Resident Coordinator's speech: Run for Peace 2025

Her Royal Highness the Princess, Tunku Mariamz Binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj

Yang Berhormat Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of National Unity

Mr. Koh Sia Feai, General Director of Soka Gakkai Malaysia

Mr. Dharzuky Bin Daud, Director of the National Fitness Branch, National Youth and Sports Department, Ministry of Youth and Sports

Friends,

Today, 11,000 of us run for peace. Across Malaysia, 60,000 more will join. 

The United Nations in Malaysia, comprising 20 UN entities, is proud to partner with Soka Gakkai in this momentous effort.

This year, the UN turns 80 – eight decades of striving for peace, dignity, and hope.

And here in Malaysia, you have just celebrated 68 years of independence and will soon mark the 62nd Malaysia Day – powerful reminders of the strength of unity and the journey of a nation built on diversity.

But today, our world is in turmoil. Conflicts are spreading. Displacement is rising. Hate and division are on the march.

The world needs peace. And peace needs you.

It is not only the work of diplomats, the United Nations, or other multilateral systems. It is the work of every person. Every day. Everywhere.

Speak out against violence and discrimination. Choose respect. Embrace diversity.

Act for peace and inclusivity – in your classrooms, in your places of work, in your communities, online and offline. With your words. With your choices. With your courage.

This reflects the vision of the Pact for the Future – to advance sustainable development, secure peace, promote digital cooperation and ethical AI governance, and uphold the Declaration on Future Generations so that tomorrow is better for all. 

Each step you take today shows your commitment to bringing us closer to that future.

Here in Malaysia, the UN system works hand in hand with the Government, civil society, academia, the private sector, and those most at risk of being left behind – including women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable communities – to accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals and protect the dignity and rights of every person.

Together, let us continue building a future anchored in peace, justice, and sustainable development. 

And as we run for peace today – step by step, side by side – let it remind us that every action, no matter how small, brings us closer to the world we all want: a world of unity, dignity, and hope for generations to come.