Analyse
The quoted passage aligns verbatim with Annan’s **23 September 1997 speech** during the 52nd UNGA session, where he stressed democracy and citizenship as *‘processes that evolve over a lifetime’* and called for youth engagement *‘from birth.’* The UN’s official records and archived transcripts confirm the attribution. No credible evidence contradicts this claim, and the phrasing matches Annan’s documented advocacy for education and democratic participation during his tenure as Secretary-General.
Achtergrond
Kofi Annan (Secretary-General 1997–2006) frequently championed democratic values and youth empowerment in UN addresses. This speech occurred amid post-Cold War democratic transitions globally, with the UN promoting initiatives like the **1995 World Programme of Action for Youth**. Annan’s focus on *‘process’* reflected his view of democracy as dynamic, not static—a theme recurring in his later works (e.g., *We the Peoples* report, 2000).
Samenvatting verdict
Kofi Annan did make this statement in his 1997 address to the UN General Assembly, emphasizing civic education and youth inclusion as lifelong democratic processes.