Diplomat Quotes

"Men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all the other alternatives."

"A consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually."

"If Algeria introduced a resolution declaring that the earth was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass by a vote of 164 to 13 with 26 abstentions."

"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives."

"His ignorance is encyclopedic."

"Better to be disliked than pitied."

"I think that this is the first war in history that on the morrow the victors sued for peace and the vanquished called for unconditional surrender."

"Consensus is what many people say in chorus but do not believe as individuals."

"It is our experience that political leaders do not always mean the opposite of what they say."

"A statesman who keeps his ear permanently glued to the ground will have neither elegance of posture nor flexibility of movement."

"The Jews are the living embodiment of the minority, the constant reminder of what duties societies owe their minorities, whoever they might be."

"One of the chief tasks of any dialogue with the Gentile world is to prove that the distinction between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism is not a distinction at all."

"Lest Arab governments be tempted out of sheer routine to rush into impulsive rejection, let me suggest that tragedy is not what men suffer but what they miss."

"Time and again these governments have rejected proposals today - and longed for them tomorrow."

"You can't achieve anything without getting in someone's way."

"Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance."

"We are using resources as if we had two planets, not one. There can be no 'plan B' because there is no 'planet B.'"

"Climate change is destroying our path to sustainability. Ours is a world of looming challenges and increasingly limited resources. Sustainable development offers the best chance to adjust our course."

"One of the main lessons I have learned during my five years as Secretary-General is that broad partnerships are the key to solving broad challenges. When governments, the United Nations, businesses, philanthropies and civil society work hand-in-hand, we can achieve great things."

"Education promotes equality and lifts people out of poverty. It teaches children how to become good citizens. Education is not just for a privileged few, it is for everyone. It is a fundamental human right."

"Climate change does not respect border; it does not respect who you are - rich and poor, small and big. Therefore, this is what we call 'global challenges,' which require global solidarity."

"When I was six, the Korean War broke out, and all the classrooms were destroyed by war. We studied under the trees or in whatever buildings were left."

"We must eliminate all nuclear weapons in order to eliminate the grave risk they pose to our world. This will require persistent efforts by all countries and peoples. A nuclear war would affect everyone, and all have a stake in preventing this nightmare."

"The burden for achieving disarmament cannot be borne by peace groups alone. Everybody, regardless of age, income, profession, gender or nationality, has a stake in this quest."

"Nuclear power plants must be prepared to withstand everything from earthquakes to tsunamis, from fires to floods to acts of terrorism."

"As a child growing up during the Korean War, I knew poverty. I studied by candlelight."

"The clear and present danger of climate change means we cannot burn our way to prosperity. We already rely too heavily on fossil fuels. We need to find a new, sustainable path to the future we want. We need a clean industrial revolution."

"Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, girls and boys. It is everyone's responsibility."

"Defeating racism, tribalism, intolerance and all forms of discrimination will liberate us all, victim and perpetrator alike."

"Climate change, demographics, water, food, energy, global health, women's empowerment - these issues are all intertwined. We cannot look at one strand in isolation. Instead, we must examine how these strands are woven together."