Activities of Secretary-General in Saudi Arabia, 13-14 December

The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, arrived in Riyadh in the evening of Saturday, 13 December.

On Sunday, 14 December, the Secretary-General opened the eleventh Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Riyadh. In remarks, Mr. Guterres saluted the goals of the Alliance. He said that the Alliance was launched 20 years ago to help show humanity, in all its diversity, could talk, listen and build together.

The harder path, the one chosen by the Alliance, is one that leads towards dialogue, building bridges across cultures and civilizations, taking all to a better place - a place where disputes are settled not by force, but by understanding and respect for international law.

Later in the day, after an official lunch, the Secretary-General addressed member States at a high-level ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilization.

In his remarks, the Secretary-General encouraged Member States to engage and support the Alliance of Civilizations, including through the voluntary trust fund. This, the Secretary-General said, will be critical as we chart the next phase of this journey.

The Secretary-General left Saudi Arabia later in the afternoon of Sunday, 14 December.