President Trump Participates in the Board of Peace Event

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait.

(Speaks in Arabic). Your Excellency President Donald Trump, President of the Friendly United States of America, President of the Board of Peace. Your Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses. Dear attendees, peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings. I would like to convey to you the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, may God protect and preserve him, Emir of the State of Kuwait, and His Highness's wishes for success and luck for the work of this Board. We also extend our sincere thanks to His Excellency President Donald Trump for his appreciated efforts aimed at contributing to ending the state of conflict, leading to the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the borders of the fourth of June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions, including Resolution 2803 and the Arab Peace Initiative. We renew the principled, firm, and historical support of the State of Kuwait for the brotherly Palestinian people and their just cause. The Palestinian issue and supporting it has long represented one of the pillars of Kuwait's foreign policy, a matter that makes it imperative for us to support all efforts and initiatives aimed at establishing peace, including the 20-point plan of His Excellency the American President Donald Trump. Expressing our hope for the continued success of this path, which remains subject to the solidarity and cohesion of the international community. In conclusion, the State of Kuwait announces a financial contribution of one billion US dollars over the coming years, in support of the efforts of the Board of Peace and as a confirmation of the State of Kuwait's firm commitment to supporting every effort that aims to lift the suffering from the brotherly Palestinian people and achieve security and stability in Gaza. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished members of the board, distinguished guests. Uh it is a pleasure to be here with you as we embark on a journey towards establishing a lasting and just peace in the Middle East, a peace that results in two states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, a peace that results in transforming our region from death and destruction to hope and prosperity uh by integrating the region, bringing together its resources and unleashing its potential. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. President, has been seeking peace and justice in the Middle East since uh for a very long time. In 1981 King Fahd offered the eight-point plan which was adopted by the Arab world at the summit in Fez that essentially established or reconfirmed the notion of land for peace. In 2002 Saudi Arabia the late King Abdullah launched the Arab Peace Initiative which was adopted by the Arab world unanimously as well as by the Islamic world. Today uh the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman uh are working towards realizing a vision for peace and prosperity and security and integration in our region. So Mr. President, we look forward to working with the Board of Peace to establish this noble objective and I'm pleased to announce that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will pledge one billion dollars over the next few years in order to uh achieve the objective to work towards alleviating the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and uh bring them the peace that they and the whole region uh so desperately desire. So thank you very much and good luck to all of us. Wa-alaikum as-salam wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh.

I know there were a few more leaders who wanted to quickly share a few words, so we will go to the President of the Argentine Republic, Milei.

(Speaks in Spanish). Mr. President, distinguished members of the Board of Peace. The new Argentina has adopted a clear position in foreign policy. We unswervingly defend the right to life, liberty, and property and its derivative institutions, equality before the law, freedom of expression and free trade. The defense of those rights is not negotiable. It is a prerequisite for peace. But not all international actors play by the same rules. There are those who reject those rights, trample on them, and benefit from what others respect. In the face of them, good will is not enough. We need institutions with the will and capacity to enforce the rules. Lasting peace is not built on consensus that gives way in the fundamental. It is built on the determination to defend it. Si vis pacem, para bellum. Argentina participates in this Council with the conviction that peace requires political decision and an institutional architecture capable of sustaining real solutions over time. President Trump has preached by example mediating the peace agreement in Gaza, an agreement that later ratified Resolution 2803 of the United Nations Security Council. The Peace Council is born as an expression of that leadership with the mandate to implement a pacification and reconstruction plan and the mechanisms to do so, among them an international stabilization force. At this initial stage, Argentina is ready to contribute. We put at your disposal the collaboration of our White Helmets. Our track record in peace operations is a proven capital that we put at the service of the stabilization force. We believe in a diplomacy that takes risks to achieve peace. We believe in leadership that faces complex challenges with determination, such as that of President Trump. And we believe that the only peace that is worth building is that which rests on the non-negotiable rights of man. The Peace Council offers a framework to move in that direction. Argentina supports it. Thank you very much.

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Mr. Orbán. [117:48] Prime Minister Orbán of Hungary: Dear Mr. President, Excellencies, dear colleagues. First of all, let me express the appreciation of the Hungarian people to President Trump for his tireless peace efforts all around the world. Hungary is the only country to be represented here on the highest level among the founding members from the European Union. I represent a country which has been living in the neighborhood of a brutal war for the last four years. We all know this war would not have broken out if President Trump had been in office at that time. However, President Trump's return to office offers a great chance to multiply the peace efforts not only in Gaza but in Ukraine as well. We in Europe understand clearly that the security situation in Middle East and especially in Gaza has a significant impact on the security of Europe. Therefore our participation in the Board of Peace is not only based on principle but also on our own security interest. Let me also share with you that there is serious talks going on in Europe about the Board of Peace and its future role. We understand that during the recent decades international organizations have failed to fulfill their role to preserve peace and stability worldwide. Therefore new initiatives are needed to bring forward the issue of peace globally. We are sure that President Trump's initiative to establish the Board of Peace is such a step to the right direction. President we are proud to be among the founding members and we are happy to be in such a great company. Thank you very much.

