UN Resident Coordinator's Statement (as delivered) on Occasion of Chingiz Aitmatov’s 95th Anniversary

Dear Rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Dear Roza Aitmatova and other members of Chingiz Aitmatov’s family,

Excellencies,

Colleagues and Friends,

It is a great honor to be here with you today and cherish Chingiz Aitmatov’s life and his works, which have inspired and continue to inspire generations not only in Kyrgyzstan, but around the globe.

The themes of his works, which so often explore love and friendship, war and peace, poverty and social injustice, and people's relation with nature are of timeless relevance. However, one could argue that they are even more important these days when inequalities are growing globally, human rights are under pressure, ideological divides are deepening and our planet and our nature are suffering from mostly human-made exploitation or indifference. 

As countries are preparing to step up their commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and present them later this year at the SDG Summit convened by the UN Secretary-General to "rescue the SDGs", it is a timely moment for all of us to receive again inspiration from Chingiz Aitmatov's works:

• to be guided by the freedom of choice and the idea of non-discrimination in "Jamila"; 
• to follow the call to protect nature and to treat all living creatures with respect and love which transcends "White Ship";
• to share the passion for education and (gender) of the "First Teacher"; and, importantly, 
• to live every day with the awareness that we all, each and everyone of us, has a responsibility for our actions and their impact on future generations which is the leitmotif in  "Cassandra's Mark". 

Let us all indeed draw this inspiration from his rich work which very much resonates with the main objective of the SDGs which have humanity at its core. and which strive to transform the world "for people and the planet, now and into the future". 

Thank you. Chon Rahmat.