António Guterres was acclaimed as the new secretary general of the United Nations (UN). The recognition of his merit, humanism, political and executive experience, his mediation and persuasion skills, his incredible capacity for work and preparation gives us encouragement in a world that puts everyone to the test.
We can only be proud of this Portuguese that stands out once again on the international scene and that raises Portuguese speaking and Portuguese diplomacy to a higher level.
For the first time in its history, the choice of UN Secretary General was made along the open lines that we have followed: a demanding assessment of candidates, a scalped scrutiny of paths, résumés and profiles. And although European institutional actors with responsibilities resorted to the old methods, transparency prevailed, and the urgent need for a new paradigm was recognized.
I strongly hope that, once and for all, it will be recognized that the intervention of the European Union can only have the confidence of the citizens and be credible on a global level if it is guided by the uncompromising defense of humanistic values, transparency, seriousness and ethics.
I also hope that the United Nations will assume the necessary prominent role in the global geopolitical panorama.
The global challenges we face are very demanding. International organizations must be up to the task of building a more just and solidary world.
We desperately need leaders capable of acting with determination in solving the complex problems and dramas we face and who contribute with solutions that promote balance among nations and pursue a path of peace and justice.
We need more involved citizens, more scrutinizers, more socially and civically committed. Only then will institutions and leaders have the proper context that will allow us to achieve the realization of a more cohesive global society.
The humility and gratitude expressed by the new UN Secretary General gives us renewed inspiration in institutions, leadership and confidence in the future.
May the mandate of António Guterres at the head of the UN's destinies be engraved in our collective history as synonymous with building a better world!
Author: Inês Morais Pereira is a lawyer and doctoral candidate in Innovation and Territory Management at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Algarve
Comments