Lisbon, Portugal, 11 June 2019 - In delivering the seventh Annual Pluralism Lecture, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed addressed the links between pluralism and development, highlighting the dangers posed by growing inequalities.

“Inequality is at extraordinary levels and is growing, both within and between our countries. After a decade of decline, the number of chronically hungry people in our world recently began to rise again – despite there being abundant food for everyone.”

Ms. Mohammed was one of the architects of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious set of 17 development goals adopted unanimously by members of the United Nations in 2015.  While underscoring the interconnected nature of the goals, and their intention of benefitting all members of society, she called on leaders to address “the gap between the words and the actions; between the ideal of pluralism, and the policies and strategies that will enable us to reap its benefits in our daily lives.”