A Prayer for the United Nations General Assembly

 

The 77th annual session of the United Nations is underway in New York City and the secretary general, Antonio Guterres, was blunt in naming the challenges faced by the organization in terms of international order and multilateralism. The future of the UN seems uncertain as we witness the rise of right-wing nationalism and general skepticism about the institution. 

I do feel that there is still an important place in international dialogue and action for the United Nations even though the criticisms about its unwieldly structure and effectiveness have some validity -- how can Russia still be a member of the Security Council with veto power?

The theme for this year’s General Assempby “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges”.

 The New York Times described the opening address by Guterres as pivotting between alarm and hope, which is not unlike the prophetic utterances of prophets in the Judeo/Christian tradition. Those prophets were directed by God to tell the truth, regardless of whether people wanted to hear.

Guterres indentified the three areas of peace and security, the climate crisis and addressing inequality in developing countries as in urgent need of collective response. All are essential but I was particularly taken by what he had to say about the existential threat of the climate emergency. The Times report offers: 

Turning to climate, Mr. Guterres accused the fossil fuel industry of “feasting on hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies and windfall profits” and called on the leaders of wealthy countries to issue additional levies to help vulnerable nations facing the irreparable damages of climate change. “Today, I am calling on all developed economies to tax the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies,” he told the heads of state and other government officials gathered at the United Nations General Assembly hall. “Those funds should be redirected in two ways: to countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, and to people struggling with rising food and energy prices"

This is so clearly the truth, in my estimation, yet world leaders are reluctant to affirm this, including in Canada where we seem to be in thrall to fossil fuel producers, even when they leave behind terrible environmental messes, ignore the concerns of Indigenous peoples, and create greenhouse emissions which are choking the planet. I have no confidence in the current federal government's double-speak on addressing the climate emergency and I shudder at the thought of the Conservatives returning to power. 

Here is a prayer for the 70th anniversary of the UN in 2015. It may be even more appropriate today.  

For the work of the United Nations

Eternal God, beyond the desolation of poverty, of our violence and war,
you have given us the vision of the nations at peace with the earth and with one another.
Recall us to this your purpose in our day.
Prosper the work of the United Nations and its agencies
bringing together the peoples of the world
in the pursuit of truth and justice, equity and peace,
that the welfare of each may be the concern of all,
the suffering of each evoke the compassion of all,
and the achievement of each be a gift to all;
so may the nations be one as you are One, now and forever.