United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will give the keynote address at the opening session of the eighth Global Colloquium of University Presidents (UNGC) hosted by Yale University and President Peter Salovey.
Ban’s address will be on Tuesday, April 12, at 4:30 p.m. at Sprague Hall, 470 College St. A limited number of tickets will be available; ticket information is posted on the UNGC website. Those interested in attending should go to the website and enter their names for the community-wide lottery no later than Friday, April 1. The address will also be live streamed on the Yale University YouTube channel and will be archived for future viewing.
This eighth colloquium will center on the theme of “Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Challenges and Strategies.” Because cultural heritage is central to the identities of individuals and societies, addressing threats to it — including climate change, terrorism, and mass tourism — has become global priority.
The colloquium is convened by the presidents of its six sponsoring institutions — Brown, Columbia, New York, Princeton and Yale universities, and the University of Pennsylvania — on behalf of and with the support and participation of the U.N. Secretary-General.
Ban is the eighth secretary-general of the U.N, a role the organization describes as “equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and CEO.” His priorities have been to mobilize world leaders around a set of new global challenges, from climate change and economic upheaval to pandemics and increasing pressures involving food, energy and water. Ban has sought to be a bridge-builder, to give voice to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, and to strengthen the U.N. itself.
“I grew up in war”, the Secretary-General said in his official biography, “and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As secretary-general, I am determined to see this organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development, and human rights.”
Ban took office on Jan. 1, 2007. He and was unanimously re-elected by the General Assembly and will continue to serve until Dec. 31, 2016. To learn more about his priorities and the highlights of his tenure, visit the U.N. website.
The colloquium itself will have plenary sessions on April 13 for university presidents and invited faculty experts from nearly 30 institutions of higher education around the world; these will be held at the Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) on the Yale West Campus. The colloquium and related events are organized by the Yale Office of International Affairs and the IPCH with the leadership of Yale faculty, the Yale University Library, Yale Peabody Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, Yale Center for British Art, and other partners.
Salovey and the organizers encourage people across campus and the community to take the occasion of the colloquium and related public events to learn more and consider the roles they can play in moving the preservation of cultural heritage forward.
The keynote address on April 12 is one of a series of public events from April 6–15 being held in conjunction with the colloquium. Readers are invited to explore the full calendar of events posted on the UNGC website.
Readers can follow the conversation about the preservation of cultural heritage by using the hashtag #unite4heritage.