Statement by H.E. Prof. Diogo Freitas do Amaral
 the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations

His Serene Highness Prince Hans-Adam II,
His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor,
His Excellency Archbishop Jean Louis Tauran,
His Excellency Archbishop Renato Martino,
His Excellency Ambassador Paolo Fulci,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

We gathered here today in order to debate, in a deeper sense of interpretation, the address made by His Holiness Pope John Paul II to the General Assembly of the United Nations on the occasion of his official visit to the organization last October.

For all of us, and for the member states, it was a great privilege to receive the visit of His Holiness, whose presence honoured the organization at its 50th Anniversary.

Some time ago, when I received the invitation to participate in this Seminar, I became extremely interested to see how such a remarkable speech had had an impact in its audience.

When we are faced with many criticisms on both the form and the performance of our organization, His Holiness brought us hope for the future, recalled us the right of Nations to live in peace and good neighborhood, reminded us of the common human patrimony that we have to defend and transmit to future generations, supported all countries in their quest for freedom and within the deepest respect for differences and its richness, told us not to be afraid of commitment as human beings and as partners in everyday's life.

If I may chose some aspects within His Holiness speech, I would like to underline the "inviolable demands of a universal moral law" and the fact that we are "A Family of Nations".

The importance of recognizing the existence of a "moral logic which is built into human life" as His Holiness told us, leads us to the major role that ethics should play in all acts of life, be it of a human being, a family, a community, a nation or an international organization. On the other hand, the Family of Nations. Within the family, there is share, commitment and mutual trust based on dialogue. The United Nations, through its activities and continuous debates, endeavours to build a safer and better existence for all member states, as equal and essential parts of a whole, of a family, and to all their citizens.

When we look at the state of the world today, we do not see a beautiful picture: we see war, ethnic and religious persecutions, genocide, disrespect for human rights, disease, hunger, basic needs unsatisfied, development blocked, and poverty, much poverty, excessive and unacceptable poverty in many countries and regions of the planet.

How come that after two thousand years of Christ's message "love thy brother", our world is still in such a state?

Whatever the answers to this question, the sure thing is that we cannot despair, we cannot give up in our fight for peace, human rights, welfare and development. But to go on facing so many obstacles we need hope. Hope in humankind, hope in the future, hope in a universal moral law placed above politics, above power, above money, above human imperfection.

The great message conveyed to the United Nations General Assembly by Pope John Paul II was precisely this message of hope. We thank him very deeply for that.