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Speeches
Closing remarks to the Special Session of the General
Assembly on Children on behalf of the Secretary-General
10 May 2002
Carol Bellamy, UNICEF Executive Director
 It
is my honour to be here on behalf of the Secretary-General
who has been such an advocate and supporter of children's
central role in achieving global peace and development.
I would like to begin my remarks by first expressing
appreciation to the members of the preparatory committee
and to the various negotiating groups. For the very
long serving and excellent members of the Bureau, Ambassador
Durant, Ambassador Schumacher, our two Ambassadors Chorwdhury,
Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, and Ambassador Iftekhar
Chowdhury, Ambassador Topic, Ambassador Tall.
To the over 60 summit level participants and representatives
from 170 countries, to the NGOs. To the representatives
of the private sector, to the religious leaders, to
the Parliamentarians, to the Paediatricians and to the
children and young people themselves. To Conference
Services, to my wonderful extraordinary colleagues at
UNICEF and Mr. President, to you as well.
In his opening statement, the Secretary-General mentioned
that this Special Session had to be truly special.
Indeed it has been.
We have had three days of extraordinary meetings.
This has been the first session of the General Assembly
where children were not only seen, they were heard.
They captured our hearts, they captured our minds.
They inspired us with their energy and their enthusiasm.
They reminded us of our past promises and they asked
for action now.
"We are not only the future, we are also the present"
they said. "We are not an expenditure, we are an
investment" they said.
The Secretary-General has repeatedly recognized that
children are not only an investment, but that investing
in children is the first essential step toward breaking
the cycle of poverty.
You have just approved a strong action-oriented document
so appropriately called "A World Fit for Children".
The goals for children that you have just committed
to are at the very heart of the Millennium Development
Goals.
On behalf of the Secretary-General, I would like to
take this opportunity to congratulate you.
On behalf of the Secretary-General, I would like to
remind you that now is time for action.
Thank you very much.
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