Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon challenges Dubai students to take 'ownership of the world we live in'

Former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, recently visited the campus of Gems World Academy to open the school's Model United Nations (MUN) conference.

The statesman addressed the theme of this year’s conference – ‘Escaping the Shackles of a Post-Crisis World’ – in his opening address to students, in which he talked about the need for global cooperation in order to combat the ongoing pandemic.

He said: "I hope that the biggest takeaway for you will be ownership: ownership of the world we live in, ownership of the sustainable development goals, ownership of the Agenda 2030, ownership of the principle of leaving no one behind, and ownership of your contribution to the world, which might start small but can grow throughout your lifetime."

"I challenge you to think of yourselves as global citizens, as this can help us drop our urge to compete with one another and instead look out for our common well-being. You are part of the largest generation of young people the world has ever seen. Use this to your benefit," he added.

As the official ambassador for the school's Model United Nations, Ban Ki-moon urged students to work together. "Be cooperative, not competitive. Be loud, not silent. See the common good and not only your personal gains. Let us work together to make this world better for all people – that is your, and our, moral responsibility at this time,” he said.

The school's principal and CEO Dr Saima Rana, said: “To host a statesman of his stature, with his level of experience on the global stage, and to hear him share his insights, observations and advice is an incredibly valuable learning opportunity for our students.”

Inspired by the speech, Arnav Kedia, Deputy Secretary-General, GEMS World Academy – Dubai MUN, said: “It was truly inspirational to hear His Excellency speak about the importance of global cooperation and how young people can play a vital role in facilitating global change.”

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