← Back to overview Language: NL EN

The world has changed. The kaleidoscope has been shaken. The pieces are in flux. Soon they will settle again. Before they do, let us re-order this world around us.

Anthony Charles Lynton Blair

Speech at the Labour Party Conference, 2001 · Checked on 10 June 2026
The world has changed. The kaleidoscope has been shaken. The pieces are in flux. Soon they will settle again. Before they do, let us re-order this world around us.

Analysis

The quoted statement is a direct excerpt from Tony Blair's speech at the Labour Party Conference on October 2, 2001, delivered in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The metaphor of the 'kaleidoscope' was used to describe the shifting global order post-9/11. Transcripts and recordings of the speech confirm the accuracy of the quote.

Background

Tony Blair, then UK Prime Minister, addressed the Labour Party Conference shortly after the September 11 attacks, emphasizing the need for global realignment in response to new security threats. The speech is widely documented and archived.

Verdict summary

Anthony Blair did make this statement during his 2001 Labour Party Conference speech.

Sources consulted

— Labour Party Conference 2001 Speech Transcript (UK Government Archives)
— BBC News: 'Blair's speech in full' (2001)
— The Guardian: 'Blair calls for global coalition against terror' (2001)