March is the month of Francophonie. We also just celebrated International Women's Day. This year, these two celebrations are related by one thread -- the call for Peace. La Paix, the French word for Peace, is feminine. This month, we pay tribute to the tremendous contribution of women towards global peace. We also renew our commitment to peace and cooperation.
We are deeply concerned, though, that this Francophonie month comes at an unprecedented time. Russia's attack on Ukraine poses an existential threat to the Ukrainian people. Apart from the horrific human rights dimension, it also dangerously challenges the essential foundations of international law and the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the independence of a country. A large humanitarian crisis is now unfolding and pain has been inflicted in millions of hearts. In the first three weeks of this war, more than 3 million people have fled Ukraine, the majority of whom are women and children. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has confirmed children among the casualties. Across Ukraine we have witnessed the destruction of schools and other educational institutions.
As diplomats and as women we aim and work for peace, and for a world in which disputes are settled through negotiation, not war. Instead of confrontation, cooperation through bilateral channels and multilateral fora should be the key to that future. In a world that too often puts competition at the heart of its values, where actions are too often driven by fear, greed and anger, we want to offer an alternative: a world of cooperation, a world of creative synergies, a world of individual and collective responsibility and respect for international law and for one another, to drive change towards a different, more loving world for our children. There is enormous scope and need for cooperation to tackle the challenges facing the world, such as recovering from the pandemic, upgrading healthcare systems and economies, improving educational access, addressing climate change and environmental issues and more.
In times of trouble, we need to remember our mission. The charter of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) is clear: promoting peace, democracy and human rights, education and research, economic cooperation and sustainable development are the organisation's core values. Several Asean nations adhere to the OIF Charter; Thailand is an OIF observer state. We are enriched by and appreciative of each and every country's contribution.
Finally, OIF's values and objectives converge with the United Nations in the conviction that no one should be left behind. The promotion of peace, compliance with international law, work with youth, and empowerment of women and girls are at the center of OIF's mission and the core of OIF's work. So is building trust. Yes, trust -- the cement to any relationship, the one indispensable ingredient that allows people to live and work together, that enables societies to thrive and boosts countries` safety. As war -- including the war in Ukraine -- shakes trust, the amount of effort needed to restore it is colossal.
This should be a duty for everyone: promoting peaceful solutions, unequivocally, has become an obligation and a responsibility. A challenge worth taking on, in the name of women, children and all humankind. Dans l'esprit de la Francophonie, nous appuyons la paix, en Ukraine et partout dans le monde.
H.E. Helene Budliger Artieda, Ambassador of Switzerland, H.E. Sarah Taylor, Ambassador of Canada, H.E. Sibille de Cartier, Ambassador of Belgium, and Ulpiana Lama, chargée d'affaires a.i. of Kosovo are women heads of mission based in Bangkok, who represent member countries of La Francophonie.
