Welcome remarks by the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Nathalie Ndongo-Seh at the award ceremony for the UN75 Essay Competition held at the UN house, Mbabane

A warm welcome and good afternoon to all of you Panel members, winners of the essay competition, parents and custodians, media representatives and colleagues.

As we all know, a few months ago, the UN in Eswatini initiated a UN75 Essay Competition for children and young people through partnership with The Times of Eswatini as part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. This partnership with the media is highly appreciated and shall be encouraged and strengthened going forward.The essay competition that brings us here today was an integral part of the UN75 dialogues initiative aimed at gathering voices from all people across the globe, especially marginalised groups, on the theme “the future we want, the UN we need.”

The competition was opened to children and young people between the ages of 10 and 24 years, who were asked to share their views and suggestions in the following categories: • 10 – 16 years: What kind of world would you like to see by 2045? Tell us about your dream world for 2045. • 17 – 24 years: What are the main challenges and obstacles towards achieving a peaceful and prosperous world, and how can we get there?

Last week, the UN released the UN75 Report to the 75th Session of the General Assembly. The report covers feedback from dialogues, surveys and essay competitions. The key findings reveal a strong call for action on inequalities and climate change, as well as more solidarity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Across regions, ages and social groups, respondents were broadly united in their priorities for the future.

These include improved access to basic services – healthcare, safe water, sanitation and education, followed by greater international solidarity and increased support to those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes tackling inequalities and rebuilding a more inclusive economy.

Looking to the future, the overwhelming concerns are the climate crisis and the destruction of our natural environment. Other priorities include ensuring greater respect for human rights, settling conflicts, tackling poverty and reducing corruption. In these feedback platforms, we also noted the call for the UN to change and innovate, to be more inclusive and become more transparent, accountable and effective. In your essays, you raised similar issues. Well, we are here today because, in every competition, ultimately, there must be a winner. First and foremost, congratulations to all the competitors in the room.

Your presence here today means that you have made it to the Top 3 in each of the two categories of the essay competition. You decided to make your voices in Eswatini heard by the world and we are both proud of you and grateful for your suggestions to make our future better. I also wish to recognize and thank my fellow Panel members for sacrificing their time and energy at this very busy period of the year and during this vicious COVID-19 pandemic.

It is my pleasure to introduce to you the Panel members, who joined me in reviewing the essays and who are: Mr. Martin Dlamini, Managing Editor of The Times of Eswatini; Ms. Margaret Thwala-Tembe, Head of Office for UNFPA; and Ms. Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative. In the coming weeks, on 24 October, the UN in Eswatini will be commemorated UN Day most likely with an open access to this location, your house. We believe it will be a fun day for interaction with one another, learn more about the UN and get access to essential health services.

Details will be shared with you in the coming days but the general public and our today’s winners will all be invited. In conclusion, I would like to encourage our youth to dream big and wild for a brighter future for the generations to come and to continue to speak up,make their voices heard because as children and young people – you are the future! Once again, thank you for your participation in this competition and in today’s award ceremony.

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Dear Panel members, competitors, parents and custodians, media representatives and colleagues. At this stage of the award ceremony, I also wish to extend my thanks and appreciation to the parents and guardians of all the children and young people who responded to our call for action. Despite the short 7 days deadline to submit essays, we received a total of 192 essays from across the country. All these essays were remarkably good, making it difficult for all of us, Panel members, to choose the best.

I therefore wish to congratulate all 192 essay competition candidates: you are all winners. We are still looking into various options to share widely all your essays. Should funds permit, we may publish a booklet that includes all essays, so that the voices of Eswatini may be heard and others may learn from you. It is my august pleasure, privilege and honour to announce the following winners of the UN75 essay competition who will be given the opportunity to say a few words upon receiving their prize, if they wish:

1. In the category 10-16 years of age

Candidate in 3rd place: Sizo Hlongwane – 15 years

Candidate in 2nd place: Lethokuhle Dludlu – 13 years

Candidate in 1st place: Hlelelwe Ginindza – 16 years

2. In the category 17-24 years of age

Candidate in 3rd place: Muzi Dlamini – 24 years

Candidate in 2nd place: Samkeliso Hlatshwayo – 21 years

Candidate in 1st place: Lungiselwe Mbingo – 18 years

Congratulations to all of you. With visions, views and suggestions like yours, world leaders and each of us may rebuild and shape a greener, prosperous, fairer, more equal, brighter and better future in which no-one is left behind.

Thank you.