This year’s general debate opened with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressing UN’s membership.

Over six days, 190 Member States took to the iconic green marble podium, highlighting the pressing challenges confronting the international community and the need for global unity to overcome. In addition, three Observers also spoke.

As these leaders addressed global challenges, Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly, closed the session with a powerful reminder of the ongoing conflicts and the urgent need for peace.

Conflicts raging in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine are unfortunately not an exhaustive list, he said.

“In the last few days, the world has seen an extremely dramatic escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. That escalation risks causing war in the entire Middle East region.”

“This must stop, and it must stop now. The world must not allow an all-out war to happen in this volatile region,” he stressed, calling on all parties – Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah – to urgently come to a ceasefire.

“And for all remaining hostages to be freed immediately and unharmed.”

Move forward together

Mr. Yang emphasized that only by working together can the international community confront and overcome the complex and discouraging challenges before it.

“Only through dialogue, listening, and collective action, can we find solutions that benefit all of us.”

He emphasized that the theme for the 79th Session – Unity in diversity, for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for everyone, everywhere – is not just a guiding principle, it is a call to action.

“The theme reminds us that our strength lies in our diversity, and our ability to unite stakeholders around our common goals,” he said.

“Let us all move forward together with this spirit of unity and shared responsibility. Let us continue our work, with the clear aim of building a peaceful, just, and dignified future for all.”