The principles of the United Nations Charter have found sincere response and warm welcome among my people. We are, by nature, a peace‑loving nation. Many of you surely know that the very meaning of “Islam” is peace, and that our daily greeting to one another is a greeting of peace. More than thirteen centuries ago, our Islamic Sharia proclaimed that all people are equal, and that God created them as nations and tribes so that they may know one another and cooperate. In doing so, it laid down the foundations of international cooperation, lasting peace, mutual security, the prevention of aggression, and the support of the oppressed.
We believe in human and spiritual values, in moral ideals, in the right of every human being to a free and dignified life, and in sincere and continuous cooperation among peoples for their common good. For this reason, it was natural for us to hope that the principles of the United Nations would become the constitutional framework governing relations among nations—without distinction between great and small—and that the causes of conflict among states would disappear, freeing them from fear and the threat of aggression, and enabling them to devote themselves to humanitarian endeavors and to building a prosperous society.
Yet policies of domination and adherence to outdated and worn‑out ambitions have repeatedly plunged humanity into the fires of war, causing suffering, destruction, and turmoil. Such policies have strayed from the principles of justice embodied in the United Nations Charter, deviated from the right path, and failed to achieve success. Through these misguided policies, we can understand the origins of the tension, unrest, and instability into which humanity has fallen—what is now known as the “Cold War.” This includes the arms race, which drains vast human resources and directs them toward destruction and ruin, and which lies at the root of the aggression, fighting, hostility, and hatred witnessed in various parts of the world since the founding of the United Nations.
A return to the fold of the United Nations—restoring relations among nations to its principles and teachings, adhering to the Charter in both letter and spirit, and enabling peoples who seek freedom and independence to determine their own destiny—is the only path by which humanity may avoid crises and the horrors of war. It is the path to a new era of genuine peace and mutual understanding among nations—an era governed by love and sincere cooperation for the good of all mankind.
Fortunately for humanity, we have recently witnessed in this organization a renewed spirit that has revived hope and restored confidence. We have observed a commendable determination to uphold the Charter’s principles and to guide the organization along the right course.
The efforts made—and still being made—by its Secretary‑General, Mr. Dag Hammarskjöld, have had a praiseworthy impact in advancing these goals, and they deserve appreciation and gratitude. My earnest hope is that the United Nations will persevere in adhering to its principles, drawing inspiration from the ideals of justice and respect for human rights affirmed in the Charter, and that it will continue with firm resolve to fulfill its noble mission of maintaining international peace and security. By doing so, it will restore its prestige and become, in truth and merit, the guardian of humanity.
May God guide us all to what serves the good of mankind. Peace be upon you.
The speech of His Majesty King Saud concluded amid a storm of applause and enthusiastic cheers.
He thus became the first Arab monarch to address the world from the General Assembly podium in the Arabic language, and the first Arab king to be honored with public celebrations across all levels of American society in the United States.
New York radio stations broadcast continuous reports of the extraordinary welcome extended to the distinguished guest, announcing the major receptions prepared by American dignitaries, ambassadors of world nations, Arab communities, and national institutions.
Telegrams poured into the guest palace where King Saud and his entourage were staying, arriving from all directions, both domestic and international. His Majesty responded to all with gratitude for their kind sentiments and warm reception.
The palace was filled with delegations of Muslims visiting the honored guest of America, signing their names in the royal register. New York spent joyous nights, its streets adorned with decorations, Saudi flags bearing the words “There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God” raised alongside American flags on every balcony and storefront. Welcome banners stretched across arches of triumph, and neon lights connected night to day with their vibrant colors and artistic arrangements.
President Eisenhower placed his personal aircraft, Columbine, at the disposal of King Saud for any travel between New York and Washington.