Opening the U.N. General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his state of the world speech that he was sounding the alarm about widespread insecurity and injustice, inequality and intolerance in many countries.

Syria was one example that came up Tuesday. Ban demanded international action to stop the war in Syria, telling the gathering of world leaders the 18-month conflict had become "a regional calamity with global ramifications."

The U.N. chief said "the international community should not look the other way as violence spirals out of control."

Other topics leaders are expected to address over the next few days include Iran, the economic crisis and democratic transition.

Egypt's new President Mohammed Morsi made his debut at the U.N. on Wednesday with a speech that both condemned the U.S.-made video that denigrated the Prophet Muhammad and the violent protests that it sparked. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also addressed the General Assembly where he shared a vision of a new world order that did not include the "hegemony of arrogance."

The line-up of speakers on Wednesday is as follow:

Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi Mansour, President of the Republic of Yemen

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia

Michael Chilufya Sata, President of the Republic of Zambia

His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Viktor Yanukovych, President of Ukraine

John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya

Bronisław Komorowski, President of the Republic of Poland

Mohammed Morsi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of the United Mexican States

David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council

Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait

Mario Monti, Prime Minister of the Republic of Italy

Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia

Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, President of the Republic of Colombia
His Majesty King Mswati III, Head of State of the Kingdom of Swaziland

Otto Fernando Pérez Molina, President of the Republic of Guatemala

Andry Nirina Rajoelina, President of the High Transitional Authority of the Republic of Madagascar

Nicolae Timofti, President of the Republic of Moldova

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia

Joyce Hilda Mtila Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi

Anote Tong, President, Head of Government and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kiribati

Robert Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe

Michel Joseph Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti

Andris Bērziņš, President of the Republic of Latvia

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Republic

Evo Morales Ayma, Constitutional President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia

Address by Her Excellency Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice-President and Minister for Women’s Affairs of the Republic of the Gambia

Elio Di Rupo, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium

Cheick Modibo Diarra, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mali

With the Associated Press