Source: United Nations 4
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the graduation ceremony for the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po, in Paris today:
Let me begin with the most important word of all: congratulations.
You now join a long line of Sciences Po alumni who have shaped our world — including some of whom are doing it every day at the United Nations as they work in my office supporting the Secretary-General.
Let’s also take a moment to recognize your families, friends and loved ones — who have been with you every step of the way. They deserve a round of applause.
Students representing more than 120 nationalities come here to learn how the world works, and how it can work better. That spirit of global curiosity and purpose has also carried me through every chapter of my own journey: designing schools and hospitals in my home country of Nigeria; advising four Presidents on poverty reduction, development policy planning and public sector reform; supporting Member States to lead the process that transformed global aspirations into the Sustainable Development Goals; and now as the longest-serving Deputy Secretary-General in United Nations history, supporting the Secretary-General on some of the most complex situations in our history, from COVID to Ukraine to Sudan and Gaza and today’s continuing crisis in the Middle East.
Today, I want to reflect on the lessons I have learned along the way.
First, don’t agonize, organize. We live in a world of hurt. A world that is messy, complicated and often overwhelming. And I know it might be easy to feel paralysed by the scale and hopelessness of today’s challenges. Don’t. Because more than ever, those challenges are connected — and we solve them by seeing those connections and coming together.
When I served as Nigeria’s Minister for Environment, my job was never just about the environment. When Lake Chad was drying up, it wasn’t just an ecological crisis — it was a security crisis. Boko Haram was born and abducted 200 schoolgirls. When we faced population and urban sprawl and tensions rose between farmers and herders, it wasn’t just about water access — it was about food systems and growing cities. When I met girls walking hours to fetch water, missing school every day — it wasn’t just about resources — it was about gender equality.
We didn’t work in siloes. We built coalitions across sectors — civil society, young people, traditional leaders, the private sector — to find real solutions. We didn’t agonize, we organized. And, yes, there’s plenty to agonize about today — especially when multilateralism is under attack and international cooperation is on the back foot. But I have seen what’s possible when we find common ground and forge ahead.
Just look at the last two months at the UN.: a landmark Pandemic Treaty approved at the World Health Organization; major new protections for our oceans at the World Ocean Conference in Nice; and from Paris, I head to Sevilla — where the world is coming together to commit to better finance sustainable development.
So, when the problems seem larger than life, too tangled, too tough — don’t agonize. Organize. Mobilize. And help realize the change our world so urgently needs. Remember you did not fail for want of trying.
The second lesson — keep learning and delivering.
Graduation isn’t the end of learning. In many ways, it’s just the start of your lifelong journey.
When I joined the UN, I was not steeped in the intricacies of international diplomacy. Throughout my career, I have had to learn fast — and deliver even faster. So will you.
Even now, I am learning every day — about artificial intelligence (AI), about geothermal energy, space debris, biotechnology, cybersecurity. You will face even more change, even faster, especially in the new era of super technologies. Regardless of the task that is put in front of you, get ahead of it. Learn more. Do more. Show your stuff and deliver. Performance opens doors. Yes, some of life is luck and privilege. But I guarantee: the harder you work, the luckier you will get.
Third, make hope your most powerful asset. The world is a cynical place. And international affairs is not for the faint of heart. There will be setbacks and critics. There will be many days when the problems seem too big, and the politics too small. When anxieties grip you like a fever. Just look around: war in Ukraine, atrocities in Sudan, catastrophe in Gaza, climate chaos everywhere.
But never forget, hope is not a four-letter word. Hope is the courage to build when others are tearing down. Hope is the decision to get up one more time, to negotiate one more deal, even when the odds are against you.
I have sat with young girls who survived the worst horrors of war and sexual violence. And in their eyes, I saw not just pain — but power. The power to heal, to lead, to hope, to survive and thrive.
Hope is not the absence of fear. It is the refusal to be defined by it. So, carry it with you. Guard it fiercely. Because hope is not just a feeling. It’s a force.
Fourth, hold onto your moral compass.
Your degree will open doors. But your integrity will tell you which ones are worth walking through. And in today’s world — where the global moral compass is spinning — that clarity matters more than ever.
We live in a world where military spending is soaring, while development budgets shrink. Where fossil fuel subsidies dwarf investments in climate action. Where conflict and hardship has forced more people from their homes than at any time since the Second World War.
In this world, your role as changemakers is not just to make the right deals. It is to draw the right lines. There will be pressure to stay silent. There will be moments when abandoning principles may seem an easier choice. But integrity matters most.
As Deputy Secretary-General, I have had to tell hard truths to powerful people. To remind leaders of the many promises they made — and the people they made them to. It is never easy to challenge power. But we don’t serve power. We serve people. And if we truly serve people, we must use our superpower and stand for justice, dignity and solidarity.
As we mark Beijing+30, we cannot talk about a future and leave women and girls behind. Gender equality is not charity. It powers our agency. And human rights. And everyone wins when we leave no one behind. But let’s be honest, we are not there yet. So, to the men here today, I say: don’t stand in the way. Don’t walk ahead. Walk with. Stand with. And speak up. For the other half of your society, women.
The final lesson is this: invest time in what truly sustains you.
Your career will have highs and lows. Plans change. Titles come and go. But what will carry you through are the people who know you beyond your résumé. Friends, families, mentors, partners. Protect those bonds. Nurture them. Because in the toughest moments, those relationships will remind you of who you are, why you started and why you must keep going. So, no matter how far you go, or how fast — never lose sight of what, and who, matters most.
Today, you are not just stepping into the world. You are inheriting its unfinished business, and its boundless possibilities. As I look out, I see the next generation of climate champions, human rights defenders and world class diplomats. And I am filled with hope. Whatever path you choose, walk it with courage and conviction.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. The world is waiting. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what you will do.