50 years of Italy at the United Nations

Alberico Casardi, Permanent Representative of Italy
Statement in 10th GA Session, 560th meeting
December 20, 1955

It is with no small emotion that I speak for the first time in this Assembly in the capacity of a representative of a Member State, and I wish at the outset to address a grateful word of acknowledgment to all those countries, and they are many – a large majority of the countries represented here – which, in the course of many years, have never failed to proclaim and support Italy’s right to enter the family of the United Nations. During those years, friendly voices have repeatedly been raised in favour of our cause, both in the Assembly and in the Security Council, and many resolutions, unanimously voted, have comforted Italy’s patient expectation with the strength of their political moral significance.

My thoughts go particularly not only to our Western allies, but to all the countries of Latin America. By their efforts and their unfailing support, they have proved in a manner that we will never forget the strength of the ties that unite us and that are rooted in a common race, civilization and religion. It is no casual circumstance that the dead-lock on the admission of new Members should have been broken under the presidency of a distinguished representative of Chile.

Italy today takes its seat in this Assembly. The Constitution that the Italian people have adopted endorses all the fundamental principles upon which this Organization rests. By adhering to the Charter of the United Nations, Italy in fact confirms the principles of the policies that regulate its life as a free and democratic nation. Italy furthermore confirms its deep aspiration for international peace and justice. Peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the world, based upon respect for liberty and democratic institutions and maintained in a spirit of constructive international collaboration, is the highest ideal of the Italian people.

These are the goals and the objectives that have guided my country’s foreign policy during the recent years of its exclusion from the United Nations, and it is with the sincere hope of being able to contribute ever more effectively to the attainment of these ideals that Italy has joined the United Nations.

Fully conscious that it is the heir to an ancient civilization, Italy realizes the importance of tradition and history in the life of nations, and its sympathy goes out to the young States of Asia and Africa – a sympathy which has already been happily translated in many cases into ties of close collaboration. I use the expression “young States” although, like my own country, they are representatives of ancient civilizations and have contributed enormously to the history of humanity.

One of the fundamental functions of this Organization is undoubtedly that of harmonizing within itself the aspirations and the ideals of different people and different civilizations. In a world that is in continuous evolution, new relations must be found between old and new political and human realities. The United Nations is the natural centre of this process, and it is its natural object to fulfill this historically important task in the interests of all the peoples of the world. Italy intends to bring to this task a spirit of moderation and of wisdom. As the heir to an ancient civilization, my country knows and appreciates the value of equally great civilizations, be they ancient or recent ones.

I wish to close these remarks by expressing the conviction that the United Nations, through the constructive and inspired contributions of all its Members, will attain the goals which are set forth in the Charter and towards which the entire human race looks in expectation.

Allow me, finally, to join in the tributes which have been paid to the President and to avail myself of this opportunity to express the sincere appreciation of the Italian delegation and my personal appreciation to the members of the Secretariat and, in the first place, to the Secretary-General, for their constant courtesy and co-operation in the past.