On 5 December 2014, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajarakitiyabha Mahidol participated in the first event to mark World Soil Day and the launch of the International Year of Soils 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event was co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations, the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. H.E. Mr. Norachit Sinhaseni, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand, was the Co-Chair and moderator of the event.

On this auspicious occasion, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajarakitiyabha Mahidol delivered the Royal Message of His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej entitled “Healthy soils for a healthy life” which emphasized the central role of soil to human survival. Today, the world is confronted with 2 soils-related challenges: first, the degradation of fertile soils due to wasteful use and mismanagement and second, the problem of infertility in the types of soil making it unfit for cultivation. These challenges have direct repercussions on global food security. And in order to ensure food security and long-term sustainability of ecosystem, they must be addressed as an urgent priority with the commitment to adopt the best practices in soil conservation, soil reconditioning and enrichment to make it fit and ready for cultivation. (Full text of the Royal Message)

In addition, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the 69^th session of the General Assembly, and H.E. Mr. Martin Sajdik, President of the Economic and Social Council, sent their best wishes and messages to be delivered at the event. H.E. Ms. Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations and Mr. Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, United States Department of Agriculture delivered their remarks. There were also VDO messages from Mr. José Graziano da Silva, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, and Ms. Monique Barbut, Executive-Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

During the interactive session, participants from Member States, United Nations organizations, civil society organizations and other stakeholders joined in to emphasize the problem of soil degradation which affects many countries around the world and have direct repercussion of global food and nutrition security. They also agreed that sustainable soil management is central to conservation of soil quality and that climate change affects geographical landscape and soil condition which require sound management of soil.