First Lady Fazna Ahmed has stated that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of social bonds more evident. The First Lady made the remarks during a virtual ceremony held Wednesday to launch activities in the Maldives celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations (UN75).
During the ceremony, the official UN75 video, entitled ‘Shaping our Future Together’ was aired. It featured a diverse cross section of Maldivian society, from senior government officials, to local civil society actors, who expressed their views regarding the kind of future they want for the country, touching on topics ranging from economic diversification and decentralization, to good governance and environmentalism.
During her intervention the First Lady highlighted how the social and economic adjustments made to our lives in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of our social bonds more evident. She emphasized that all our actions must be taken in light of how they affect others; that no person should prioritise their own needs above the community, since we all rely upon others for help; and that our individual well-being is inextricable from our common well-being.
Following the video’s conclusion, attendees took a short survey on UN75, asking them what they consider to be the most pressing challenges facing the world, and to identify what the UN's priorities should be going forward.
The Maldives’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdulla Shahid joined the country’s UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Catherine Haswell to officially launch the campaign in the Maldives.
The theme for UN75 ‘the future we want, the UN we need’ takes inspiration from remarks made by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, on last year’s UN Day, October 24 2019, which reiterated the importance of multilateral cooperation to achieve common goals.
Photo: PO
