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UN General Assembly General Debate · 58th regular session of the General Assembly

Address by Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil

Lula and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in New York, on September 24, 2003, during the trip to the UN General Assembly (photo from the following day; it does not show the speech).
Lula and the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in New York, on September 24, 2003, during the trip to the UN General Assembly (photo from the following day; it does not show the speech).Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/ABr, CC BY 3.0 BR

Available records

The prepared text may differ from what was actually said. Any significant difference is recorded below.

Quotations are our translation from the Portuguese; the original wording is in the source excerpt.

Documentary record

The Brazilian opening speech of the General Debate of the 58th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.[1]

The speech took place on September 23, 2003, at the 7th plenary meeting of the 58th session of the General Assembly, in New York, as the opening of the General Debate.[2]

Lula spoke in Portuguese; the official record carries the English text provided by the delegation.[3]

There is an official UN transcript (verbatim record A/58/PV.7, English text provided by the delegation) and a Portuguese text in the FUNAG collection.[4]

Topics, with excerpts from the speech

Each topic is backed by the literal excerpt, given in the source note.

There is a Portuguese text of the 2003 speech published by FUNAG in the collection "O Brasil nas Nações Unidas 1946-2011," under the title "LVIII Sessão Ordinária da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas," pp. 839 to 846.[5]

The official verbatim record A/58/PV.7 records the speech; it states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English text was provided by the delegation; the header note of the record states that speeches made in other languages appear in interpretation.[6]

Record A/58/PV.7 reproduces the English version of the speech, identified as "English text provided by the delegation."[7]

In the published text, Lula says that the reform of the UN has become an imperative.[8]

In the published text, Lula states that the tragedies of Iraq and the Middle East will find a solution only within a multilateral framework, with a central role for the UN.[9]

In the published text, Lula says that the protectionism of rich countries unfairly penalizes the efficient producers of developing nations.[10]

In the published text, Lula states that eradicating hunger in the world is a moral and political imperative.[11]

In the published text, Lula mentions having launched the "Fome Zero" project in Brazil.[12]

In the published text, Lula submits to the Assembly the possibility of creating a World Committee to Fight Hunger made up of heads of State or Government.[13]

What remains to be documented

  • Speech content: Official video of the 2003 speech not located in this round.

Sources and evidence

Excerpts are quoted in the original language of the source.

  1. 1. The Brazilian opening speech of the General Debate of the 58th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

  2. 2. The speech took place on September 23, 2003, at the 7th plenary meeting of the 58th session of the General Assembly, in New York, as the opening of the General Debate.

  3. 3. Lula spoke in Portuguese; the official record carries the English text provided by the delegation.

  4. 4. There is an official UN transcript (verbatim record A/58/PV.7, English text provided by the delegation) and a Portuguese text in the FUNAG collection.

  5. 5. There is a Portuguese text of the 2003 speech published by FUNAG in the collection "O Brasil nas Nações Unidas 1946-2011," under the title "LVIII Sessão Ordinária da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas," pp. 839 to 846.

  6. 6. The official verbatim record A/58/PV.7 records the speech; it states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English text was provided by the delegation; the header note of the record states that speeches made in other languages appear in interpretation.

  7. 7. Record A/58/PV.7 reproduces the English version of the speech, identified as "English text provided by the delegation."

  8. 8. In the published text, Lula says that the reform of the UN has become an imperative.

  9. 9. In the published text, Lula states that the tragedies of Iraq and the Middle East will find a solution only within a multilateral framework, with a central role for the UN.

  10. 10. In the published text, Lula says that the protectionism of rich countries unfairly penalizes the efficient producers of developing nations.

  11. 11. In the published text, Lula states that eradicating hunger in the world is a moral and political imperative.

  12. 12. In the published text, Lula mentions having launched the "Fome Zero" project in Brazil.

  13. 13. In the published text, Lula submits to the Assembly the possibility of creating a World Committee to Fight Hunger made up of heads of State or Government.