Achieving goals of peace, prosperity require all individuals’ efforts – Ban

Every person has a role to play in bolstering peace, and achieving prosperity is the culmination of the efforts of us all, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

“Our destiny lies in our hands,” Mr. Ban said, addressing the Lion’s Club, a global service organization of more than 1 million people.

The Lions were present at the world body’s founding conference in 1945, and “you have stood by our side ever since,” he said.

“We are responsible for what happens to us,” the Secretary-General told the gathering, adding that that responsibility also extends to what happens to our neighbours.

“Realizing peace and prosperity and fulfilling the dreams on which the United Nations is built – these things begin with you, with me, with all of us.”

Citing areas around the world – including Haiti, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – facing challenges where ordinary people are trapped in the cycle of conflict, Mr. Ban said that he speaks on behalf of the world’s most vulnerable wherever he travels.

“I see such resilience wherever I go,” he said, stressing the importance of the partnership between the UN and its partners, including the Lions.