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UN General Assembly General Debate · 80th 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 80th Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 23, 2025.
Lula at the opening of the General Debate of the 80th Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly, in New York, on September 23, 2025.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 80th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.[1]

The speech took place on September 23, 2025, at the 4th plenary meeting of the 80th 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 video on UN Web TV, from September 23, 2025, with a duration of 00:19:00.[4]

On 09/24/2025, Lula spoke at the opening of the Special Event on Climate for Heads of State and Government, in New York, less than fifty days before COP30, according to a text published by the Planalto.[5]

Topics, with excerpts from the speech

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

The Planalto published on 09/23/2025, in Portuguese, the "Discurso do presidente Lula na abertura do Debate Geral da 80ª Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas"; the text was read in a copy archived by the Internet Archive.[6]

Verbatim record A/80/PV.4 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation.[7]

The official video on UN Web TV, from September 23, 2025, has a duration of 00:19:00 and tracks in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and "Original."[8]

Record A/80/PV.4 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").[9]

In the published text, Lula says that the authority of the UN is in check.[10]

In the published text, Lula says that Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable.[11]

In the published text, Lula says that the only war that everyone can win is the one against hunger and poverty.[12]

In the published text, Lula says that the internet cannot be a "lawless land."[13]

In the published text, Lula says that nothing justifies the genocide under way in Gaza.[14]

In the published text, Lula says that COP30, in Belém, will be "the COP of truth."[15]

The website of the UN General Assembly General Debate has a Portuguese PDF of the 2025 speech that reproduces the Planalto page published on 09/23/2025, with the title "Discurso do presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva na abertura do Debate Geral da 80ª Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas."[16]

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 80th session was delivered by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

    • A/80/PV.4 – General Assembly, Eightieth session, 4th 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 - General Debate, 80th 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 80th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 23-27 and 29 of September 2025).”

  2. 2. The speech took place on September 23, 2025, at the 4th plenary meeting of the 80th 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 video on UN Web TV, from September 23, 2025, with a duration of 00:19:00.

    • Brazil - General Debate, 80th session (UN Web TV) · UN: Department of Global Communications International organization
      Where: metadata: Production Date / Video Length. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Production Date 23 Sep 2025 Video Length 00:19:00”

  5. 5. On 09/24/2025, Lula spoke at the opening of the Special Event on Climate for Heads of State and Government, in New York, less than fifty days before COP30, according to a text published by the Planalto.

  6. 6. The Planalto published on 09/23/2025, in Portuguese, the "Discurso do presidente Lula na abertura do Debate Geral da 80ª Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas"; the text was read in a copy archived by the Internet Archive.

  7. 7. Verbatim record A/80/PV.4 states that Lula spoke in Portuguese and that the English interpretation was provided by the delegation.

  8. 8. The official video on UN Web TV, from September 23, 2025, has a duration of 00:19:00 and tracks in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and "Original."

    • Brazil - General Debate, 80th session (UN Web TV) · UN: Department of Global Communications International organization
      Where: metadata (Video Length / Asset Language). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “Production Date 23 Sep 2025 Video Length 00:19:00 Asset Language Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish Original”

  9. 9. Record A/80/PV.4 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. 10. In the published text, Lula says that the authority of the UN is in check.

  11. 11. In the published text, Lula says that Brazilian democracy and sovereignty are non-negotiable.

  12. 12. In the published text, Lula says that the only war that everyone can win is the one against hunger and poverty.

  13. 13. In the published text, Lula says that the internet cannot be a "lawless land."

  14. 14. In the published text, Lula says that nothing justifies the genocide under way in Gaza.

  15. 15. In the published text, Lula says that COP30, in Belém, will be "the COP of truth."

  16. 16. The website of the UN General Assembly General Debate has a Portuguese PDF of the 2025 speech that reproduces the Planalto page published on 09/23/2025, with the title "Discurso do presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva na abertura do Debate Geral da 80ª Assembleia Geral das Nações Unidas."