Dear friends from all over the world,
I wish you a Happy New Year.
When I took office a year ago, I called for 2017 to be a year of peace. Unfortunately - and radically - the opposite has happened.
On this first day of 2018, it's not an appeal I'm making: it's a warning message, a red alert for our world.
Conflicts have escalated and new dangers have emerged. Around the world, fears about nuclear weapons have never been greater since the end of the Cold War. Climate change is happening faster than we are. Inequalities are on the rise. We are witnessing serious violations of human rights. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise. All these factors add up to a paradox of our times: problems are becoming global, while people are turning in on themselves.
At the start of 2018, I call for unity. I firmly believe that we can make our world safer. We can resolve conflicts, overcome hatred and protect our shared values. But we must be united to achieve this.
I urge the leaders of every country in the world to make the following New Year's resolution: Close the gaps. Overcome divisions. Rebuild trust by uniting people around common goals. Unity is the way forward: our future depends on it.
I wish you peace and health in 2018. Thank you very much. Shokran. Xie Xie. Thank you. Spasiba. Gracias. Obrigado.