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Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth – these are one and the same fight.

Ban Ki-moon

The current model is global suicide. We need a revolution. Revolutionary thinking. Revolutionary action. Natural resources are becoming more and more scarce.
BAN KI-MOON

Business Suicide Thinking
The basic building block of peace and security for all peoples is economic and social security, anchored in sustainable development. It is a key to all problems. Why? Because it allows us to address all the great issues-poverty, climate, environment and political stability-as parts of the whole.
BAN KI-MOON

Block Issues Keys
I call on men and boys everywhere to join us. Violence against women and girls will not be eradicated until all of us – men and boys – refuse to tolerate it.
BAN KI-MOON

Boys Girl Powerful
Many say our world is at a tipping point. If we do not act together, if we do not act responsibly, if we do not act now, we risk slipping into a cycle of poverty, degradation, and despair.
BAN KI-MOON

Our Risk Together World
Men must teach each other that real men do not violate or oppress women – and that a woman’s place is not just in the home or the field, but in schools and offices and boardrooms.
BAN KI-MOON

Home Real School
The unity in diversity of the United States is one of the country’s greatest strengths.
BAN KI-MOON

Country Diversity Unity
As many micro-credit schemes across the world can testify, investment in women is the best investment for the future.
BAN KI-MOON

Credit Investment World
Gender equality and women’s empowerment have been a top priority for me from day one as Secretary-General. And I am committed to making sure that the U.N. leads by example.
BAN KI-MOON

Empowerment Example Priorities
It is but a short step from hunger to starvation, from disease to death.
BAN KI-MOON

Disease Poverty Step
I have been urging the leaders to listen to the aspirations and challenges of their own people, and engage in dialogue and take very bold measures. Normally, to their regret, these measures and bold reforms come too late, too little.
BAN KI-MOON

Leader People Regret
To measure the success of our societies, we should examine how well those with different abilities, including persons with autism, are integrated as full and valued members.
BAN KI-MOON

Autism Different Our Society
I call for the need of world leaders to address climate change and reduce the increasing risk of disasters- and world leaders must include mayors, townships and community leaders.
BAN KI-MOON

Community Leader Risk
Let us acknowledge and celebrate what youth can do to build a safer, more just world. Let us strengthen our efforts to include young people in policies, programmes and decision-making processes that benefit their futures and ours.
BAN KI-MOON

Decision Effort People
We must unite. Violence against women cannot be tolerated, in any form, in any context, in any circumstance, by any political leader or by any government.
BAN KI-MOON

Government Leader Political
One of the main lessons I have learned during my five years as Secretary-General is that broad partnerships are the key to solving broad challenges. When governments, the United Nations, businesses, philanthropies and civil society work hand-in-hand, we can achieve great things.
BAN KI-MOON

Government Hands Keys
The world is over-armed and peace is under-funded.
BAN KI-MOON

Arm Fund Over World
Only through women’s full and equal participation in all areas of public and private life can we hope to achieve the sustainable, peaceful and just society promised in the United Nations Charter.
BAN KI-MOON

Achieve Equal Peaceful
Our atmosphere can’t tell the difference between emissions from an Asian factory, the exhaust from a North American SUV, or deforestation in South America or Africa.
BAN KI-MOON

America Atmosphere Differences
Climate change is destroying our path to sustainability. Ours is a world of looming challenges and increasingly limited resources. Sustainable development offers the best chance to adjust our course.
BAN KI-MOON

Challenges Climate Limited Resources
My observation is China is thinking more as a global player than regionally, in both politics and economics.
BAN KI-MOON

Economics Player Thinking
National boundaries these days are not that important because of transformative technological development. Now we are talking about the fourth industrial revolution.
BAN KI-MOON

Boundaries Important Revolution
Between now and 2015, we must make sure that promises made become promises kept. The consequences of doing otherwise are profound: death, illness and despair, needless suffering, lost opportunities for millions upon millions of people.
BAN KI-MOON

Opportunity People Profound
The future of any leader or political systems is to be determined by the people of the country.
BAN KI-MOON

Country Leader People
Since problems spill across borders, security anywhere depends on sustainable development everywhere.
BAN KI-MOON

Borders Environmental Security
The taking of life is too absolute, too irreversible, for one human being to inflict on another, even when backed by legal process. Where the death penalty persists, conditions for those awaiting execution are often horrifying, leading to aggravated suffering.
BAN KI-MOON

Death Execution Penalty Suffering
Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance.
BAN KI-MOON

Exercise Growth Justice
As the young leaders of tomorrow, you have the passion and energy and commitment to make a difference. What I’d like to really urge you do is to have a global vision. Go beyond your country; go beyond your national boundaries
BAN KI-MOON

Commitment Country Passion

Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth – these are one and the same fight.

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Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth – these are one and the same fight.

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