--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We hold the future in our hands…" description: "\"We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we failed to do the right thing, and let them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png" --- # We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure… ![“We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we failed to do the right thing, and let them suffer the consequences.” quote by Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png) > “We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we failed to do the right thing, and let them suffer the consequences.” [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Future generations depend on our current actions; failure to act now will cause them suffering. **In simple terms:** Our choices today shape tomorrow’s world for kids. Key Takeaway Act now to protect future generations. Themes environment responsibility legacy intergenerational equity Mood hopeful determined serious Type inspirational ethical When to use this quote - climate policy - resource management - education curricula - community projects Key Concepts sustainability ethical stewardship global cooperation Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you want to leave? - How can you influence others to act responsibly? A Different Perspective Immediate economic costs may hinder long‑term benefits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [When our grandchildren ask us where we were when the voiceless and the vulnerable in our era needed leaders of compassion and purpose, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-haugen/when-our-grandchildren-ask-us-where-we-were-when-the-voiceless-and/) [Gary Haugen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-haugen/) > [“It is true that humanity is faced with many problems. It always has been but perhaps not always with such keen awareness of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-a-simon/it-is-true-that-humanity-is-faced-with-many-problems-it-always-has/) [Herbert A. Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-a-simon/) > [When my grandchildren ask, 'Where were you when Donald Trump took a sledgehammer to Lady Liberty?' I want to make sure I can tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perez/when-my-grandchildren-ask-where-were-you-when-donald-trump-took-a/) [Tom Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perez/) > [“When your grandchildren ask you what you did during the war, you can say, I made this movie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-thanh-nguyen/when-your-grandchildren-ask-you-what-you-did-during-the-war-you-can/) [Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-thanh-nguyen/) > [Hold to the now, the here, through which all future plunges to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/hold-to-the-now-the-here-through-which-all-future-plunges-to-the-past/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [You can't let your past hold your future hostage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/you-can-t-let-your-past-hold-your-future-hostage/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [“We hold the future still timidly, but perceive it for the first time as a function of our own action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-bernal/we-hold-the-future-still-timidly-but-perceive-it-for-the-first-time/) J.D. Bernal > [When you accept somebody in your life...you accept them with their past too... don't hold it against them in the future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercy-pheona/when-you-accept-somebody-in-your-life-you-accept-them-with-their-past/) [Mercy Pheona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercy-pheona/) > [The dreams that you hold for your future are what you dream about at night. Theyre always at the back of your mind. Theyre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/the-dreams-that-you-hold-for-your-future-are-what-you-dream-about-at/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Don't let your past hold your future hostage. And don't let the old stale opinions of others affect your fresh current dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/don-t-let-your-past-hold-your-future-hostage-and-don-t-let-the-old/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Take hold of the future or the future will take hold of you - be futurewise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dixon/take-hold-of-the-future-or-the-future-will-take-hold-of-you-be/) [Patrick Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dixon/) > [“Take hold of the future, grasp with both hands. Believe in yourself, stay true to your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-sibarium/take-hold-of-the-future-grasp-with-both-hands-believe-in-yourself/) [Danielle Sibarium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-sibarium/) > [Each day you spend holding onto the past keeps you from grabbing a hold of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/each-day-you-spend-holding-onto-the-past-keeps-you-from-grabbing-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You hold your future in your own hands. Never waver in this belief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-frederick-treves-1st-baronet/you-hold-your-future-in-your-own-hands-never-waver-in-this-belief/) Sir Frederick Treves, 1st Baronet > [The dreams that you hold for your future are what you dream you at night. they always hold the stories untold. they keep you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brina/the-dreams-that-you-hold-for-your-future-are-what-you-dream-you-at/) Brina ## More by Ban Ki-moon > [Planet Earth is our shared island, let us join forces to protect it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/planet-earth-is-our-shared-island-let-us-join-forces-to-protect-it/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [My observation is China is thinking more as a global player than regionally, in both politics and economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/my-observation-is-china-is-thinking-more-as-a-global-player-than/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [With her courage and determination, Malala has shown what terrorists fear most: a girl with a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/with-her-courage-and-determination-malala-has-shown-what-terrorists/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [I have been, and will remain, outspoken in my insistence that Israel has a right to live in peace and security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/i-have-been-and-will-remain-outspoken-in-my-insistence-that-israel/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Building sustainable cities - and a sustainable future - will need open dialogue among all branches of national, regional and local government. And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/building-sustainable-cities-and-a-sustainable-future-will-need-open/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [We must follow the wisdom of the Brundtland Report. We must pursue development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-must-follow-the-wisdom-of-the-brundtland-report-we-must-pursue/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [We have reached a new milestone as a human family. With seven billion of us now inhabiting our planet, it is time to ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-have-reached-a-new-milestone-as-a-human-family-with-seven-billion/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Grave security concerns can arise as a result of demographic trends, chronic poverty, economic inequality, environmental degradation, pandemic diseases, organized crime, repressive governance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/grave-security-concerns-can-arise-as-a-result-of-demographic-trends/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Some might complain that nuclear disarmament is little more than a dream. But that ignores the very tangible benefits disarmament would bring for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/some-might-complain-that-nuclear-disarmament-is-little-more-than-a/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [On this International Day for the Abolition of Slavery let us reaffirm the inherent dignity of all men, women and children. And let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/on-this-international-day-for-the-abolition-of-slavery-let-us/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [I believe that the topic of chemical weapons is critically important for international peace and security, and I take note of the ongoing debate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/i-believe-that-the-topic-of-chemical-weapons-is-critically-important/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Achieving gender equality requires the engagement of women and men, girls and boys. It is everyone's responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/achieving-gender-equality-requires-the-engagement-of-women-and-men/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Three decades into this crisis, let us set our sights on achieving the "three zeros" zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/three-decades-into-this-crisis-let-us-set-our-sights-on-achieving-the/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Businesses succeed when societies themselves succeed. When countries are affected by violence and the absence of the rule of law, business can and must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/businesses-succeed-when-societies-themselves-succeed-when-countries/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [New York is one of the greatest cities in the world. It is a fitting host to its many international visitors, who can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/new-york-is-one-of-the-greatest-cities-in-the-world-it-is-a-fitting/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) [Explore all 209 Ban Ki-moon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we failed to do the right thing, and let them suffer the consequences.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ban Ki-moon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together-we-must-ensure-that-our/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together-we-must-ensure-that-our/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/556/ban-ki-moon-1778_asks_we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together_2217681.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We hold the future in our hands, together, we must ensure that our grandchildren will not have to ask why we…” — Ban Ki-moon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ban Ki-moon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We hold the future in our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together-we-must-ensure-that-our/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/we-hold-the-future-in-our-hands-together-we-must-ensure-that-our/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```