SG/SM/7599

MUSIC CAN INSPIRE GLOBAL MISSION OF SEARCH FOR PEACE, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL AT UN DAY CONCERT

Tribute to Vienna Symphony Orchestra in Its Centennial Year

This is the text of remarks last night (24 October) by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the United Nations Day concert in the General Assembly Hall:

We are lucky to celebrate two birthdays today: our own and that of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, which does us a great honour by kicking off its centennial tour with a concert at the United Nations.

As this great orchestra turns 100, we in the United Nations may appear a mere spring chicken by comparison. On behalf of all the United Nations, I wish the Symphony "alles gute zum geburtstag" (Good wishes for your birthday). Let me also thank the Government of Austria and the City of Vienna for helping to make this concert possible.

The United Nations is not a spring chicken any more, of course. But this year, the fifty-fifth in the life of our Organization, has put it to new tests. I believe it has also given it new promise. For this Millennium year has brought renewed resolve by the leaders of the world to work together to meet the needs of the peoples.

Forty years ago this evening, on 24 October 1960, Dag Hammarskj�ld stood in this Hall to introduce that year's UN Day Concert. He called on humankind to "turn the simple values, which are our common heritage, into the firm foundation on which we may unite our strength and live together in peace".

Today, in this year of 2000, I believe we are a little closer to achieving the end that Hammarskj�ld envisioned as he stood in this Hall four decades ago. I believe the Millennium Summit showed that it is possible to turn the simple values we have in common into the foundations of peace. May the music we are about to hear inspire us in that mission. If music be the food of peace, play on.

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