THE SECRETARY-GENERAL -- MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF UNITED NATIONS PUBLIC SERVICE DAY

On this United Nations Public Service Day, I salute the women and men around the world who have dedicated their lives to the highest-possible calling: public service.  

Public servants are the foundation of communities large and small around the world — providing health care, teaching young people, building and maintaining vital infrastructure, ensuring safety, and serving and protecting the most vulnerable. 

Time and again, we have seen the power of the public sector to shape the breakthroughs that power human progress.

Now is another such moment as we grapple with huge technological changes and massive global problems like poverty, climate change, gender inequality and the digital divide. 

As this year’s theme reminds us, innovation and transformation in the public sector are essential to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Now is the time to equip public servants and institutions with new skills and cutting-edge tools — like artificial intelligence — to ensure that technology becomes a tool of progress for all people as we steer our world towards a better future. 

On this day and every day, let’s show our support for public servants. 

Let’s work shoulder-to-shoulder with these champions of service to build a healthier, more prosperous and equal world for all people.