Activities of Secretary-General in United Kingdom, 21-22 June
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Birmingham, England, early on Sunday, 21 June.
In a speech that morning to the 100th Rotary International Convention, he spoke of the prospect of a polio-free world, saying, “Now is the time to finish the job.” (See Press Release SG/SM/12330.)
The Secretary-General added that we can cut back on health expenditures and see massive losses in lives. Or we can invest in health and spare both people and economies the high cost of inaction.
He also paid tribute to Rotary International for its work in helping to stamp out polio.
Also on Sunday, the Secretary-General was presented with the Polio Champion Award in recognition of his contribution to the eradication of polio. (See Press Release SG/SM/12331.)
While in Birmingham, Mr. Ban also met with Sir Mark Moody Stuart, Chairman of the Global Compact Foundation.
Later in the afternoon, the Secretary-General spoke by phone with Prime Minister Gordon Brown and with Foreign Minister David Miliband.
He also attended a reception hosted in his honour by Sir Dominic Cadbury, Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, and a dinner given by Professor David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham.
The Secretary-General returned to New York on Monday morning.