NNA – The following are UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres remarks ndash; Peace Message (as delivered in Lumbini, Nepal):nbsp;
ldquo;Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour to be here in Lumbini ndash; a site of spirituality, serenity, and peace.nbsp;nbsp;
And I am deeply moved to have been invited, to be here and to pay tribute to Lord Buddha.
This is a place to reflect on the teachings of Lord Buddha. And to consider what his message of peace, interdependence, and compassion, means in todayrsquo;s troubled world.nbsp;nbsp;
Humanity is at war with nature and at war with itself.nbsp;nbsp;
In the Middle East, Ukraine, the Sahel, Sudan and many other places around the world, conflict is raging.nbsp;nbsp;
Global rules and institutions are being undermined as human rights and international law are trampled.nbsp;nbsp;
Ordinary people ndash; children, women, and men ndash; pay the highest price in appalling loss of life and human suffering.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;
A record number of people have fled their homes to escape violence, conflict, and persecution.nbsp;nbsp;
Poverty and inequality are rife.nbsp;nbsp;
And the impacts of the climate crisis are mounting ndash; with floods, fires, and droughts taking lives and destroying livelihoods around the world, including here in Nepal, as I could witness in my two visits today and yesterday.
In these troubled times, my message to the world from the tranquil gardens of Lumbini is simple:nbsp;nbsp;
Humanity has a choice.nbsp;nbsp;
The path to peace is ours to take.nbsp;nbsp;
It is not always an easy one. Challenges may look insurmountable. Problems may feel overwhelming.nbsp;nbsp;
But guided by Lord Buddharsquo;s timeless example, I believe it is a vision we can make real through action:nbsp;nbsp;
Action to protect the rights and dignity of all;nbsp;nbsp;
Action to heal, bridge divides, and build trust and understanding;nbsp;
Action to make the Sustainable Development Goals a reality, especially for the benefit of the most vulnerable;nbsp;nbsp;
And action to end the assault on our planet by rapidly reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and restoring biodiversity.nbsp;nbsp;
Across the ages, Lord Buddharsquo;s message of compassion, non-violence and interdependence calls to us all, and inspires us all ndash; reminding us of our common humanity and the connectedness of all things.nbsp;nbsp;
Dear Friends,nbsp;nbsp;
Peace is more than a noble vision,nbsp;nbsp;
It is a rallying cry.nbsp;nbsp;
And it is an appeal I make today.nbsp;nbsp;
From these sacred gardens, I call on the world to act now for peace.nbsp;
And I thank you.rdquo;
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