At the 2025 United Nations General Assembly, many leaders used their speeches to share personal reflections, national insights, and calls to action. While some remained out of the headline spotlight, their words struck a chord for their honesty and moral clarity.
Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, President of Suriname, urged unity:
“The United Nations must be a genuine unity of nations… We are all really better together.”
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda warned about the fragility of global stability:
“Our international order is being slowly eroded by the irresponsible actions of those who should know better.”
King Abdullah II of Jordan also addressed ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, reflecting on the importance of empathy and moral courage in times of conflict.
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung invoked cultural diplomacy, saying that K-culture “is connecting people all over the world … the success and spread of K culture prove that universal empathy is possible.”
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa critiqued misplaced global priorities:
“We are fighting wars when we should be fighting poverty.”
Other voices echoed similar themes — from defending small state sovereignty to calling for renewed purpose for the UN itself. These leaders stood out not just for the issues they raised, but for emphasizing that moral resolve and shared humanity still matter on the world stage.