President Peña of Paraguay who tapped my shoulder wants to say a few words. [119:53] President Peña of Paraguay: Yes, thank you Karoline, thank you President Trump. Thank you for bringing hope again, President Trump. I think that of the many things that you have achieved in the last 12 months as President of the US, I think the greatest thing—and I talk I'm probably the youngest head of state here—is hope, President. We have lost hope about solving problems for many, many decades. A system that was broken, a system that was not able to bring solutions. Now we're seeing that thanks to your leadership we are solving the issues. I come from a country that 160 years ago faced extinction. We went to a war against our neighbor and we lost 60% of our territory and 90% of the male population. So we—we know on our own flesh the hardship and and all the difficulties of war. That's why Paraguay is so proud to be a founding member of the Board of Peace and we're here to collaborate. Maybe we are not going to be the country that is going to bring the more money or the more security forces, but I think that there is a lot that all of the countries can bring to the table to solve these issues. Paraguay together with a handful of countries have been supporting Israel and we will continue to do so, but we come here with an open heart to work for peace. And today is Gaza, tomorrow will be another conflict area in the world but we need to solve each of all these conflicts and I really appreciate the leadership that you have taken, President. Paraguay stand ready to collaborate next to you, we're going to continue to support the US initiative. Probably the only day that we're not going to be able to support the USA is going to be on June 12th because Paraguay is going to be facing the US in the World Cup. Thank you very much.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, please.

Thank you. President Trump. This is an important day. Your historic actions have proven time and again. You are a leader who takes initiative, forges new paths, and walks toward a better future for the entire world. Your visionary leadership alongside Prime Minister Netanyahu's resolve brought all our hostages home from Gaza. Thank you for that. I'm proud to represent here the State of Israel that stood through such a difficult war for two years on seven different fronts, demonstrating resilience and strength. As I stand here I recall the 925 brave soldiers that gave their lives in a war against pure evil, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. These are the best people. To them we owe our existence and all our achievements. They will not be forgotten. I think of them and their families who paid the heaviest price. Since Hamas violently took over Gaza in 2007, it build the largest terror state in the world with huge terror infrastructure, above and below ground. October 7 was the peak of Hamas' ongoing terror campaign through decades. Hamas raped and murdered women, killed children in front of their parents and parents in front of their children, burned whole families alive. That terrible day will not be forgotten and we must act to ensure it never repeats itself. Distinguished leaders. All previous plans for Gaza failed because they never addressed the core issues: terror, hate, incitement and indoctrination. At the heart of President Trump's comprehensive plan are the disarmament of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, demilitarization of Gaza Strip and deradicalization of Palestinian society there. It's the first plan to address the root of the problem. We support it and are working and will work toward its success. As Mr. Mladenov emphasized, Hamas must be disarmed. That includes all its weapons, its terror infrastructure, underground tunnel network and weapons production facilities must all be dismantled. As the plan emphasize, there must be a fundamental deradicalization process. The infrastructure that indoctrinates Palestinian children to hate and kill Jews in educational and religious institutes should no longer exists. All those are important not only for the Israelis, Gazans have lived under a terror regime for decades. The people of Gaza must be liberated from these terrorists. I want to make this opportunity to wish Muslims around the world Ramadan Kareem. Distinguished leaders, President Trump's visionary leadership creates for the first time an opportunity for a better future. On behalf of Israel I say, thank you Mr. Trump, thank you for your leadership.

Lastly, the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim. Your Excellency President Donald J. Trump, members of the Board of Peace, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. As-salamu alaykum and a very good morning. It's a great honor Mr. President to attend this inaugural Board of Peace meeting in this holy month of Ramadan, and may God reward you and make you successful in your efforts to bring lasting peace in Gaza. Mr. President, we deeply appreciate your unique initiative and your dynamic leadership in advancing peaceful solutions to conflicts across the globe. Your bold diplomacy has surely brought calm to many international serious hotspots. Your timely and very effective intervention to achieve ceasefire between India and Pakistan potentially averted loss of tens of millions of people. You have truly proved to be a man of peace, and let me say, Mr. President, you are truly savior of South Asia. The people of Palestine have long endured illegal occupation and immense suffering. And to achieve long-lasting peace it is very important that ceasefire violation must end, to preserve lives and advance reconstruction efforts. The people of Palestine must exercise full control of their land and their future in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Mr. President we must work together towards a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination through the establishment of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine in line with the relevant resolutions. Mr. President we hope that under your visionary and dynamic leadership we will ensure a just and lasting resolution to the issue of Palestine. And today is a day which will mark a place in the annals of history that through your efforts, through your untiring support and great efforts, long-lasting peace in Gaza will be achieved, will be your legacy for all time to come. Thank you.

