MESSAGE TO MONTESSORI MODEL UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

New York,13 April to 16 April,2011

On behalf of the entire United Nations system, thank you for taking part in this hands on exercise in international diplomacy. This Model UN conference will teach you something about the sheer grind of international diplomacy; the patience needed to reach consensus; the teamwork that reaps rewards.

The spirit of the United Nations is resilient, dedicated, striving to do more. We try to bring that spirit to all our work. If you feel some of that same commitment and dedication, I hope you will bring it to you efforts at this Model UN, and to everything that you do.

We also need to harness your spirit, and the spirit of youth around the world ,to address the tough challenges we are facing. The agreed deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals,2015,is nearly upon us, yet many countries are not on track. Climate change is a potentially catastrophic threat, especially for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Discrimination against women and girls remains widespread even though we know that women’s empowerment is the key to prosperity. And we continue to live under the shadow of nuclear weapons.

So let us united the United Nations spirit and the great determination of the world’s young people. Half the population of the world is under 25.You live in extraordinary times, which create extraordinary opportunities for change. Help us meet the trials of our age and shape the world for good.

译文：

联合国秘书长潘基文致函MMUN（蒙台梭利模拟联合国）会议

2011年4月13日至2011年4月16日  纽约

我谨代表联合国各部门，对你们亲力亲为地在国际外交中所做的尝试表示最诚挚的感谢。

相信通过这次蒙台梭利模拟联合国会议，你们一定可以深刻地认识到国际外交工作的艰苦卓绝，体会到达成共识所需的包容耐心，并且见证团队合作浇灌出的累累硕果。

联合国的精神是“坚韧、奉献、更有所为”，这正是我们所有工作秉承的原则。倘若你们也愿致力于此，我真切地期望在此次蒙台梭利模拟联合国会议以及接下来人生中的每一件事务中，你们都能够传承这一精神，践行这一原则。

同时我们也应坚定信念，带领全世界年轻的一代，共同应对面临的挑战。2015年悄然临近，国际达成的“千年发展目标” 的实现日期就近在眼前，然而依旧有许多国家的发展还没有步入正轨；气候变化这一潜在灾难，威胁着所有国家，特别是对于最贫穷脆弱的民族，它的影响尤为巨大；时代的发展与繁荣已离不开对女性权利的认可，但对妇女和女童的歧视却依然广泛存在；核武器的发展让当今世界始终笼罩在核威胁的阴影下。

因此，我们应该继承联合国的精神，为全世界青年树立坚定的信念。世界上二分之一的人口都是25岁以下的年轻人。一个非凡的时代造就了非凡的蒙台梭利模拟联合国，这令世界获得改变的契机。请与我们携手，应对时代的挑战，共创美好的世界。