Ambassador, thank you very much. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to be here today and I am especially glad to be visiting the United Nations at this important moment -it’s a milestone for my country-, as this month Greece holds the Presidency of the UN Security Council. Since last January, when Greece’s tenure as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for 2025-2026 began, we have put into practice our strong commitment to an effective multilateral diplomacy.
Earlier today I had the unique opportunity to chair the high-level open debate on a topic we should all deeply care about: that is maritime security, which is one of the six priorities of our tenure in the UN Security Council. After all, Greece is a seafaring nation, with strong maritime interests. The sea is an integral part of our geography, of our history, of our culture, of our identity.
In this spirit we have decided to frame today’s UN Security Council debate with an exhibition I have the great pleasure of opening today. It is entitled “Thalatta”, which is the word for “sea” in classical Greek. We are showing 11 original contemporary paintings of very important Greek artists from the Collection of the National Gallery in Athens. We will hear a little bit more about the works that are being exhibited, but I would like to thank the National Gallery and its director for the exceptional support and their cooperation in putting together this exhibition, which aims to portray this inextricable link between the sea and human history.
All these seascapes, I think, tell an interesting story about the multidimensional role of the sea, as both a natural element, and inspiration, but also as part of our cultural heritage and as an enabler of economic activity.
Above all, the message of this “Thalatta” exhibition is about the timeless significance of the sea to facilitate not just trade but also communication and exchanges between peoples; in other words to connect us. All the world’s continents are connected by oceans. We rely on the seas and the oceans and on the freedom of navigation for the proper functioning of our economies but also for ensuring that we don’t do irreparable damage to our natural environment.
So, what better place to exhibit that message than here at the United Nations. After all, its mission, we should not forget that, is to connect humanity, its pursuit of upholding international peace and security, so particularly important in these challenging geopolitical times, but also human rights development, the protection of the environment with a very important conference on oceans coming up in Nice in a month from now. This is the spirit of true multinationalism that we celebrate today here at the United Nations.
Thank you all for being here and I hope we will all draw some inspiration from these beautiful seascapes that make up the “Thalatta” collection. Thank you very much.