Peace, Love, and Banality

During the United Nations Millennium Summit in New York City from September 6 to 8, close to 200 leaders came together to share their visions for a better future. Readers are invited to match the words with the leader. As an added challenge, we've included a quote from Miss Universe 2000.

A) Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China
B) Fidel Castro Ruz, President of the Republic of Cuba
C) Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000
D) Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
E) Bill Clinton, President of the United States
F) Abdurrahman M. Shalghem, Head of the Libyan Foreign Ministry
G) Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister of Japan

1. “History, to our children, is what we do. Let them read one day that we came together in a moment of choice. . . and chose to change the world.”
2. “It is essential to fully respect the diversity of different nations, religions and civilizations, whose coexistence is the very source of vigorous development in the world.”
3. “Brief speeches might not change the world, but is it still not better that we are here, talking to each other, than fighting each other?”
4. “Our species has enough accumulated knowledge, ethical values, and scientific resources to move towards a new historical era of true justice and humanism.”
5. “There may be lines and boundaries drawn on the ground separating one country from another, but we do not have to have them in our head.”
6. “In order to ensure that the twenty-first century is a more peaceful century in which each person on this earth can be free from fear and want, and enjoy lasting prosperity, all countries must work together in cooperation.”
7. “The creation of a world in which prosperity prevails requires commitment to. . . international agreements relating to the mother and child care and their protection; and the realization of a world free from motives of aggression requires prohibition of all manifestations of violence.”


Answers: 1) E, 2) A, 3) D, 4) B, 5) C, 6) G, 7) F

A) Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China
B) Fidel Castro Ruz, President of the Republic of Cuba
C) Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000
D) Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
E) Bill Clinton, President of the United States
F) Abdurrahman M. Shalghem, Head of the Libyan Foreign Ministry
G) Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister of Japan

1. “History, to our children, is what we do. Let them read one day that we came together in a moment of choice. . . and chose to change the world.”
2. “It is essential to fully respect the diversity of different nations, religions and civilizations, whose coexistence is the very source of vigorous development in the world.”
3. “Brief speeches might not change the world, but is it still not better that we are here, talking to each other, than fighting each other?”
4. “Our species has enough accumulated knowledge, ethical values, and scientific resources to move towards a new historical era of true justice and humanism.”
5. “There may be lines and boundaries drawn on the ground separating one country from another, but we do not have to have them in our head.”
6. “In order to ensure that the twenty-first century is a more peaceful century in which each person on this earth can be free from fear and want, and enjoy lasting prosperity, all countries must work together in cooperation.”
7. “The creation of a world in which prosperity prevails requires commitment to. . . international agreements relating to the mother and child care and their protection; and the realization of a world free from motives of aggression requires prohibition of all manifestations of violence.”


Answers: 1) E, 2) A, 3) D, 4) B, 5) C, 6) G, 7) F

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