UN General Assembly
2005

be fulfilled. Sleeplessly, we face threats and challenges that affect the survival of our species. When the second millennium ended — quite unlike the first — our world was not threatened by the terror-filled visions of the apocalypse and the seven trumpets that would transform a third of the world into blood, darkness, smoke and locusts. However, our new millennium faces the reality of increasing poverty in two thirds of the planet. Water is becoming scarce, there are holes in the ozone layer and, along with biodiversity, the Amazon is being destroyed. Entire nations are being disinherited and condemned to roam the earth, mortal illnesses hover over humanity and terrorism lurks in every corner. I have come from the middle of the world to speak of faith in the renewal of the dream. Ecuador is a small nation in South America sharing an identity with almost 400 million human beings living in an area of 8 million square kilometres. We have more than one fourth of the fresh water of the world and immense