Ban Ki-Moon Visits Seoul Foreign School

Diplomat, activist, and former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon visited Seoul Foreign School on Monday. It was SFS students who invited Mr. Ban, inspired by his experience, and wishing to host him as he celebrates his 80th birthday. On his way to give a talk to high school students in the Edie J. Moon Theatre, the former secretary general was greeted by younger students waving flags from the dozens of countries represented at SFS. Alena Pyne and the middle years choir gave a thoughtful prelude, before Mr. Ban took the stage and spoke about his legacy and the urgent problems that still face the coming generations.

Ban Ki-Moon was secretary general from 2007 to 2016. Speaking about the accomplishments he is most proud of, Mr. Ban mentioned the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDG 17, which he described as “very logical.” Access to school, freedom from discrimination, and other development goals “should be basic,” he insisted. Mr Ban also talked about the foundation of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality, commonly known as UN Women, and the Paris Climate Accords. “I am most proud of bringing all the leaders of the world together,” said Mr. Ban.

But the former secretary general spent most of his time talking about the present and future. “The whole world is engulfed in two crises,” he said, citing the wars in Europe and the Middle East. “We must come together with greater solidarity, and find our common humanity, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Most of all Mr. Ban spoke about the urgency of the climate crisis, connecting such seemingly disparate concerns as development and infectious disease to the failure of the world’s leaders to take climate action seriously. “Soon you will be in charge. That’s why I’m standing before you. I get increasingly angry when I talk about these things. But my only hope is you.”