The former United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon has authored and launched a book with the title: Resolved Uniting Nations in a Divided World.
The launching ceremony took place on Thursday 8th July 2021 at Global Green Growth Institute Headquarter in Seoul in South Korea.
Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean Diplomat and former Foreign Minister who served as the eighth Secretary General of the United Nations from January 2007 to December 2016. Throughout his career, Ban Ki-Moon worked to mobilize international efforts against a slate of global pressures including climate change, extreme poverty, and armed conflict to make the world a safer and more equitable place.
Born just one year before the United Nations itself, Ban Ki-moon came of age with the world body. His earliest memories are haunted by the sound of bombs dropping on his Korean village and the sight of fires consuming what remained. The six-year-old boy fled with his family, trudging for miles in mud-soaked shoes, suffering from incessant hunger, and wondering how they would survive, until the United Nations rescued them. Young Ban Ki-moon grew up determined to repay this lifesaving generosity.
Resolved is Ban Ki-moon’s personal account of his decade at the helm of the organization during a period of historic turmoil and promise. Meeting challenges and resistance with a belief in the UN’s mission of peace, development and human rights. He has steered the United Nations through a volatile period that included the Arab Spring, nuclear pursuits in Iran and North Korea, the Ebola epidemic, and brutal new conflicts in Central Africa. As secretary-general, Ban also forged global agreements to fight extreme poverty and address the climate crisis.
Ban performed what has been called “the most impossible job on this earth” with a genuine belief in collective action and global transformation. Freed from the diplomatic constraints of a lifetime of public service, he offers a candid assessment of the people and events that shape our era and a bracing analysis of what lies ahead.
Whilst launching the book, the revered former UN Secretary General thanked various dignitaries that grace the occasion, adding by describing the launching ceremony as very important.
“This is the first time in my life to have written a book,” the former UN Secretary General declared. He thanked all those that believe in his development aspirations and he assured them that he will continue to do the best he can to support global development in the world. He said that his book will inspire cooperation and nations to become global citizens. He lauded the support of UN to South Korea, adding that without the support of UN, South Korea would not have been able to make huge progress in terms of economic development and growth in all aspect of life. He added that despite the fact that South Korea faced lots of challenges in terms of development, but as a young child then, he determined to make a change in his country.
“I was determined to do something for my poor country to recover from poverty,” he informed, adding that when he became the Secretary General of the United Nations, he was steadfast in pursuing the course of building consensus among 193 member states to support development trajectory in working towards sustainable development and address crisis and poverty. Mr. Nan Ki-Moon further informed his audience that he never stopped prioritizing his dream of creating unification and development amongst nations in the world. He added that it is also one of the pillars of UN to tackle poverty and crisis. He informed dignitaries present that true peace requires suitable stability and hostility and conflict are killers of development. He said that without good health, basic education, food and sustainable development people will find it difficult to live happily. To those leaders who are not listening to their people, he urged them to be careful because justice will soon prevail on them. He expressed optimism that nations around the world will copy from the development strides of South Korea long time ago by embracing creativity and sustainable political will for its people. He also underscores the need to solve the problem of climate change. He said that as part of his efforts to create impact to countries around the globe, he founded the Human Center for Global Citizens and Foundation for Better Future. These two offices, he said have contributed immensely in supporting people around the world. He added that he has served in diverse positions to impact humanity. He added that this is his commitment to render service to humanity and his book titled: United Nations in a Divided World is based on his experience in working with nations around the world.
The book looks at several issues among others are Sustainable Development Goals, Accountability: No Justice, No Peace, UN Reform, Global Crisis, Global Health, Peace and Security, Diplomatic Life, Election of the Secretary General, Nepotism and lots more.
The book has been described as an eye opener to critical issues around the world.
©Michaella Bonnie,
Information Attaché,
Embassy of Sierra Leone,
Seoul, South Korea.
Email: embSLKorea@gmail.com
