Activities of Secretary-General in United Kingdom, 26-28 July

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, arrived in London on the afternoon of Thursday, 26 July, on a flight from Sarajevo.

That evening, the Secretary-General ran with the Olympic Torch near the Houses of Parliament in central London.

On the morning of Friday, 27 July, the Secretary-General met with the United Nations-League of Arab States Joint Special Envoy for Syria, Kofi Annan, to discuss recent developments related to the crisis.

The Secretary-General then met with the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Nick Clegg, and later with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, William Hague.

The Secretary-General and Mr. Hague took part in an event to highlight the Olympic Truce.  The Secretary-General said that the Truce may sound like something from the distant past that has no relevance in our times.  He said it may seem naive to think that hardened fighters and their patrons will listen.  But, he said, relevant it is, and try we must.  Above all, we should galvanize our efforts to end the violence in Syria, he said. (See Press ReleaseSG/SM/14434.)

That evening, the Secretary-General, accompanied by Madam Ban, attended a reception hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before attending the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. 

At the ceremony, the Secretary-General joined eight others as a flag bearer.  After the ceremony, the Secretary-General said:  "The Olympic movement and the United Nations share the same values and ideals, and are working ever closer together in the cause of peace and development.  It is a true honour to represent the United Nations — and everyone who serves the United Nations — at the opening of the London 2012 Games”.

The Secretary-General and Madam Ban left London on the morning of Saturday, 28 July, and arrived in New York the same afternoon.