“From individual species through entire ecosystems, biological diversity is vital for human health and well-being. The quality of the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe all depend on keeping the natural world in good health.”

- António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General

"Biodiversity is the food we eat, the water we drink, and it is also the air we breathe. More than that, biodiversity is part of us, as we humans are part of nature."

- Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

“The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Egyptian people wish everyone a very happy International Day for Biological Diversity. As the host of COP 14 in Sharm El-Sheikh — and as the site of natural wonders from the Sinai Peninsula, to the Red Sea, to the Nile Valley, to the Mediterranean Coast, to the Western Desert and beyond — Egypt has always valued our biodiversity and nature. This year's theme, Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health, is deeply resonant in Egypt, where our natural bounty has not only fed the Egyptian people for millennia but has fed much of our region and neighboring peoples as well. We are taking this spirit that arose in Sharm El-Sheikh and we are working with the UN Convention on Biodiversity and all our partners and Parties to help preserve the common natural heritage of biodiversity around the world, for the sake of all peoples and for all time. We wish you the best on this International Day for Biological Diversity, and pledge to uphold biodiversity not just on this day, but on every day of the year.”

- HE Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and COP 14 President

“As the host of the fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity in Kunming in 2020, the People's Republic of China sends greetings throughout the world on this International Day for Biological Diversity. We are at a critical crossroads for the preservation of nature worldwide, and for the many benefits that it provides for all peoples, including those highlighted by this year's theme, Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health. Indeed, biodiversity is the backbone of food, health, and well-being around the world. For that reason, we in China are committed to building an ecological civilization that guarantees the prosperity, the health, and the well-being of our people and those around the globe. We look forward to hosting the world in Kunming, where we will negotiate and adopt a new global biodiversity framework for the post-2020 era that secures a common future of living in harmony with nature for all. May you have a lovely International Day for Biological Diversity and we hope to see you in Kunming!”

- HE Li Ganjie, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China