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UN General Assembly General Debate · 62nd regular session of the General Assembly

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

Opening of the 62nd United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 25, 2007, at which, by tradition, a Brazilian gives the opening speech (file titled "Lula 62nd Assembly General").
Opening of the 62nd United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 25, 2007, at which, by tradition, a Brazilian gives the opening speech (file titled "Lula 62nd Assembly General").Photo: Marcello Casal JR/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 62nd session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.[1]

The speech took place on September 25, 2007, at the 4th plenary meeting of the 62nd session.[2]

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

There is an official UN record in English, with 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 2007 speech published by FUNAG in the collection "O Brasil nas Nações Unidas 1946-2011," under the title "LXII Sessão Ordinária da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas," pp. 915 to 919.[5]

The official verbatim record A/62/PV.4 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]

English translation: the English version reproduced in record A/62/PV.4 is identified as text provided by the delegation.[7]

In the published text, Lula says that, if the global development model is not rethought, the risks of environmental and human catastrophe grow.[8]

In the published text, Lula says that Brazil has reduced deforestation in the Amazon to less than half in recent years.[9]

In the published text, Lula proposes a new conference in 2012, Rio+20, offering Brazil as host.[10]

In the published text, Lula says that biofuels are vital for a new energy matrix.[11]

In the published text, Lula says that Brazil surpassed the first of the Millennium Goals ten years ahead of schedule.[12]

In the published text, Lula advocates greater participation of developing countries in the Security Council and says that it is time to move from intentions to action.[13]

The speech of 09/25/2007 was also published in Portuguese in Resenha de Política Exterior do Brasil No. 101 (MRE, 2nd half of 2007).[14]

What remains to be documented

  • Speech content: Official video of the 2007 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 62nd session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

  2. 2. The speech took place on September 25, 2007, at the 4th plenary meeting of the 62nd session.

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

    • A/62/PV.4 – General Assembly, Sixty-second session, 4th plenary meeting · United Nations (General Assembly) Official record
      Where: PDF p. 5. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “President Da Silva (spoke in Portuguese; English text provided by the delegation): I congratulate the Secretary-General on his assumption of such a high office within the international system.”

  4. 4. There is an official UN record in English, with text provided by the delegation, and a Portuguese text in the FUNAG collection.

  5. 5. There is a Portuguese text of the 2007 speech published by FUNAG in the collection "O Brasil nas Nações Unidas 1946-2011," under the title "LXII Sessão Ordinária da Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas," pp. 915 to 919.

  6. 6. The official verbatim record A/62/PV.4 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. English translation: the English version reproduced in record A/62/PV.4 is identified as text provided by the delegation.

    • A/62/PV.4 – General Assembly, Sixty-second session, 4th plenary meeting · United Nations (General Assembly) Official record
      Where: PDF p. 5. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “President Da Silva (spoke in Portuguese; English text provided by the delegation): I congratulate the Secretary-General on his assumption of such a high office within the international system.”

  8. 8. In the published text, Lula says that, if the global development model is not rethought, the risks of environmental and human catastrophe grow.

  9. 9. In the published text, Lula says that Brazil has reduced deforestation in the Amazon to less than half in recent years.

  10. 10. In the published text, Lula proposes a new conference in 2012, Rio+20, offering Brazil as host.

  11. 11. In the published text, Lula says that biofuels are vital for a new energy matrix.

  12. 12. In the published text, Lula says that Brazil surpassed the first of the Millennium Goals ten years ahead of schedule.

  13. 13. In the published text, Lula advocates greater participation of developing countries in the Security Council and says that it is time to move from intentions to action.

  14. 14. The speech of 09/25/2007 was also published in Portuguese in Resenha de Política Exterior do Brasil No. 101 (MRE, 2nd half of 2007).

    • Resenha de Política Exterior do Brasil, nº 101, 2º semestre de 2007 · Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FUNAG/CHDD digital edition) Official record
      Where: p. 117, title of the speech. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “Discurso do Presidente da República, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, na abertura do Debate-Geral da LXII Assembléia-Geral das Nações Unidas. Nova York, 25 de setembro de 2007”