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UN General Assembly General Debate · 79th regular session of the General Assembly

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

Lula at the opening of the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 24, 2024.
Lula at the opening of the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 24, 2024.Photo: Ricardo Stuckert / PR, CC BY-SA

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 79th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.[1]

The speech took place on September 24, 2024, at the 7th plenary meeting of the 79th session, the opening of the General Debate.[2]

Lula spoke in Portuguese; the record notes English interpretation provided by the delegation.[3]

There is an official UN record (A/79/PV.7, in English).[4]

There is an official video on UN Web TV, from September 24, 2024, with a duration of 00:19:55.[5]

On September 22, 2024, Lula spoke at the Summit of the Future, at the 3rd plenary meeting of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.[6]

Topics, with excerpts from the speech

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

The Planalto published in Portuguese, on 09/24/2024, the text of President Lula's speech at the opening of the 79th UN General Assembly, in New York.[7]

Verbatim record A/79/PV.7 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation.[8]

The official video on UN Web TV, from September 24, 2024, has a duration of 00:19:55 and tracks in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and "Original."[9]

Record A/79/PV.7 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation ("spoke in Portuguese; English interpretation provided by the delegation").[10]

In the published text, Lula says that global military spending grew for the ninth year and reached 2.4 trillion dollars.[11]

In the published text, Lula says that the right of defense has turned into a right of vengeance.[12]

In the published text, Lula says that Brazil will host COP-30, in 2025.[13]

In the published text, Lula advocates intergovernmental governance of artificial intelligence.[14]

In the published text, Lula announces the launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty in Rio de Janeiro in November.[15]

In the published text, Lula advocates a broad revision of the Charter.[16]

The website of the UN General Assembly General Debate has a Portuguese PDF titled "Discurso de abertura da 79ª Assembleia Geral da ONU (Nova York, 24 de setembro de 2024)."[17]

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 79th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

    • A/79/PV.7 – General Assembly, Seventy-ninth session, 7th plenary meeting · United Nations (General Assembly) Official record
      Where: PDF p. 8, first speech by a head of State after "General debate". Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Address by Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil”
    • Brazil - President Addresses General Debate, 79th Session (UN Web TV) · UN: Department of Global Communications International organization
      Where: page metadata (Summary). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, addresses the general debate of the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the UN (New York, 24-30 September 2024).”

  2. 2. The speech took place on September 24, 2024, at the 7th plenary meeting of the 79th session, the opening of the General Debate.

  3. 3. Lula spoke in Portuguese; the record notes English interpretation provided by the delegation.

  4. 4. There is an official UN record (A/79/PV.7, in English).

  5. 5. There is an official video on UN Web TV, from September 24, 2024, with a duration of 00:19:55.

  6. 6. On September 22, 2024, Lula spoke at the Summit of the Future, at the 3rd plenary meeting of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.

  7. 7. The Planalto published in Portuguese, on 09/24/2024, the text of President Lula's speech at the opening of the 79th UN General Assembly, in New York.

  8. 8. Verbatim record A/79/PV.7 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation.

  9. 9. The official video on UN Web TV, from September 24, 2024, has a duration of 00:19:55 and tracks in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and "Original."

  10. 10. Record A/79/PV.7 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation ("spoke in Portuguese; English interpretation provided by the delegation").

  11. 11. In the published text, Lula says that global military spending grew for the ninth year and reached 2.4 trillion dollars.

  12. 12. In the published text, Lula says that the right of defense has turned into a right of vengeance.

  13. 13. In the published text, Lula says that Brazil will host COP-30, in 2025.

  14. 14. In the published text, Lula advocates intergovernmental governance of artificial intelligence.

  15. 15. In the published text, Lula announces the launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty in Rio de Janeiro in November.

  16. 16. In the published text, Lula advocates a broad revision of the Charter.

  17. 17. The website of the UN General Assembly General Debate has a Portuguese PDF titled "Discurso de abertura da 79ª Assembleia Geral da ONU (Nova York, 24 de setembro de 2024)."