge gratitude to the Minister of Culture and the Director of the Museum, here with us today, for opening the museum for us.

The United Nations is unique, as it “was built by the world, for the world”, as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres reminded us in his message on the occasion. He further recalled that “Since 1945, it has been the place for countries to unite behind global solutions to global problems. […], calling on all countries to “keep this beacon for the world, and its ideals, shining." 

To preserve this aspiration, we continue following the powerful vision of promoting peace, dignity, and equality for all, outlined in the UN Charter, whose very birthday we are celebrating on UN Day. But the UN Charter is not just a set of these principles;

• It is a global promise to protect human rights, foster social and economic development, uphold international law, and maintain peace and security. 
• It is a commitment to multilateralism, where nations, despite differences, come together to solve the world’s most pressing challenges, which has become even more important in our today’s world where the impact of climate change is upending lives and where people lose their lives and livelihoods every day in wars including in our wider region. 
• And it chartered the UN not as a distant entity, but as a living, breathing force for the common good. The UN is designed to be everybody and therefore matters to everyone.

To renew the spirit of the UN Charter, to reaffirm the commitment to multilateralism, and to accelerate progress on the Agenda 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, world leaders gathered last month in New York for the Summit of the Future. The outcome document of the Summit – the Pact for the Future - underscores that the challenges we face require cross-cutting and multidimensional answers.  

We aimed to reflect in today’s UN Fair and its main program. I cordially invite you to explore the stands spread out across several floors of this beautiful museum on the Leave No One Behind pledge, climate change, on health and food security, human rights and access to justice, youth and gender equality as well as peacebuilding. Within these thematic areas lie the hope and determination to build the better world we all aspire. 

We would also like to bring these topics closer to you artistically. After the ceremonial musical opening by the RUKH ensemble, we will hear a song in sign language. The famous Kyrgyz Olympians and Paralympians will project another form of global peace and harmony embodied in the Olympic idea, and the celebratory finale will be an Aitysh performance with improvised poetry covering various SGDs such as gender equality, women’s rights and human rights.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we celebrate UN Day today, let us also cherish Kyrgyzstan’s 32 years long membership in the United Nations and our many partners from Government, Members of Parliament, civil society, the private sector, media, and academia, and many others. Your determination in shaping Kyrgyzstan’s contributions to the UN’s goals and vision make a true difference to the people’s lives in Kyrgyzstan. 

But above all, allow me to highlight that the work of the UN family in Kyrgyzstan with its 27 UN agencies, funds and programs would not be possible without the dedication of its staff. 

I want to take this moment to offer my heartfelt thanks to all the UN staff working here in Kyrgyzstan. Your tireless efforts, whether in the field, in the office, are a testament to the power of cooperation and solidarity. You are the backbone of this organization, ensuring that our principles are not just words on paper but realities on the ground.

Before handing the floor to our Chief Guest, First Deputy Foreign Minister, H.E. Asein Isaev, allow me to congratulate our colleagues who recently won the Diplomatic Football Tournament – a success story that made the whole UN family in Kyrgyzstan very proud and that exemplifies the hard work, commitment and teamwork of the entire UN Country Team! Sincere congratulations from all of us once again! 

I am very honored that an amazing sportswoman who has won numerous prices including the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Paris in freestyle wrestling, Aisuluu Tynybekova, will handover a symbolic prize to our team, exemplary for all UN staff. 

[Handover certificate and winning cup]

Thank you all for your service, your dedication, and your belief in a better future and let us continue this important work together! 

Chon Rahmat.