First Lady Melania Trump stepped into the spotlight on Wednesday as she advocated for children in a passionate speech she delivered during a luncheon at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York.
"The most important and joyous role I ever had is to be a mother to my young son [Barron Trump]," the 47-year-old said. "What could possibly be a more essential focus in everyone's life than that of loving, educating and bringing up our next generation to be happy, productive and morally responsible adults."
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The mum-of-one, who hosted the spouses of world leaders including Sophie Trudeau (the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) and Brigitte Macron (the wife of French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron) at the event, called on the group to come together for the good of children everywhere.
The first lady called being a mother to her son the most "joyous role" Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
"Together we must acknowledge that all too often it's the weakest, most innocent and vulnerable among us, our children, who ultimately suffer the most from the challenges that plague our societies," she said. "Whether it is drug addiction, bullying, poverty, disease, trafficking, illiteracy, or hunger, it is the children who are hit first and hardest in any country. And as we all know, the future of every nation rests with the promise of their young people."
Scroll below to watch Melania's full speech
Barron's mother noted, "When we join together as parents caring for children, whether they live in our own families, across the street, across the nation, or across the globe, we claim our responsibility to the next generation to ensure they are prepared to accept the torch of leadership for the world of tomorrow."
Melania (pictured with Brigitte Macron) called on the spouses of world leaders to come together for the good of children everywhere Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images
Melania also stressed that parents teach their children the values of empathy and communication, which she explained, "Are at the core of kindness, mindfulness, integrity and leadership which can only be taught be example." She added, "We must never miss an opportunity to teach life's many ethical lessons along the way. As adults, we are not merely responsible, we are accountable."
Towards the end of her over seven-minute speech, Ivanka Trump's stepmother shined a light on her focus as first lady of the United States. She told the crowd, "I hope you will join me in recommitting ourselves to teaching the next generation to lead by and honor the golden rule, do unto others as you would have do unto you. Which is paramount in today’s society, and my focus as first lady. It reminds our generation’s moral imperative to take responsibility for what our children learn."
WATCH MELANIA TRUMP'S SPEECH BELOW