Activities of Secretary-General in Denmark, 2-4 October

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Madam Ban Soon-taek arrived in Copenhagen on Friday afternoon, 2 October, from Stockholm.

He immediately attended a working dinner with the Danish Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen.  Discussions focused on the way forward on sealing a deal on climate change ahead of the December Conference in Copenhagen.

The Secretary-General and his wife then met with the President of the International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, and Mrs. Rogge.  On Saturday morning in Copenhagen, the Secretary-General gave the keynotespeech to the thirteenth Olympic Congress.  (See Press Release SG/SM/12514)

The Secretary-General appealed to the International Olympic Committee and other sports leaders to do their part to “seal the deal” on climate change.

“If you asked me to jog around this conference hall, I would probably run out of breath,” he said.  “But when it comes to fighting for our shared global goals -- for a world that is cleaner, healthier, more peaceful, more sustainable and more prosperous -- I will sprint like an Olympian.”

The Secretary-General also displayed at the Olympic Congress a street football made from paper and wrapped up in plastic bags and tied up with strings from the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.  He said the ball, which was signed by the Secretary-General and Mr. Rogge, will be auctioned at a fundraising event to be hosted by Princess Haya bint al Hussein for the benefit of relatives of local United Nations staff members that were killed while working for the United Nations ideals.

The Secretary-General also met with Princess Haya, during which they discussed the proposed fund.  He later attended a lunch with the International Olympic Committee Board members at the Bella Centre, where the Olympic Congress was being held.

In the afternoon, he met with the Minister for Development Cooperation, Ulla Toernaes, before departing for the University of Copenhagen.  There, he delivered a lecture at the University of Copenhagen, entitled “The Road to Copenhagen: Meeting the Climate Challenge”, and had a lively exchange with the students.  He vowed to do everything possible to make the Climate Change Conference later this year in Copenhagen a success.  (See Press Release SG/SM/12515)

On Sunday morning, the Secretary-General met with the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard, before visiting an outdoor photograph exhibition entitled “100 Places to Remember before They Disappear”, in Copenhagen’s Central Square.

In the afternoon, he met with Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, before departing Copenhagen for Geneva.