Secretatiat News – Mailbox- Do Not Give up +Photo JFK – U Thant 1985 Sep 16

Filed under media coverage Text & Photos | Thoughts from the UN community.

SECRETARIAT NEWS – United Nations Headquarters, New York 16 September 1985, Vol.XL, .No.15

MAILBOX

DO NOT GIVE UP!

As I finished reading the final quote concerning the United Nations from your 31 May article, “Staff Counsellor Bows Out”, I was reminded of two others:

The first I fixed some time ago to a picture frame in my office which holds photos of U Thant with Dag Hammarskjold and U Thant with John F. Kennedy.

( Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General  UN (left) ; U Thant of Burma; Fourteenth Session of the UN General Assembly -01 October 1959)

(John F. Kennedy (left) ,The President of the United States Visits United Nations Headquarters – with Secretary-General U Thant,  20 September 1963)

They are the words spoken by President Kennedy during his visit to the United Nations:

“My fellow inhabitants of this planet, let us take our stand here in this Assembly of Nations and let us see if we, in our own time, can move the world toward a just and lasting peace. “

The second quote is from Sri Chinmoy who has been leading peace meditations at the United Nations for the past 15 years:

“If you really want to accomplish something, never surrender to outer circumstances. Real failure is only when we give up–never, never before. Do not give up under any circumstances.  Continue! The goal is ahead of you. If you do not give up you are bound to reach your· destined goal. “

I find both quotes most inspiring especially for this 40th anniversary year.

– Adhiratha Keefe