FAO Open Day for UN Staff Welcome Speech

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

A Warm Welcome to the UN Family in Rome!

Benvenuti!

I am truly delighted to welcome you to FAO headquarters for this first Open Day!

Having all of you here - staff from every UN agency based in Rome - is a powerful reminder that we are indeed One UN Family.

Rome is a truly global hub, bringing together almost 16 000 UN personnel.

Together, you represent more than 25 UN entities - united by the shared goal and desire to help build a better life for all.

Today, we celebrate not only our work, but the people who make it possible.

The spirit of "Hand in Hand" that defines our work is embodied today by your presence, as we open our doors to the public and showcase the collective strength of the United Nations.

This is true multilateralism in action!

Hunger knows no borders, and the challenge of food security demands unity among nations.

That is why FAO - together with our partner agencies across the UN system - share a common vision of ending hunger and ensuring food security by leveraging our comparative advantages, in line with our individual mandates.

As the specialized UN agency leading international efforts to defeat hunger, FAO's mandate is clear: to transform agrifood systems to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable,

Under the overarching Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all – leaving no one behind.

When I took office on 1 August 2019, I committed to making FAO more modern, agile, responsive and accountable – guided by the 4Es: Efficiency, Effectiveness, Extraordinary, and Excellence; followed by the 4Rs: Recovery, Reform and Rebuild, leading to a Renaissance.

The restructuring of our headquarters reflects this Renaissance!

None of this would be possible without the support of the Government of Italy, our generous host country, and Rome the Eternal City that has welcomed us with open arms over many decades.

I would like to express my profound gratitude to the Italian Government for their generous contribution to refurbishing FAO headquarters.

I wish to especially thank President Sergio Mattarella; Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani; and the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini. As well as the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, and all representatives of the Italian Government and local authorities.

But more importantly, I wish to say a big thank you – grazie – xièxiè - to the people of Rome - for their ongoing support and friendship!

Italy's role within the UN family is truly exceptional.

As the host country for the Rome-based UN agencies, as well as many other international organizations, Italy has long been a pillar of multilateral cooperation, embodying the true spirit of international solidarity that the United Nations stands for.

Grazie mille Italia!

As Designated Official for Security in Italy, I am responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all UN personnel, their dependents, as well as our collective premises and assets across the country.

Since assuming my functions as FAO Director-General, this responsibility has remained a top priority for me.

In this regard, I wish to reiterate my appreciation for the continuous support of the UN-Italy based colleagues and families.

And in particular to the Security Management Team – for their critical role which continues to confirm the strategic importance of collaboration, synergy and shared accountability, working as ONE UN Team.

Dear Colleagues,

Today, we come together in a celebratory spirit, yet we are all too aware of the very difficult moment in history we are witnessing.

We see on a daily basis how collaboration is declining and multilateralism is weakening.  

Yet, it is precisely in such times that the UN family must stand firmly united.

The challenges we face cannot be solved by any one country alone, or by any one organization working on its own.

They require collective action, shared responsibility, and conviction in the very ideals that led to the establishment of FAO on 16 October 1946 – almost 81 years ago, and of the United Nations 8 days later on 24 October 1946, and to each of the UN bodies within the UN wide system.

To mark this important anniversary, we opened a new chapter in FAO’s history with the launch of the Food and Agriculture Museum and Network, and the beautiful gardens where you stand today.

The Museum is an interactive space where visitors can explore, learn, and be inspired to take action. It connects people across generations and cultures. Through cultural exchange, we can foster understanding and cooperation among our diverse nations.

Cultural diplomacy is a powerful tool!

I invite all of you to visit the Museum today.

The FAO gardens have become a living symbol of sustainability, blending history, architecture and nature. The gardens are more than green spaces; they are a place where people think, meet, and gain inspiration; where ideas and cultures come together; a living example of how we can integrate biodiversity, efficient water management, and innovation into our daily environment.

Two days ago, we inaugurated the model fishing boat you see in the middle of our garden – a symbol of our work with vulnerable fishing communities worldwide.

Furthermore, by visiting the various information stands around the premises you will have an overview of FAO’s technical work. You will discover how science, innovation, and technology combined with traditional knowledge are being applied every day - in fields, forests, oceans, waterways, and pastures around the world.

Dear Colleagues,

Here in Rome, we are especially privileged to be close to a powerful voice for peace and justice – His Holiness the Pope.

During World Food Day 2025, Pope Leo 14th delivered an important message to the FAO Plenary during which he said that "allowing millions of human beings to live—and die—as victims of hunger is a collective failure, an ethical aberration, a historical fault". Pope Leo said that by not recognizing that the right to food is a basic human right we are denying “the most basic right, which is the right to life”. And he reminded us that "slogans do not lift people out of poverty" - action does.

Pope Leo’s message aligns closely with FAO’s mandate – and the collective vision of the UN - and reaffirms that peace and stability are a prerequisite for food security.

Dear Colleagues, Friends and Family,

2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

As we look ahead, let us draw inspiration from the Fire Horse, characterized by dynamic energy, bold ambition, passion, decisive action and swift progress.

May this Year of the Fire Horse accelerate our collective efforts to move with speed and determination towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Today’s Open Day is a celebration of our shared mission and our shared humanity.

We are many agencies, but one United Nations.

We come from many countries, but we serve one world.

Let us leave here today more united than ever, committed to the values of multilateralism, dedicated to the fight against hunger, and inspired by the knowledge that, together, we can build a better future for all.

Thank you! Enjoy the Open Day!

Grazie e buon divertimento!