We will now hear from the President of FIFA, Gianni, uh to share more about FIFA's new partnership with the Board of Peace.

Thank you. Thank you Karoline. Dear President, distinguished leaders, dear friends. I just have three quick points I want to mention now. Football—the first point—football or soccer, as it is called here, is the world's universal language. It is spoken by six billion people, six billion fans who have the same feelings. It's about hope, it's about joy, it's about happiness, it's about coming together and it's about uniting the world. Mr. President, we will unite the world here this summer during the World Cup, but if we truly want to unite the world, we need peace of course. And this brings me to the second point because today we announce a true partnership between the Board of Peace and FIFA and I'm very proud and very happy to announce this after having heard your presentations in Davos, I was feeling that we need to help, we need to do something. Everyone has to support peace. Everyone in this room, Mr. President, everyone outside of this room who would like to be in this room, has to support peace as well. We all have to contribute for this and that's why FIFA wants to contribute because we don't have to just rebuild houses or schools or hospitals or roads, we also have to rebuild and build people, emotion, hope, and trust. And this is what football, my sport, is about. And the third point is that, of course, as you all know, images speak louder and better than words, so we prepared a short video and you can watch this video, I invite you to look at it carefully. Thank you very much, God bless peace and God bless the Board of Peace. Ramadan Kareem.

(Video presentation plays by FIFA about football in Gaza).

Thank you Gianni, that's wonderful. In advance of today's meeting, members of the Board of Peace were asked to vote on a resolution establishing the principles of financial integrity and transparency that will guide the board's work, and that resolution has passed unanimously. So now President Trump, as Chairman of the board, will sign the resolution in the presence of a quorum of the board.

(President Trump signs the resolution and poses for photographs).

Now while this is not a fundraiser, the Board of Peace has already inspired remarkable support from so many on this stage. As President Trump announced earlier, total pledges exceed 6.5 billion dollars in relief and rebuilding in Gaza, and thousands of personnel have been committed to help preserve the ceasefire and secure enduring peace. I would like to ask the heads of the following delegations to join President Trump on stage as he signs the fundraising pledges: Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Uzbekistan, please join the President as he signs the fundraising pledges.

(Trump signs pledges with delegations).

Congratulations. Now President Trump if you would like to say a few words to conclude and then you have the honor of gaveling out the first-ever Board of Peace meeting.

Well, thank you very much, Karoline, and I will say that this has been, I think will maybe be one of if not the most important day of our careers, and we've had some pretty good careers up here but this is something very special and we're going to straighten out Gaza, we're going to make Gaza very successful and safe. And we're also going to maybe take it a step further where we see hotspots around the world, we can probably do that very easily. Uh this is a tremendous group of powerful people and brilliant people and I think that we can do things a lot of other people would not be able to even conceive of or think of. Uh we will help Gaza, we will straighten it out, we will make it successful, we will make it peaceful, and we will do things like that in other spots. Spots will come up, things will happen that nobody's even thinking about now and not even conceivable, but uh we will take care of a lot of things. And we'll work again with the United Nations and uh bring it back to health. It needs help. It's uh got tremendous potential, but it needs a lot of help. And I think we can start with doing that pretty soon, Michael. I think we're going to work on that very strongly. We'll fix up even the building physically. I'd like to see beautiful buildings. I like to see buildings fixed up physically, not look uh like they are in disrepair. We don't like that. So we're going to do a job with the United Nations. We're going to have some very good people and you have some very good people there right now, but we're going to put some extra people in and we're going to have it uh help us. But most importantly for today, the Board of Peace is going to lead the way in Gaza. We're going to make Gaza an example of success and safety and unity and it's an honor that you're here and I want to thank the media for being so respectful, you're really amazing. Uh it's given the Board of Peace the respect it deserves. These are the most powerful people in the world, the richest people in the world through their countries and uh they have made a tremendous commitment and the United States likewise has made a tremendous commitment. Thank you to everybody for your involvement and uh we look forward to working with you over the years for many things, many very good, many humanitarian reasons. Thank you all, thank you very much.

(Applause) [139:47] Trump & Audience: ( Trump dances while 'YMCA' is being sung in the background)