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A photo of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan alongside his slogan “The world is bigger than five” appeared this week on central streets and avenues in New York City as world leaders gathered for the 80th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
The phrase, which Erdogan has repeated for years, calls for reform of the U.N. system. It refers to the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China—whom critics say wield disproportionate influence over the world body.
Addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, Erdogan again pressed his case. “I sincerely believe that our collective responsibility is to take the steps that will return the U.N. to its founding spirit in its 80th year,” he said.
“We will continue to say ‘The world is bigger than five!’ until a system is established where the just, not the powerful, prevail,” he added.
His other motto, “A fairer world is possible,” was displayed on LED screens in Times Square.
Erdogan also urged leaders to stand firmly with Palestinians. “I call on all world leaders to stand firmly with oppressed Palestinians today in the name of humanity,” he said.
Erdogan first addressed the UNGA as president in 2014, at the 69th session, where he introduced the “world is bigger than five” slogan. Since then, it has become central to his foreign policy rhetoric. He has argued that the Security Council’s structure leaves the U.N. ineffective, pointing to failures to resolve conflicts in Palestine and Syria.
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