The twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio 92) was celebrated at Riocentro on Friday night at Riocentro. It became a platform for support and inspiration for the nations to make more ambitious commitments during the sustainable development negotiations at Rio+20.

The ceremony was attended by Senator Fernando Collor de Mello, former President at the time of Rio 92, and Maurice Strong, Rio 92’s Secretary-General. Also present were the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Patriota, the Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, Rio+20’s Secretary-General, Sha Zukang, and Rio+20’s Preparatory Committee co-presidents, John Ashe e Sook Kim.

During his speech, the Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Patriota, noted that Rio 92 launched a conceptual basis and innovative policies that came to feature in future discussion on sustainable development and social inclusion. Ambassador Patriota reinforced the importance of seeking inspiration in the past to move forward at Rio+20. “This celebration is a call for ambition and a reminder of what can be achieved when great leaders work together”, he affirmed.

Senator Fernado Collor de Mello, Brazil’s president at Rio 92, recalled that the moments and objectives of the two conferences are distinct, but the spirit should be the same. “We have to keep the high level of our objectives. We can’t backtrack”, he said. 

Rio 92’s Secretary-General, Maurice Strong, was even more forceful: “There’s still today a massive gap between sustainability science and politics. We have the duty to bring them closer. This is a conference about the future of our civilization”, he said in a speech welcomed with a standing ovation from the crowd.

Collor’s and Strong’s recollections led Rio+20’s Secretary-General, Sha Zukang, to ask for unity towards common sustainable development objectives. “Let this celebration reenergize us. Rio 92’s spirit can reinvigorate us and take us to the path we crave for”, he said, before closing the speech with an optimistic message. “When nations work in harmony, great things can be achieved”.