In modern war there is no such thing as victor and vanquished... There is only a loser, and the loser is mankind.

I don't like to be disturbed at home; I tell the cable office not to call me before 6:30 AM, unless there's a war.

The single most important impediment to global institutions is the concept of "my country, right or wrong".

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - This great and inspiring instrument was born of an increased sense of responsibility by the international community for the promotion and protection of man's basic rights and freedoms. The world has come to a clear realization of the fact that freedom, justice and world peace can only be assured through the international promotion and protection of these rights and freedoms.

Governments, systems, ideologies come and go, but it is humanity which remains.

Wars begin in the minds of men, and in those minds, love andcompassion would have built the defenses of peace.

To understand my feelings — and my conception of the role of Secretary General — the nature of my religious and cultural background must first be understood. I should therefore like to outline not only my beliefs but also my conception of human institutions and of the human situation itself.