A key message from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’s speech at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly is particularly relevant to today’s troubled world.
He said, “People are not the problem; people are the solution.” The statement may sound simple, but its significance is equally profound.
According to the United Nations, the world’s population now stands at approximately 8.2 billion. The Earth is growing older, technology is advancing, and civilization continues to present us with new wonders.
Yet the old question remains: Are human beings truly progressing? Many may view the world’s vast population merely as consumers, as a source of pressure on employment, or as a burden on resources. Yet human knowledge, labor, creativity, and conscience are the world’s true resources.
Whether the issue is stopping wars, addressing the impacts of climate change, reducing poverty, or ensuring that the benefits of technology reach people, there is no substitute for human beings.
Indeed, no matter how rapidly the marvels of the modern world—including artificial intelligence—advance, guiding them in the right direction will ultimately require human judgment, ethics, and a sense of responsibility.
At a time when people are burning in the fires of war, losing their homes to the impacts of climate change, and falling behind because of poverty and inequality, it is human beings who must once again be the “solution.”
The developed world understood this truth long ago. That is why people there are not viewed merely as “job seekers.” Instead, countries invest in developing people’s skills, helping them adapt to new technologies, and harnessing their potential through education and training.
Research has shown a direct relationship between human skills and productivity. For this reason, these countries have sought to turn their populations into assets rather than allowing them to become a burden.
And they are reaping the benefits. The equation is clear: the more skilled the people of a society are, the stronger its economy becomes. The more educated and aware a nation is, the more stable its society becomes.
Unfortunately, developing societies seem unwilling to fully grasp this reality, even when they appear to understand it.
The concept of the demographic dividend seems almost too complicated and incomprehensible to them.
At precisely such a crossroads, human beings must once again solve the problems created by human beings themselves. Yet while world leaders speak of peace, security, and cooperation at the United Nations, the same world assembly is also witnessing scenes of disagreement and mass walkouts.
This, of course, shows us plainly that no matter how many institutions exist to solve problems, there can be no substitute for political will and the human conscience.
Even if the rhetoric of world leaders, mutual distrust, or the arrogance of power sometimes silences the human voice, in the end it will be humanity that prevails.
If billions of minds become engaged in knowledge and innovation instead of producing weapons, and if billions of hearts begin to beat for humanity instead of division, how long could it take to transform this world?
The power to stop wars lies with human beings; the knowledge to confront the climate crisis lies with human beings; and the imagination to build a new world also lies with human beings.
Therefore, this is not the time to worry about the number of people or about “people” themselves; rather, it is time to think about human potential. The more a nation invests in education, skills development, employment, healthcare, science, and the cultivation of ethics, the more secure its future will be. Treaties alone are not enough for peace; what is needed are people who understand the value of peace.
If we can build people, those people will build the world. On the other hand, if we lose our humanity, no technology, institution, or concentration of power will be able to save this world. When will the world leaders understand this?
