Are you ready to trade your U.S. citizenship for global citizenship? Well, they want you, your family and your children to do so, and they will stop at nothing to force you to comply. Will you resist?

At the opening ceremony, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted that the contribution of NGOs, academia and youth will be key to achieving the SDGs, for without the participation of NGOs and civil society groups, no initiative, however visionary, can be fully achieved.

"I am such a strong believer in NGOs, I constantly call on governments to expand space for you to operate," said the Secretary-General in his address to conference delegates. "Four days ago, at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, I denounced shrinking democratic space and I urged freedom for civil society organizations and human rights defenders. Unfortunately, that freedom is under threat, including at the last place this should happen: at the United Nations. I call on Member States to stop constricting NGO engagement."

In his address, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Kyo-ahn Hwang reaffirmed the country's commitment to fostering global citizenship.