On September 20, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy greeted the U.N. General Assembly with those words and outlined his vision for a world moving beyond the shadow of war to a future of hope and peace.
“The world has not escaped from the darkness. The long shadows of conflict and crisis envelop us still,” he said. “But we meet today in an atmosphere of rising hope, and at a moment of comparative calm. My presence here today is not a sign of crisis, but of confidence. I am not here to report on a new threat to the peace or new signs of war. I have come to salute the United Nations and to show the support of the American people for your daily deliberations.”
In the past 50 years, American presidents have addressed the U.N. General Assembly many times, affirming the United States’ commitment to the United Nations’ ideals. President Obama is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly September 24.