6. Seventy years ago, in adopting the Organization’s founding Charter, the nations
of the world made a solemn commitment: “to save succeeding generations from the
scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of
the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for international law can be
maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom.i“
7. Building on this core promise, the Declaration on the Right to Development
(1986) called for an approach that would guarantee the meaningful participation of all in
development, and the fair distribution of its benefits.
8. Humankind has achieved impressive progress in the past seven decades. We
have reduced violence and established global institutions, a code of agreed universal
principles, and a rich tapestry of international law. We have witnessed stunning
technological progress, millions upon millions lifted from poverty, millions more
empowered, diseases defeated, life expectancies on the rise, colonialism dismantled, new
nations born, apartheid conquered, democratic practices take deeper roots, and vibrant,
economies built in all regions.