Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to see that THIMUN has grown into such a strong, healthy organisation - and that it is now accredited by the United Nations as a non-governmental organisation. And now here you are, all three thousand seven hundred of you, all delegates to this 32nd THIMUN conference. This is indeed a very special occasion. For not only are there so many of you here in The Hague this week, but you all come from very different backgrounds.
But you have one thing in common. You represent the young people of the world. And that is what matters. For the voices of the young people of today are the voices of the leaders and decision-makers of tomorrow. You and all the young people you represent will inherit the legacy left by your parents and their generation. And it is only just and fair that your views, your concerns and your priorities should influence the decisions they make and the action they undertake.
The theme of this year's conference is Water, Life and the Environment: from Vision to Action. This is a subject that concerns me greatly. For I am speaking to you today not only as a former THIMUN delegate, but as Chairman of the Second World Water Forum. You have caught me in the midst of preparations for the Forum, a major conference that will be held here in The Hague - in this same building, in fact - in March. My appearance here today gives me the perfect opportunity to share with you my concerns and my optimism about the global water situation, and to tell you a bit more about the Forum.
Your conference and the World Water Forum share the same theme. From Vision to Action - these are words that have a special meaning for me. And for you too, since you are here this week to discuss your vision of the future, and to seek ways in which the global community can turn this vision into action. You are here to discuss water in all its guises. And it has many. For water is not only an essential element in our lives, it is essential to life itself. Without it, Earth would be a desert planet, as barren and uninhabitable as Mars.