“Take a seat to stand up”: Launch of the Election Campaign in New York

Around 300 guests gathered in the prestigious building of the New York Public Library on the evening of December 3, 2024, which lent festive splendor to the launch of the campaign for the Security Council candidacy. The German UN Ambassador in New York, Antje Leendertse, was the host. In her speech, she explained why Germany is campaigning for this election. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who joined the event with a video statement, assured the many ambassadors present: “We want to overcome what divides us and strengthen what unites us.”

It is customary for the candidates for the Security Council to present their program to the diplomatic missions at the UN headquarters in New York at a reception. “Respect, Justice, Peace”: With these three words, the central values of the German candidacy were illuminated above the stage in the ballroom. 

In their speeches, both Ambassador Leendertse and Federal Chancellor Scholz used concrete examples to underline the claim that a German seat on the Security Council would serve to promote peace and mutual trust worldwide. They used a striking image: Germany wants the seat to stand up for people around the world – to counter injustice, tackle the root causes of violence and actively address the security risks of climate change.

A group of renowned German musicians created a stimulating jazzy background that offered all guests a space for personal dialogue. Naturally, the members of the German Permanent Mission, who bring Germany’s commitment to multilateralism at the United Nations to life in their daily work and many individual contacts, were much in demand as discussion partners. The pre-Christmas period in particular offered the opportunity to introduce the guests to much-appreciated culinary specialties from Germany.