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Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-27 · by Jennifer Peltz The Associated Press
At the U.N. General Assembly, world leaders frequently quote various sources during their speeches to emphasize key points. This week's speakers referenced ancient texts like Hammurabi’s laws, cultural sayings from proverbs and poetry, as well as modern figures including Talking Heads lead singer David Byrne and Dutch diarist Anne Frank. These quotations ranged from moral authority statements by Mahatma Gandhi to expressions of environmental stewardship and unity in the face of adversity.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
At the U.N. General Assembly, world leaders often incorporate diverse quotes into their speeches to emphasize key points or add rhetorical flair. For instance, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi referenced an ancient Babylonian king Hammurabi's statement about laws preventing the strong from oppressing the weak. Similarly, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis invoked a Talking Heads lyric, saying "We’re on a road to nowhere," while Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten quoted Anne Frank and Mahatma Gandhi during his address. Other leaders included local sayings or historical references relevant to their contexts, such as the Palauan president referencing ancient proverbs. These quotations add depth and context to the discussions about global issues at the assembly.
Written for “UN Speech Quotes Trends” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Presidents, premiers, monarchs and cabinet ministers have plenty to say at their annual gathering at the U.N. General Assembly.
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Presidents → have → Assembly
Still, sometimes they borrow a few words, quoting from a range of sources.
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they → borrow → sources
Speakers this week touched on homeland sayings, ancient texts, figures of moral authority and more — even a bit of Talking Heads (not TV pundits — the 1980s new wave band.)
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Speakers → touch → Heads
Here’s a sampling of references:
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sampling → ’ → references
___
“Laws are made to prevent the strong from oppressing the weak.” — the ancient Babylonian king Hammurabi, quoted by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi
___
“The coral reef where different species of fish congregate to feed and seek shelter.”
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species → make → shelter
— a reference from a Marshallese proverb, as explained by Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine
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“We’re on a road to nowhere.”
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We → explain → road
— David Byrne of the band Talking Heads, quoted by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
__
“We are the land, its custodians and its inhabitants.
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We → quote → Mitsotakis
To us it belongs, for we are its people and its home.
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we → belong → us
Today belongs to the people, and the glorious yesterday belongs to them, as well.
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yesterday → belong → them
To them belong the future, history and time itself.”
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future → belong → them
— a Yemeni poet, as quoted by Abdullah Abdulkader al Alimi-Bawzer, vice president of Yemen’s internationally recognized governing council, and as translated by U.N. interpreters
___
“The breach of one rule inevitably leads to the breach of other rules.”
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breach → quote → rules
— Mahatma Gandhi, quoted by Finnish President Alexander Stubb
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“Members of the United Nations General Assembly, your very name implies commitment, through your peace initiatives and humanitarian policies, to igniting the fires of conscience, empathy, unity and equity.”
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name → quote → conscience
— Barbados’ poet laureate, Esther Phillips, quoted by Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley
___
“When we gather together in the moonlit village ground, it is not because of the moon.
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it → quote → moon
Every man can see it in his own compound.
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man → see → compound
We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”
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kinsmen → come → ?
— author Chinua Achebe, quoted by President Azali Assoumani of The Comoros
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“When there is anguish in Port-au-Prince, it’s still Africa crying.
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it → quote → Prince
We’re outing fires in faraway places when our neighbors are just burning....
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neighbors → out → places
I refuse to believe that we good people will forever turn our hearts and our eyes away.
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people → refuse → hearts
Haiti, I’m sorry.
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I → ’m → ?
“Knowledge is like the ocean’s waves: It comes in many forms and sizes, yet no wave overpowers another, and all ultimately reach the same shore.” — one of a couple of Palauan sayings translated and quoted by Palau President Surangel Whipps
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“How wonderful it is that no one has to wait, but we can start right now to gradually change the world!” — Anne Frank, referred to by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who also quoted Mahatma Gandhi, Nuremberg war crimes trial prosecutor Robert H. Jackson and an inscription at a cemetery for American World War II soldiers in the Netherlands
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who → come → Netherlands
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