The UN’s Role in Promoting World Peace
Remarks by U.S. Consul General Michael S. Owen
At UN Day Celebration
Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan,
Mumbai
October 28, 2005

It is a special privilege and honor to be with you here today on UN Day; and not just any UN Day, but the 60^th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations. 

Uniting Nations is not an easy thing to do, but for the past 60 years, countries big and small, developed and developing, agreeing and disagreeing, and at war and at peace, have managed to join together under the banner of the United Nations for serious causes.  I think this in and of itself should be viewed as a major accomplishment:  even though there have been deep divisions among nations during these 60 years, we have still managed to continue a dialogue via the UN.  From building millions of refugee shelters, to halting deadly diseases, to feeding the poor, to keeping the peace, the UN has impacted countries worldwide.  As it embarks on its 60^th anniversary this year, there is certainly cause for celebration, and let’s not lose sight of that fact. 

When we think about the United Nations, there is perhaps an understandable tendency to focus on the high profile aspects:  the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Secretary General, and peacekeeping operations.  They are at the forefront of the UN’s efforts to promote world peace, and their efforts were recognized in 2001 when the UN and Secretary General Kofi Annan were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and UN peacekeeping operations were award the Nobel Peace prize in 1988.  But today in my brief remarks I would like to focus on other less prominent parts of the UN that nonetheless play vital roles in promoting world peace, because they play a vital role in creating the conditions under which peace can take root and flourish.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) was founded in 1919 and is thus the only surviving major creation of the treaty of Versailles which brought the League of Nations into being.  The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946.  The ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work provided for a wide range of basic labor rights, including freedom of association, right to collective bargaining, elimination of forced labor and child labor, and the application of core labor standards that apply internationally to all nations.  The ILO now has some 180 internationally ratified conventions on labor, and is recognized as playing a major role in ensuring all workers, around the world, are treated humanely.  For its efforts, the International Labor Organization was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969, and in the award speech, it was noted that “ILO has had a lasting influence on the labor legislation of all countries.”

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established in December 1950, and is mandated to lead and coordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide.  It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally, or resettle in a third country.  In more than five decades, UNHCR has helped an estimated 50 million refugees restart their lives.  Today, UNHCR operates in 116 countries and helps some 19.2 million refugees.  UNHCR’s work has not only provided relief to displaced refugees in dire conditions, but by doing so has helped promote peace.  UNHCR’s efforts have been recognized by two separate Nobel Peace prizes, in 1954 and again in 1981.

The United Nations’ Childrens’ fund, (UNICEF) is also one of the oldest UN organizations, created in December 1946 to provide food, clothing and health care to children facing famine and disease in the aftermath of World War II.  In 1953 UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN system, and in 1954 the American actor Danny Kaye became UNICEF’s first “Ambassador at Large,” starting a trend that continues today with famous entertainment and sports personalities who bring world attention to the plight of children around the world.  The Declaration of the Rights of the Child was adopted by the UN in 1959, and since that time UNICEF has worked to ensure every child’s rights to protection, education, health care, shelter, and good nutrition are respected and fulfilled.  UNICEF’s outstanding contributions to world peace were recognized with its receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965.

The United States is very proud to host the main United Nations Headquarters, with the General Assembly and Security Council in New York City.  The United States Government is today the world’s largest contributor to the UN system, and we have been the largest contributor in every year since the UN’s creation 60 years ago.  Today we contribute some 22 percent of the regular UN budget.  We are also very large contributors to peacekeeping operations.  We are proud of these contributions, and happy to see the results of the UN’s efforts to promote peace around the world.  As I hope I’ve underlined today, these efforts are not just about what happens in the Security Council or General Assembly, but about the efforts of the UN’s many agencies around the world.  I join everyone present in saluting the UN system for 60 years of admirable accomplishments.

Thank you.