Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Bismillah-ir-Rahaman-ir-Rahim
President of the General Assembly Miroslav Lajcák,
Secretary-General António Guterres,
Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed,
Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan,

The many Permanent Representatives in attendance,
Ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you so much Kofi Annan for your generous words of introduction. There is no person alive today who has made a greater contribution to world peace than you, and thanks are due to you from all around the world.

Speech by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,
United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development
Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Jubilee Games
Dubai, UAE

Saturday, 23 July 2016

Admirable Participants in the 2016 Jubilee Games,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

President Frank and leaders of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada,
Madame Clarkson
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies & Gentlemen

Monsieur le Président, je voudrais vous remercier pour l’honneur que votre institut me fait aujourd’hui. Je remercie Monsieur Baird de m’avoir nommé pour recevoir ce prix si prestigieux et de ces paroles élogieuses.

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Chancellor Labelle
President Rock
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests

Permettez-moi d'exprimer avant toute chose ma profonde reconnaissance pour l'insigne honneur que vous me faites.

Deforestation is one of the great challenges of our times. Scientists estimate about half of all the forests that once covered the Earth are gone. The United Nations Environment Programme tells us that 13 million hectares of forest are destroyed around the globe every year. At that rate a forest the size of Kenya would be cut in less than six years. A forest the size of Uganda – three…

This year is the UN International Year of Forests. It should remind us of the importance of forests in our lives.

Thank you President Vest for your very generous words of introduction and thank you all for the very warm welcome. It is an honour to be invited to address such a distinguished assemblage of educators. If IQ could be converted into kilowatts, I have no doubt that the quantum massed here tonight would meet the world's energy requirements for at least a decade.

President Isidro, Senator Alonto,
Members of the Faculty,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by saying how very honoured and happy I am to be with you on this great occasion. I appreciated enormously your kind words and wonderful receptions and hope that when I leave you this afternoon you will be sure that you have one more sincere friend and admirer of the University of Mindanao.